An album laden with the kind of lush atmosphere typically found on one of those Ibiza chillout records, Zulu Guru’s potential to lull you into a trance-like state of enlightenment is marred by jagged rhymes and hey-girl-style soul vocals. The album is repetitive in a way that, if it were instrumental, would make for non-invasive background music. As it is, Zulu Guru is a douchebaggy soundtrack to a drunken night out with too much hair gel, a Honda Civic and drinks with umbrellas in them. The mc-ing is the worst part; words hurled with no disregard for sense or reason, no rhyme, no rhythm. The track, “Schwaza,” is a particularly good example of bad rap. The word “schwaza” may mean “I’m not even trying” in some other language, so perhaps there’s validity to the painfully funny performance. Ninja Tune was, at one point, the go-to label for kickass electronic music. If Jesse Boykins III’s Zulu Guru is any indication, it’s time to hang up the throwing stars. (ninjatune.net) Myke Lewis