Public Enemy made their name at the end of the 1980s, when their LPs 'It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back' and 'Fear of a Black Planet' mixed post-modern, avant garde sound sculptures with strident and often confrontational lyrics that sparked debate about race, class, culture and freedom. Today, though, hip hop has changed almost beyond recognition. The music has become more mainstream, but its power to deliver any kind of coherent message has been weakened as Chuck D makes clear

“I think the problem might be that the artists want to say more than is expected, but they aren't encouraged to speak their minds by their labels, which concentrate on what's easy to sell. Skills are now secondary to image.”

After a string of fairly disappointing releases ('there's a poison going on', 'revolverlution'), There were always going to be questions asked about Public Enemy's position in the present musical climate. With 'New Whirl Odor', they've elbowed their way back into contention without any political compromise. The vibe is similarly subversive to the seminal releases of a decade or two ago with targets including the war on terror, record companies and white America yet this isn't the return to form that many were hoping for; tracks like 'what a fool believes' sees chuck laying it down over an incoherent mash up of rock and what sounds like the beach boys with an axel rose guitar solo thrown in for good measure. Having said this there are moments of sheer beauty sitting right along side these errors in the art of eclectisism - 'Bring the beat back' is a hands in the air anti war polemic whilst 'Superman's black in The building', an 11 minute anthem proves to be the perfect finale to what at times is an album that really connects. Being released on Slam Jamz, Chuck D's highly adventurous (they've just signed a serbian r&b singer) internet based record label, Public Enemy are not just asking questions, they're providng solutions to the ever fickle hip hop world of pseudo gangsters and west coast wide boys.