Welcome to the August edition of The Mix. I trust you all have your air conditioning on, or even one of those little fans blowing in your face. I haven’t had a summer like this since I was at school, its roasting out there! Obviously not too hot for some of Britain’s top artists to be writing, producing & releasing some of their best work yet.
This month we have a whole library’s worth of singles and albums to have a look through for your enjoyment, so sit back and twist one up, double drop, knock one out, crack one open…..what ever it is you do, and enjoy.
DR SYNTAX – Subcultures
(Dented Records/Beer & Rap Records)
www.dentedrecords.com
www.beerandraprecords.com
www.myspace/drsyntax
www.drsyntax.co.uk
Dented Records have teamed up with a new label called Beer & Rap Records to bring you something that should have been organised a long time ago, and here it is! The long awaited debut release from Dr. Syntax “Sub-Cultures“.
Dr. Syntax is already well known from collaborations with the Foreign Beggars and Menagerie. He puts in a nice twist to tunes and somehow manages to improve already brilliant songs. Well, he’s back with a strong dose of outstanding solo ability, easily living up to the sky-scraping standards of his past appearances.
This track is upbeat with light hearted but intelligent lyrics, making fun of some of the different cultures and “Sub-cultures” you’re likely to stumble across in and around your local area. I know I’ve met a few of the groups brought up in this track. Ok so they’re stereotypes, but we all know people that hang around in local pubs that don’t like the look of newcomers, people that have mullets, dress in crap clothes and wear sun glasses at night and people that argue about who’s the best hip hop artist (don’t we? all of you in the music from the corner yahoo groups!).
The two other tracks on this cd “Animal Hides” (sounding much more like the good old Menagerie) and “Pack Mentality” (straight from the sound of the Foreign Beggars) are both produced by Ido. Koaste also makes and appearance on this cd. On the info I’ve been sent with this cd it says he’s a newcomer but he’s been around for quite a while that I know of, you can hear some of Dr. Syntax, Koaste’s and loads of other tunes here.
Sub-Cultures is the first 12″ from Dr Syntax’s debut album, “Self-Taught” coming up later this year…I’ll be sure to be reviewing that!
BLACK GRASS – A Hundred Days In One
(Catskills Records)
www.black-grass.com
www.catskillsrecords.com
We looked at the single “Don’t Leave Me This Way” last month and this month we are going to take a look at the album “A Hundred Days in One” as a whole. What an album it is! One of Brighton’s finest Black Grass (AKA Mex) has really taken decent music to the next level here. This is a really eclectic album with so many different genres of music crammed into one cd, it left me well impressed. This was not what I was expecting after hearing the 12″ release last month.
It brings us music from the styles of funk, jazz, soul, uplifting party beats and somehow sticks to a hip hop related genre. In some ways it reminded me of the eloquently expressed Herbaliser but with an edgy feel to it. It’s a bit more quirky, a little more tangy and a tiny touch more pop (but in a good way). This is one to play for the people that are not so attuned, to the stuff our readers love to listen to, when they come round to chill.
Rising UK star Micall Parknsun features on the track “Down & Dirty” with fellow UK star Jehst making an astonishing appearance over a military style beat on “Lines of Defence“. Brilliant head nodder! This one is released on 29th August 2006. Keep on looking for this one.
Look out for Mex playing this years’ Bestival in September and also the final set at Fat Tuesday at The Big Chill this Month.
NNEKA – The Uncomfortable Truth
(Four Music/Yo Mamma’s Recordings)
www.nnekaworld.com
This one’s a little different. It’s for all of you that feel the need to chill out and take time out to listen to the likes of Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu, Lauren Hill etc etc… I really like this one. Nneka has released the single “The Uncomfortable Truth” taken from her debut album “Victim of Truth” on Four Music / Yo Mamma’s Recordings, and it is truly inspiring. This tune has worldwide hit written all over it. It is the sort of tune I would easily expect to hear at the number one slot in the charts. I mean the decent charts, not the shit we’re exposed to on Sunday afternoon radio stations. Released on 21st August, written by Nneka and produced by DJ Farhot, this is a tune that could and should take over the airwaves.
The second track on this CD “Stand Strong” is sung live and if im honest, you would never know that this track had not been tweaked and improved in a studio if it didn’t say “live version” next to it. It is sung with great power and full on emotion, more so than the cover suggests it might. Nneka draws influence and inspiration from artists such as Bob Marley, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Mobb Deep and Lauren Hill and you can tell. It feels like there’s a bit of every artist involved in the making of these couple of tunes, I can’t wait for the full album!
