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On this reassuring piece of big-bottomed exotica, the "Sahara swing" they concocted with Karl Hector is the tipoff. They love the continuity bass-and-drums lay below; I love the content koto and flute and malletophone add on
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By description, Earthology may seem like an exercise in music dabbling. But at the heart of the Whitefield Brothers' sound is deadly solid funk.
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UncutDrawing on every rhythmic tradition they can find and master, they corral impressive guests like Edan, Mr. Lif and Quantic to confound all expectations of contemporary funk LP. [Mar 2010, p.107]
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The Whitefield Brothers have somehow succeeded in folding the world in on itself with Earthology. The sounds on this disc are mixed together in such a way as to be totally surprising, totally new, and yet completely cohesive.
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Earthology, like its title suggests, is a study of the Earth, -ology, derived from the Greek logos, meaning branch of knowledge-and as such, is an informative journey with countless layers that serve to educate its listeners who pay attention, unwinding its knots to reveal its (in recent memory) unmatched complexity and depth.
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From one angle Earthology could be regarded as indigestibly worthy and academic, and there are moments such as the bamboo-beating 'Ntu' which will definitely test the patience of the casual listener. Yet there's still a funk of an admittedly spaced-out ilk at the album's core.
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Despite being unsure whether or not to cater to the academic impulse of hardcore funk enthusiasts, Earthology is still a unique release that unabashedly flaunts its contradictory influences.
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MojoGuest appearances from the venerated likes of Percee P and M.E.D. and Mr Lif & Edan prove these Brothers' breakbeats more than pass muster. But it's the more adventurous instrumentals that impress most. [Mar 2010, p.92]
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While some of the instrumental workouts (like "Safari Strut") are loose and inspired, it takes a handful of appearances from backpack-friendly rappers Percee P ("Reverse") and Mr. Lif ("The Gift") to keep Earthology from fading into lava-lamp background grooviness.