It’s hard to keep a good Robotsex down, especially a beautiful, bikini-clad Robotsex. Needless to say, if I were a nymphomaniac femme fatale my life would be much easier. Had that been the scenario, I would not have adopted a life of crime fighting (battling mad scientist after mad scientist, space alien after space alien and other baddies out for carnage in this post-apocalyptic wonderland called Isla Vista). My life would have probably been consigned to no heavy lifting and playing strip Twister at least twice a week.

But I’m not bitter. In fact I’m a much better individual than that. I figure that there isn’t any use in me being angry about the past. This, however, is not the sentiment of every eponymous star/misunderstood man in the limelight. Take Saul Williams for example. Poet galore, underground spoken word bigwig, star of “Slam” and now a part of the same major label that brought the likes of The Nonce, Kwest the Mad Ladd and Chino XL to accessibility, Saul Williams seems to have very serious gripes he wants to acknowledge. Gripes so serious that combined with his angry delivery each track comes across like the roaring of a ferocious lion – giant mechanical lions that merge together to form an even more giant, sword-wielding juggernaut called Amethyst Rock Star (the title of his new release from American Recordings-Columbia). Yep, you guessed it, Saul Williams is the Voltron of this rap shit, turbocharged, spicy and with a few opinions to voice. The album features the likes of Esthero and DJ Krust, and it is being promoted as a CD that will take you on a “poetic, sonic journey through a musical blend of hip hop, rock and poetry …”

Sound fun? Well, if it doesn’t, then a move toward Musipal, Wagon Christ’s (AKA Luc Vibert’s) newest release brought to the world courtesy of Ninja Tune, should do the trick. Playful, exciting and entirely devoid of shouting, Musipal doesn’t do as much to explore new territory as it just entertains, and that is not a bad thing. “The Premiere” starts it all off, “Bend Over” continues it, and the ensuing 11 tracks back up what was apparent with the first – musical goodness. And not that mediocre goodness either, I’m talking first-class, grade-A, can-only-be-followed-by-the-word-‘gracious’ type goodness. Speaking of which, DJ Mark Farina’s Mushroom Jazz 3 fits the bill also. My new “walk around town with this in my CD player” CD, this is a blend of down-tempo, relaxed beats and hip hop-influenced jams. This mix CD off San Francisco-based OM Records boasts the likes of King Kooba, Dynamic Syncopation, People Under the Stairs, the Unspoken Heard, Mountain Brothers, Slide 5 and more in its lineup. The result is a spring-fashion-issue type of mix; great to chill to, barbecue to or circle jerk to – if you are into that sort of thing.

Robotsex. Bling, bling.