RECLUSE CREW & SYNOPTIC PRESSURE – The Art Of Raw Sound
(Kool Kat Records)
www.koolkatrecords.fi
www.recluserecordings.com
The Recluse Crew are a group of people bursting out of Helsinki; they are a collaboration project between the production team Recluse Recordings and MC’s from Dirty Smarts and LLC. Dragging in the stateside talents of Synoptic Pressure, who have apparently been displaying some amazing shows in Minneapolis, the end result is a rather impressive display of original talent.
“The Art of Raw Sound” is a 17 track LP that, to me, sounds more like East American hip hop than it does Scandinavian. This isn’t a bad thing, but when I first saw the CD I thought it might take me on a journey through Europe with some different styles, you know, like MC Solaar or Saian Supa Crew. It’s not quite like that but yes, I do like this album. There’s no pretence, no posing and it is decent rap music!
DR. OCTAGON – The Return of Dr. Octagon
(Casual Records)
www.protestrecordings.com
www.thereturnofdroctagon.com
Dr. Octagon is better known as Kool Keith, original member of the New York new school pioneers the Ultramagnetic MC’s. I hope everyone knows who they are. If not, you should, please look them up.
This is the official sequel to Dr. Octagon featuring Kool Keith, One Watt Sun, DJ Dexter and Princess Superstar. The Return of Dr. Octagon is the follow-up to Kool Keith’s 1996 critically acclaimed Dr. Oncagonecoloyst, a psychedelic hip-hop album about a deadly, sexually expressive and doped-up doctor.
Return of Dr. Octagon is deeper, darker and more spaced out than the original album. This time around Keith’s groundbreaking mic skills and schizophrenic imagination compliment the mystifying production and heavy bass lines. Dr. Octagon has reinvented himself covering a broad lyrical range that includes everything from socially conscious lecturing and advising to intergalactic Martian legends.
Great tunes such as the main single “Aliens” as well as other top tracks manage to twist and turn way before each corner. Production trio One Wat Son have the ability to bring out the madness in Keith’s lyrics, and his unhinged nature. Some tracks to listen out for on this wonderful album are “Ants” in which DJ Dexter (formally of the Avalanches) steps in for the Egyptian scratch flavour and “Trees“. The latter being a soon to be classic dance floor filler at any half decent club or bar. It seems that any of those rumours you hear about this album being an unofficial release is absolute turd! So don’t worry about it. Who listens to gossip anyway, you bunch of old women!
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WEBWATCH
Right then, for the end of my section this month I’ve decided to big up a clothes company that I have stumbled across during the past few months. I think I first saw it in Big Smoke magazine and decided to have a look at the website because I liked the photography on the advertisement.
This company is Siino (see no)! I’ve bought a few things from there now and I have a thing about promoting things that are on the up. If you like your clothing to be smart, well designed and so not everyone you walk past is wearing it, you’ve come to the right place. I know it’s difficult to buy things online because of the way things might look, sizes etc but with this company the photos depict the clothing really well and if you are large in size, you buy large. If you are medium in size, guess what….you buy medium.
There are some top notch things on sale from this company so have a look at the website .You can also buy Siino stuff from here too. Here are a couple of pictures of the kinds of things you can buy there. I bought the t-shirt in the top picture but in white (half print and half stitching). It looks pretty damn cool when you’re out and about.
As you can see there’s some cool stitching on these two tops, apparently designed from a collection of other pictures all strategically placed to form another picture, or in some cases a big fat S (for Siino). There’s a lot more to it but to find out you’ll have to contact hello@siinoclothing.com or call 01926 332040.
And there you have it! That’s my rant for this month I hope you enjoy the tracks I’ve pointed out to you. If you can’t get hold of them quite yet, just hold on to your hats and you’ll soon be able to. The best things come to those who wait…apparently!
Now, over to Abjekt with his array of weird and wonderful collection of singles & albums.
Don’t forget to mail me at kris@caughtinthecrossfire.com
Cheers people
Kris Drew
The Jektmosphere
Big ups to Kris for his reviews, I can definitely vouch for the Dr Octagon album, crazy shit, I love it. So this month was a particularly big one for me and I have a bunch of stuff for you guys to check out. I’m off to the Scribble Jam festival this month, the premier underground hip hop festival with MC/DJ/Beatbox/Breaking battles, live performances and graffiti expos, so whilst I’m gone checking the likes of Pigeon John, Jel, Brother Ali, Murs and Glue, you can track down these badboys and listen to what I recommend to tide you over til next time.
