Action Bronson is back!

As an avid listener of hip-hop, I tend to mentally categorize albums in a few different ways. First, there are albums that immediately strike me as good. My ears perk up, my head gets nodding, and I know this one is going to stay in my rotation for a while. Second, there are albums that I don’t get immediately. But after a few rotations it creeps into my subconscious and everything finally clicks. R.A.P. Ferreira was one of those artists for me; he was critically acclaimed, and the podcasters I listen to were singing his praises. But for a while it wasn’t vibing. And now I can’t get enough.

Then of course there are the albums that I know from beat one are not going to be for me. This isn’t to say they don’t have merit or are artistically bankrupt. But they are not my style. Most (not all) mainstream hip-hop fits into this category for me. I’m glad people like Migos, but I’m never going to listen to them for pleasure.

Finally, there are the albums that make me do an instant double-take. Something about the music is so audacious, so bombastic, you must stop and say, “What did I hear?” For me, Action Bronson’s latest album Cocodrillo Turbo fits squarely in that category. Cocodrillo Turbo sounds like a producer got ahold of a crate of easy-listening records from a thrift shop, mixed them with scores from 70’s grindhouse movies, and overlayed some dope beats. It takes a certain type of mind to create something so different. Luckily Bronson had production help from the Alchemist, Roc Marciano, and Daringer to offer their unique brands of sonic insanity.

Cocodrillo Turbo is the fully realized evolution of Action Bronson that started with White Bronco, Lamb over Rice, and 2020’s Only for Dolphins. Whereas one could hear the beginnings of this mad science project on White Bronco, Cocodrillo Turbo builds upon the feeling from Only for Dolphins and injects a zaniness into it that elevates this project to another level altogether. 

The album kicks off with “Hound Dog,” which mixes recordings of broken glass, dogs barking, and villainous theme music. The next track “Tongpo” has a 70’s guitar lick overlayed by a sax line lifted right out of a Quentin Tarantino flick.  It features a guest spot from Conway the Machine who makes his presence known with the unmistakable “woo woo woo woo” and tongue trills.

“Estaciones” is by far the most schmaltzy track on this album featuring piano and organ that would not sound out of place on a Paul Anka record. There is no beat underneath, only keys and Action spitting with ferocity. It is insane that this works so well. There is a funny interaction here between Hologram and Action Bronson, with Bronson interrupting Hologram’s bars, apologizing, and then Hologram starting over from the beginning. It is charming in an odd sort of way, and the rhymes are strong enough to carry the strange interplay.

“Jaws” features a flute solo ripped straight out of a mall muzak compilation. This leads into the track “Subzero,” the most manic track on the album, which contains a crazy bossa-nova beat played on the bass and hi-hats as well as an intermittent bizzarro organ melody.

Next comes “Jaguar,” anchored by a stellar soul sample. And then for inexplicable reasons the song ends with the sounds of pigs squealing while apparently being eaten by a crocodile. It is an off-putting moment that reinforces the message: cocodrillo is here to destroy.

The album closes with “Storm of the Century” which features a lazily strummed guitar, crooning sax solo, and storm sounds. Bronson’s verses end with a minute and a half on the track dedicated to saxophone noodling and thunderous atmospherics. It’s a strange production decision that darkens the tone of the album.

Action Bronson comes out swinging on this record stronger than ever. He constantly drops his aka’s Dr. Baklava, crocodile, and cocodrillo. His tenor is firm, and he stands his ground, establishing his place in the rap game. Which is an odd move considering he has already released a string of critically successful albums. He’s not new to hip-hop, but he spits as if we don’t already know his name. It’s battle rap put down on wax.

Bronson’s rhymes are also very funny. He’s got several diss lines that brutal and humorous at the same time, such as on “Ninenty-One”: “Pickled in vinegar your b**** look like Forrest Whitaker in the movie where he played the general.” And then on “Jaguar” he drops the insult: “Your b**** got a face like Pauly Shore.”

His verses are full of pop culture references from wrestling (Mr. Socko, Spinning Heel Kick, Hell in a Cell Arena) to Bone Thugs and Harmony (Crossroads) and he even references “Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bo,” an end of 2021 mixtape from Boldy James produced by the Alchemist who has production credits on Cocodrillo Turbo.

At times I can’t decide if Bronson’s lines are genius or plain dumb. Take his prideful bar on “Jaguar”: “Bro you looking like a bison, nah dawg, I look like M. Bison.” Normally I cringe over rhyming the same word, but the Street Fighter reference and the callout to his recent weight is clever.

The album uses sound bites to stay on theme, with punched in crocodile growls and a distorted computer saying “turbo, turbo, turbo.”

Bronson stated about the album: “I first came up with this album while in the water. I’ve spent many lifetimes in the water. I’m just a water man. I was born in the water, I’m a water sign.” As the second water-themed album in a row, I’m interested to see if he continues to write with this setting in mind.

You can follow Action Bronson on Twitter and Instagram and purchase digital and pre-order physical copies of Cocodrillo Turbo on his bandcamp.