Banks & Steelz - Anything But Words

On paper this sounds like a bizarre collaboration – RZA, the unofficial head of Wu-Tang Clan releasing an album with the Paul Banks, lead singer of the notoriously gloomy Interpol. For extra bewilderment, Florence Welch guests on vocals.

Fortunately, what initially sounds like something that will never work out turns out to make perfect sense, with both RZA and Banks sounding rejuvenated and more energised than they have done in a long time by their day jobs. Kicking off with the aptly-titled ‘Giant’, RZA launches into a blistering tirade, perfectly complimented by the infectious hook and chorus Banks delivers. It sounds huge.

It’s worth noting that Banks has long proclaimed a love of hip-hop, with his influences a world apart from the atmospheric stylings of Interpol. Having previously collaborated with El-P, working with RZA shouldn’t be too much of a shock. What is surprising, however, is the collaboration with Florence Welch on ‘Wild Season’. In truth it’s the only misstep here, with Welch’s cameo seeming shoehorned in, as she battles against Banks to become the focal point of the song.

Elsewhere, the cameo from Ghostface Killah on ‘Love and War’ proves that alongside RZA, Wu-Tang were capable of so much more than their last release, the disappointing ‘A Better Tomorrow’. There’s a vibrancy and energy on display here that carries on throughout the first half of the record, betrayed by Banks’ dry yet impossibly catchy vocals.

Towards the end of the album, there’s a shift in focus, with the like of ‘One on One’, an album highlight, taking on a more atmospheric, downcast tone, as Banks takes centre stage. More reminiscent of his solo work than anything he’s done with Interpol, it will be interesting to see whether this project feeds into whatever he chooses to do next.

This probably won’t appeal to Interpol fans desperately hoping that Banks returns to the despair of ‘Turn On The Bright Lights’, but the sound of two artists pushing each other forward makes for a fascinating listen. This isn’t just the sound of two polar opposites coming together and hoping something sticks. This is a group that have earned their right to be heard. They should be taken seriously.