LOW BUDGET & AARON LACRATE – BMore Gutter Music
(Milkcrate Records/All City Music)
www.myspace.com/aaronlacrate
We’re kicking off with some party jams people. Milkcrate’s Aaron LaCrate and Hollertronix’s Lowbudget have teamed up to combine some funky-arse B-More House with hip hop and smeared it with a nice big dollop of bass. This is the sort of music you wanna be hearing when you’re getting down in a sweaty nightclub at 3am and it’s just the thing I need to wake me up in the morning.
With guest appearances from Big Dada’s MC Spank Rock and his running buddy Amanda Blank, you know that the rapping’s going to be top rate when it’s played out over the beats. And when you have a woman promising you a “pussy made of Gold”, you know you aren’t gonna go far wrong with this record. Baltimore’s clubs are banging and this CD proves it.
DARC MIND – Symptomatic Of A Greater Ill
(Anticon)
www.anticon.com
First things’s first – Darc Mind’s album doesn’t sound like an Anticon release. It’s not experimental, it’s not inane noise that has nothing to do with hip hop and you don’t have an MC trying to fit a whole verse into one sentence. This is a record which would fit on any typical hip hop label’s roster and is the sort of release that a lot of heads would happily slip onto their system.
The album, written between 1995 and 1997, could be argued to be ahead of its time. But to me its more of a mix between early 90s rap and the emergence of underground shit from the late 90s and early 2000s. Its dark and broody in some places [especially in Rhyme Zone] and stripped down in others [Covert Op] and even reminds me of Public Enemy on BMoc. If you liked the early rap stuff and want a little twist on it, this may well be the record for you.
JURASSIC 5 – Feedback
(Interscope)
www.jurassic5.com
I’ll admit I’ve never been a huge fan of J5, but at least you know that Cut Chemist is always going to deliver some good head-nod beats. At least, you did know that you could count on that with J5 records, but now he has left, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Unfortunately what came out of my speakers wasn’t anything worth listening to.
There is an argument, which I agree with, that J5’s output has gotten progressively weaker with each release and Feedback seems to support that point of view. Brown Girl for example, sounds like something the Pussycat Dolls would release into the charts, Work It Out, which inexplicably features Dave Matthews, just doesn’t hit the spot in any way and Turn It Out has some weak distorted beat which just sounds like they’ve not really bothered.
The only saving grace for the album is Canto De Ossanha, an instrumental which saves us from the poor rapping experienced throughout the album before it as Cuban and latino vibes fill the air over strumming guitars. But overall, this is one I’d steer well clear of.
WHATEVER THE WEATHER PRESENTS… – Fog Horn Vol. 1
(Whatever The Weather)
www.whatevertheweather.net
This is a mixtape which features a host of randomly collected artists and when I read the tracklist and saw the likes of Sage Francis and DJ Vadim sitting alongside the likes of Carpetface and Eat More Cake, I wondered how it would stick together, if at all. But as soon as the CD had finished I was happy to hear that it was seamlessly put together and provided a great mix of styles.
From the instrumental opening Which Way The Wind Blows by Natureboy which features soft horns and some nice percussion through the strings of Prolyphic and Suspect‘s Highs And Lows to the incredibly bassy fast paced action of Zej‘s Bob In Dob, you know that every track will provide and new twist and turn, and that’s what’s so refreshing about this compilation. From big names to small names, they all give something different and yet it doesn’t feel forced. Definitely one to check out.
RISHI RICH – The Project
(Two Point Nine)
www.2point9.com
Again, I’ll start with an admission – I’m not too hot on the Indian style vibes that started breaking into mainstream rap and allowed the likes of Jay Sean and Juggy D to get more exposure. It’s just not my thing, and I find it really taxing to have to sit listening to wailing voices in the background in most of the tracks. So whilst I’m sure that those who do feel that kind of vibe will love this new Rishi Rich album, it just doesn’t click for me.
The one track I don’t mind so much is Let’s Start Talking which has a nice grimey bassline on the beat and features the talents of one of the Grime world’s top MCs J2K and the awesome female rapper Baby Blue. But once again the vocal samples in the background just take the edge of what would be a good grime track and let it down a little. If you do like the Indian style beats then this is the CD for you, if not, then it’s best to leave it to those who do.
