by Jason Elias
A vast improvement over the previous year's debut, Escape is the second album from the seminal no-nonsense New York rappers. Unlike many rappers, Whodini got their beats and musical backing from synthesizers. While this isn't a conceptual masterpiece and really is nothing more than sure-shot singles and sound-alike single, "Five Minutes of Funk" was an instant classic. The just-as-good "Freaks Come Out at Night" has the guys talking about nocturnal freaks with vivid lyrics and a little too much inside information. Listening to Escape, one has to be struck with the minimalism offered here. On "Big Mouth" and "Friends," producer Larry Smith provides clutter-free tracks for the guys to rap over. In contrast, the fast-paced "Escape (I Need a Break)" brings in ambulance sounds and ends up being a great instance of unconsciously danceable rap. Better yet, the closer "We Are Whodini" distills the essence of the group more than the other groundbreaking tracks here, and still retains a sense of freshness. The real unsung hero on Escape is the DJ, Grandmaster Dee, who provides deft work. Recorded at Battery Studios in England, Escape has a countless amount of memorable lines and productions, and has held up over time better than the debut.