Ratking is wild, untameable! For a hip hop group coming out of New York they're definitely bringing something different. Where their peers might be presenting themselves as the sum of New York's hip hop history, Ratking are going farther. There's a persistent high energy level that fills every track. Lots of yelling coupled with some controlled chaos creates a near cacophony that MCs Wiki and Hak fight through. Producer Sporting Life's sonic pieces are helped behind the boards by Jay-Z associate Young Guru. This helps to provide some clarity that has been absent on past Ratking releases. Wiki and Hak seem to have stepped up their game as well. They're expressive while still maintaining rapid fire deliveries, providing personality and presence where others might get caught up in the wordplay. So It Goes is peppered with stories of New York, observations of the city's changing landscape, police brutality and the evolving face of hip hop. Throughout it all Ratking confidently bring something fresh and new.

• music label: HXC Recordings 2014

reviewed by Kool Moby 05/2014