PLAID & BOB JAROC – Greedy Baby
(Warp)
www.warprecords.com
Plaid aka Ed Handley and Andy Turner have returned to the fore with this new release on the legendary Warp label, Greedy Baby. The album was written directly for surround sound systems and perhaps would have sounded even more mighty and impressive had it been playing on one, rather than my PC speakers, but nevertheless it’s certainly an impressive build up of eclectic beats and tuneful melodies. Some parts provide the soundtrack to lazy Sunday afternoons whilst other tracks set off an eerie and mysterious vibe that keeps you guessing.
You don’t just get a CD with this release, you get a DVD to accompany it and it completes what was already such an interest album. Each track on the CD is featured on the DVD with the brilliant work of Bob Jaroc. He provides the visual backdrop to the sonic soundscapes put down by Plaid and gives each track its own life with characters as well as just music. This isn’t just an album, this is an experience in sound and art and you’ll do well to check it out.
PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS – Stepfather
(Basement Records)
www.basementrecords.com
Thes One and Double K are back again and this album is as good as any they’ve put out there in the past. You know with PUTS you’re going to get some nice chilled rapping over a selection of quality beats and as always, they don’t disappoint. Kicking off with Step In you’re thrown straight into a summer’s day and then immediately they switch the styles into a stripped down track Pass The 40 with some ill scratching up on the chorus.
Whether they throw in a full pumping beat or the jazzy styles like in Flex Off, whether they sample a vocal into the fabric of the track [More Than You Know] or bang in with some great percussion [Tuxedo Rap], they do it with style and a flow that seems as though they feel more natural rapping than talking. Musically and lyrically PUTS have come up with a sure fire smile-inducing album and if you were a fan before you’ll love it, if you weren’t a fan before, you will be after hearing this. And with the album coming complete with a DVD, you can’t really go wrong. Quality stuff.
HIP HOP IS MUSIC PRESENTS… – Heavy Rotation
(Hip Hop IS Music)
www.hiphopismusic.com
Braille‘s new label Hip Hop IS Music has already promised big things, you only have to look at their roster, and yet as if this wasn’t enough, the label has put out a mix CD to showcase the talents of some of the roster to show just how great this label will be. The CD kicks off with the strumming title track, featuring Braille himself with Kaboose and Sivion, horns and vocal samples backing the rapping with ease.
Theory Hazit‘s track, My Favorite Hip Hop Joint, throws down a nice jazzy sung chorus over stunted melodies and is followed by Surreal bringing in Moment In Time, which is an ode to how he makes hip hop for the fans, putting his soul on the canvas for anyone listening. Fresh Nostaliga by Sojourn pumps out the funky guitars straight outta Shaft and Big Rec‘s Unleashed shows the more heavy hitting side of the label’s potential.
With beats by the likes of Ohmega Watts, Tony Stone and Muneshine, plus a few of Braille’s mates getting in on the action like Mars Ill, this is as good a compilation CD as you’re going to find. Hip Hop definitely IS music and this CD will prove that to you.
SIVION – Spring Of The Songbird
(Hip Hop IS Music)
www.hiphopismusic.com
Sivion, member of the DeepSpace5 collective which houses Mars Ill and Listener, comes with his solo outing on Braille’s aforementioned Hip Hop IS Music label and Spring Of The Songbird is a nice summery vibed album. With a healthy dose of singing going through the album, its not your average boom bap affair but Sivion brings it off well with solid rapping and a nice knack for storytellings.
Production from DeepSpace5’s Beat Rabbi, Ohmega Watts, Tony Stone and DJ Idull gives him a varied palette with which to rap over and he mixes it up from chilled out beats to more powerful and heavier tracks. Who Am I sounds like a DeepSpace5 track with fellow members Freddie Bruno and Playdough guesting and Going Through It features the new boss Braille on guest vocals.
But it’s the Tony Stone produced Walk With Me that kills the entire record. The beat has some amazing drums and the sung chorus and introduction of the live Saxophone in the background just give it the depth that allows it to stand above the rest of the album, which is no mean feat. Hip Hop IS Music looks good on paper but sounds even better on the stereo.
This month’s art comes from the ever talented Jon Burgerman. Miss Sixty commissioned him to use his brilliant style on their hotel in East Italy. Jon started drawing on one side of the room and then just carried on til he was all the way over the other side. Imagine staying at a hotel with this all around you. I wouldn’t leave the room if this was mine, I’d be too busy looking at every little character on there. It’s awesome, as is all of his work, so make sure you visit his site and check out everything on there. Click here for a view of the entire room.
Ok people, that’s your lot from me this time around. I’m off to Minneapolis and Ohio and will hopefully be grabbing some new hip hop whilst I’m over there. Make sure you enjoy the rest of the sun if it sticks around and I’ll be back soon with more recommendations. Whilst you’re at it, don’t forget to check out my beautiful voice over at the Hip Hop Radio Show. And, as ever, I would love to be sent CDs to review, so hit me up at the address below.
Inabit!
This is Dubbledge’s debut mixtape and it is red hot! This selection of impressive tracks is scrupulously blended together and the result is spot on. Fist of Jah features some of the best UK artists in the business. With Dr Syntax, Skrein, Genesis Elijah, Wordsmith, Foreign Beggars and Micall Parknsun featuring on various tracks how could you possibly go wrong? This cd is pretty damn raw to say the least. Nice to hear some tunes that make you feel like you could actually be in the room while the tunes are recorded. There is some exceptionally tight production coming from Dag Nabbit, Jabba the Kut, Ghosttown and Shlomo (who you should all know by now).
Brighton’s Black Grass, otherwise known as Mex is back with his hard hittin’ new single, “Don’t Leave Me This Way“, taken from the up and coming “A Hundred Days In One“. Dominique Noiret and Mex were brought together by accident. Mex wrote the music while waiting for a session player to show when the words to the unforgettable 1970’s disco tune (yes, you guessed it) “Don’t Leave Me This Way” jumped into his head and Mex realized that this could work well. A collaboration was born after Mex saw Dominique Noiret, on the front of a magazine, in her Noir Alt Country band and persuaded her to get involved. This is the end result!
What can I say? An online radio show that plays amazing tracks fused together with some pleasing mixing. I would definitely play most of the tracks out when im on the ones and twos in some club or bar. All of the archived shows will soon be available for download, just keep checking the websites above. If you go into the media section of the bare-records site you can download loads of unreleased tracks, some tracks that have already been released and a couple of videos that are worth watching, quite impressive really. I was sent their first show on cd when I bought some tunes from suspect-packages & I was impressed. These people will definitely be going somewhere, I’ve been hearing more and more about them recently. Keep your ears peeled.
Gilles Peterson is this generation’s John Peel. Let’s face it, there isn’t a style of music, that Gilles doesn’t know about or hasn’t championed to the point of exposure. On this Back To Brazil compilation, he serves up a double disc dosage of tunes from the South American country that will strike a note with anyone and everyone somewhere along the way. On the first CD, entitled Das Velhas, he throws in some mellow jazzy sounding stuff, perfect for warm late nights in the summer, kicking back and just chilling with this in the background. It’s not really my cup of tea, but playing it over my stereo when we had guests over seemed to grab their attention, so clearly there’s something there.
A-Skillz is a name I’d heard mentioned around but wasn’t sure where. It turns out the talented 24 year old has been behind the decks for the likes of Madonna and I have a soft spot for the queen of pop so he’s already gone up in my estimation without even having heard him! In fact, he beat Basement Jaxx and Scratch Perverts on Annie Mac’s mini-mix of the year for Radio 1, so he’s clearly got something. And this record certainly doesn’t let him down. A booming opening to Export 02 which features funky guitars, heavy cutting and some samples from the likes of the Jungle Brothers shows he ain’t messing around.
Kool Keith has had untold amounts of guises but arguably the most popular one of them all is Dr Octagon, and finally he’s brought that alter-ego back after a gap of 10 years. Trust me when I say this return single doesn’t disappoint. Starting off with a plodding fuzzy beat interspersed with short sharp bursts vibing in the background from various intstruments, the track floats around with a Portishead-esque Mysterons sound and finally gathers speed with off-key pianos as the Doc tells us all about the threat of Aliens.
Big Dada have done it again, they just keep on bringing out great tune after great tune and New Flesh’s new single is no exception. The sub-bass on this track is absolutely amazing, and truly reminiscent of Roots Manuva, who was so impressed by this track that he walked out of Big Dada’s offices carrying a CD-R of it to put on a compilation. But its not just the bass that resonates around the ears, it’s the differences in delivery by the rappers. You’ve got a Carribbean sounding emcee, you’ve got a harder rapping style and a more laid back homely sounding emcee opening the track up.
There’s no point in me discussing how massive Gnarls Barkley have become because let’s face it, after Crazy, we all know. But what I can tell you is that if you haven’t got the album and you want more proof that Dangermouse and Cee-Lo can pen a danceable fun track, then Smiley Faces is the one for you.
So there’s the music for this time around, hope there’s something in there you like. As for the art, we’ve got something by an artist called Mark Jenkins, who does embedding art amongst other things. Check out this photo of his fake person with their head supposedly going through the wall, absolutely genius, and something that doesn’t get tiring to look at. If you want to see some reactions by the general public to this, then throw your cursor over this link and check it out: 
What struck me immediately was that this year’s Urban Games was nowhere near as packed as it has been for the past few years and it was a strange sight to see hardly anyone milling around. Even from the start when we went to watch some of the skaters practise runs, walking past the BMX and the vert ramp, there weren’t many people watching and it felt as though we’d turned up a few hours too early.
The UK b-boys were out in full effect on the Friday and despite the lack of crowd, the energy levels were high, the music was bumping [maybe Wireless can learn a thing or two from here about how to make the music sound loud] and everyone involved seemed to having a load of fun. Whilst Derby’s Trinity won the UK event, big props need to be given out to Flow Mavericks and Ghetto Lowlifes.
This cheeky little number is released on 12th June so keep your ears peeled! Here, the Dr has offered an appointment that we just can’t miss. Just for turning up you get handed to you, a prescription of undiluted, pure funk bedlam. Quickly following the recently released “Watch the Tables Turn“, this 7” and download only release has already been generating some whispers in the next mans ear. Whispers that have turned to mumbling, mumbling that has turned to……. & so on. You get the picture.
Abstract Mindstate are a male/female rap duo Ice Gre and Ebony Poetress the Hellcat. These two have released quite a lot of tunes: five 12″ vinyl singles, one seven track EP, a full debut album, an unreleased album and two heavy mixtapes. Here we get a three track single that oozes originality, has some quite tight rhymes, nice bit of production and some very hard hitting beats.
Well, here we are! Two of my favourite artists brought together for a whole album! Ever since Verb-T did “Backhand Slap Talk” on Lowlife I was hooked. Verb. T from West London – first worked with Harry Love on the “Showbitchness” single from Low Life’s “Food” compilation and has featured on more recent releases from the Breakin’ Bread and Medication labels. And Harry Love is just a precision craftsman. I first knew of him when he was working on the Kung Fu nights. I think that’s me being a bit slow on the uptake there, but that’s what you get for living so far north. You have to find everything out yourself, no one tells you nuffin.
Now, I’ve had this one for quite some time now but I had some mates round to have a blast on the old ones and twos, and as always people were using records I never use and pulling out little diamonds. This was one of those, and I’ve done a bit of research so I know my stuff as well.
We all know just how great Jehst is as a rapper. His EPs and album have sat firmly at the top of my favourites pile for ages as he constantly delivers well thought out and perfectly delivered rhymes. But now Jehst has decided that his rapping needs to take a back seat, especially since his last EP Nuke Proof Suit came out not too long ago, and on this record, it’s all about showcasing his beats with numerous rappers coming in to give the vocals their personal touch.
This Canadian DJ has put together a brilliantly compiled mixtape here which kicks off with a bouncy scratch-fest of an intro before launching itself into tracks from the likes of DITC, Gangstarr, Non Phixion, Zion I, A Tribe Called Quest and many more. What’s impressive about this mixtape is that not only does it host a plethora of big tracks, it slides seamlessly from one to the next, the major ingredient of a mixtape.
I came across these guys due to one of the tracks on this album being produced by Blue Scholars/Common Market producer/DJ Sabzi and I’m delighted that I did. This album is one that you wanna put on your stereo when you’re burning your food on the BBQ in the sun and pump the beats out loud as hell to piss the neighbours off. From the staccato bleeping beat of Champion, you’re banging that head and pumping your fist as MCs Kiwi and Bambu narrate their stories over the jumping beat.
Going solo from his WhyLout? Crew, Brixton’s Marvin The Martian has gained notoriety lately for pioneering the “grindie” scene. But ignore all that bollocks, and just sit back and enjoy this slice of grime. The track which was labelled “grindie” is Stay Off The Kane, which samples Art Brut, and its just that, a grime song with a sample. So if you don’t want to hear what you think NME will be sucking off, don’t worry, this is still a belting track.
The untimely death of super-producer J-Dilla earlier this year hit the hip hop community hard. His influence spread throughout the hip hop world and his laid back beats inspired many great groups, including The Pharcyde who said at their last London show that if it wasn’t for Jay Dee, they wouldn’t be doing what they’re doing right now. High praise indeed.
Lushlife got big from his West Sounds mash up, following in the footsteps of DangerMouse’s Grey Album, when he mixed Kanye West with the Beach Boys. Now, in my eyes mixing something as beautiful as the Beach Boys with something as shit as Kanye West is a travesty and he needed to really bring his game to change my opinion of him when he released his album proper.
So that’s the music for this month and so I move onto the art section of my update. This month we’re getting stickers by a very talented guy called Gav Strange, who heads up 
Now this is Us3′s fifth album, I first heard of them about a year ago. “Schizophonic” retains the quality I originally listened to when that first CD was passed to me. Developing on the groups enormous 50-date/14 country European tour last year, this album is an energetic, wild and up-tempo affair returning to the task of fitting pieces of live jazz and hip hop beats together.
The UK stands wobbly kneed under Swift It Major’s pressure! With production from Maguyver (KJB Records) and Chino (FMP). This mix-tape is being circulated within the industry, but it has brought out to prep you rowdy lot for the soon to come video of “13 Years On“. Swift is 25 years of age coming from North West London, training and meditating now for a good 2 years and has finally perfected his own style which now is ready to be shared with the rest of the world.
Straight out of Huddersfield comes an emerging new talent, Spida Lee, ready to deliver a mighty onslaught of kick ass beats and rhymes with his brand spanking new single, “Verbal Assassin” taken from his forthcoming debut album on Rubicon beat. This tune is a hard hitting Northern hip hop track, with a strong UK emphasis. The catchy chorus and crisp production by the beat butcher, along with a sinister circular synth refrain, underpins Spida Lee’s debut single.
It’s been a long road, but its here at last! Here it is straight outta Nottingham. Over 18 months in the making, The Departure Lounge represents the sounds of the underground, floating through jazz, funk and electro beats, but all the while coming at you with a conscious Hip-Hop undertone. The album is a 14 track compilation CD with input from the likes of Karizma, Sophie Johnson-Hill and Lost Project. How could you possibly go wrong!!??
From the moment the crunching intro of Stand Up kicks in, you know this is going to be a UK hip hop album that’s a little bit different. Akala is a bright new star who isn’t scared to mix things up a bit and he does it right from the off on his debut album. Guitar licks provide a fair slice of the output on this release and he raps with ease and precision over them all with clever and socially aware lyrical content.
For a while now, Asaviour has been known as Jehst’s hype man, a good presence on stage but no-one really knew if he could transfer it onto a long player. His Savoir Faire EP was hot, but it only had a few tracks on it, so the mystery continued. Well let that question be answered with this release, because it’s a banger of epic proportions. The lead single, So Northern, which he produced himself and which features Braintax on the chorus is a chunky beat which its impossible not to bop to, as he shouts out his up north crew.
Alias has always been one of the most progressive and musical members of the Anticon clan, and his teaming up with vocalist Rona Rapadas [Tarsier] has taken him to yet another level of musicality. But whilst other Anticon members [Jel aside] move further and further leftfield at the expense of melody, Alias’ floating atmospherics always draw the listener in for Tariser’s beautifully vocals move you into a twilight state of mind.
The people over at Ninja Tune have done it again and released a belting single courtesy of ZeroDB with a little vocal help from Pase Rock [of Five Deez fame] on the flip side’s Know What I’m Saying. Rocking the shuffling drums and tinkling pianos, the double bass kicks its way over brass samples as the undeniably booty-shaking fuzz gets to work.
So we all know Killa Kela is nuts when he’s kicking his beatbox antics on the mic, but can he cut it on the singing tip well enough to be taken seriously as a singer? Secrets, his new single, gives us a positive answer. The strings pluck and wind themselves around his high voice and compliment it perfectly. The chorus is one of those choruses that you’ll be singing whilst making yourself a cuppa a few hours later.
Matisyahu is getting a load of press at the moment, being unique in his background and music. A Hasidic Jew, he’s moulded his own form of reggae, bringing in elements of hip hop to get his spiritual message across. Now, I’ve never been a fan of reggae, but Matisyahu has that something extra about him, and this single, taken from the album with the same name is a perfect example.
Right, as always before I leave I’m gonna pimp some street art your way. This is something that was done in New Zealand where a shadow of a tree was painted next to a lampost to raise awareness of the environment, done by the Auckland Regional Council. Nice to see the council actually promoting and using street art as opposed to the usual close-mindedness we get from painting over graffiti and stickers.
Now this sweet little track comes to us from Whitey (matey on the rhymes) and Relik (the producer) on an album that is soon to hit the shelves of any decent, self respecting music establishment in your area.
I’ve picked out this album mainly because of one particular track. Well, actually it’s a track that’s in two separate parts on the album. “Guy inside the ghetto – part one and part two“. As some of you may know I’m well into my story telling tunes (a bit of thought never hurt anyone) and this tune is just that. As you might guess its about a guy inside a ghetto.
Yep they’re back with another killer “Slow Broiled Ilk” is a heavy, dance floor rockin’ tune that makes you nod your head until you’ve neck ache. Hard hittin’ rhymes and a pretty catchy hook that links the verses seamlessly together make the tune an all round remarkable and notable one. Sweet as. As usual the b-sides to this release are also spot on; you always get your money’s worth with the Beggars.
This single is from the recently released Baby J Presents…..F.T.P album. Which I have to say is full of treats for the people out there that like to hear decent collaborations with British artists. “Let Them Know” is one of those feel good, bouncy summer tracks. Ok it’s not summer yet but it’s still good to have blastin’ out of your car on a sunny day. There’s some good, in-depth production happening here!
The first album I’m gonna recommend this week is the debut album from Baltimore’s Spank Rock who have already started making waves through funky live shows and brilliant single Sweet Talk. This album beings as it means to go on with Backyard Betty, a track about an “ass-shaking competition champ”, which booms out a huge bass line and electro mayhem as MC Spank Rock’s high pitched vocals dissect the beat with a nice mixture of fun and filth.
Coldcut are back, and basically they return with a hell of an album. This is another one of those albums which has such a variation, that you could worry that it would end up just being too jumbled, but to their ultimate credit, they’ve managed to bring an album that is diverse but seamless. The ever listenable Roots Manuva turns up on True Skool which features hand claps, a taste of the East with tablas and Indian style singing in the backdrop collected together with a a bumping bassline.
Washington producer and DJ Sharkey brings about a good album with this release which boasts a plethora of big name guest spots and it is the second track on the album which features the first of these as Cannibal Ox appear on Fuzz. Never has there been a more apt title for a song as the fuzzy sound dribbles in before unleashing a beast of a beat which provides Vast Aire’s mouth-half-full delivery with a banging backdrop to rap over.
Seattle’s Common Market are MC Ra Scion and producer/DJ Sabzi, who is also the beatmaker for feel good hip hop group Blue Scholars. He doesn’t let up from the happy sounding music on this project either and that’s the main reason why this album is well worth picking up.
A nice jazzy number this one with the vocal talents of Sara J from Dr Rubberfunk which is the first single of his upcoming second album. The producer, who has done a bunch of remixes for the likes of Skalpel and the Stereo MCs brings in the kick and the snare with funky results as the 70s style guitar floats around, as if Huggy Bear was about to come in a knock heads.
So finally for the music this time round we have an Argentine, a Frenchman and a native of Switzerland on the beats. Now, this might not strictly speaking be hip hop, but as soon as I heard it I loved it and vowed to put it in the Mix to share with you guys. It has a very South American flavour to it in terms of vocals and the melody but it’s the beat that undercuts it that gives it that fully rounded feel.
Instead of having a photo or graf this week, I’m going to big up the talents of Mike Kjolhaug, a wicked artist who is influenced by underground hip hop artists such as Slug and Eyedea. His pretty unique flavour of art brings little demons, angels, goblins and all sorts to the forefront with wicked colour and mischievous mannerisms.
First up is someone I have been hearing about a lot lately. We have already visited the singles released from this album late last year. But since the Album has just been released I thought it was well worth a visit. I am fond of almost any music coming out of Notts, even the craziest drum and bass I’ve heard in years. There are a lot of grafters putting their life and soul into this shit which gives the music a solid authenticity. C-Mone demonstrates her hard work with the release of a top quality album with a collection of mind-blowing skills, some down to earth hard hitting home truths and a generous helping of C-Mones’ upbringing – which cleverly lets you take a step into her life, and life in and around Nottingham. Some of which I can largely relate to, having lived there for a good part of my life. Probably the best part up to now. The Album features some of the best guests I could think of to invite. These include; Pariz 1, Cappo, Matic, Smiley, Cizzi Grim Pijin & Midnyte, with production by Nick Stez, Marga Boyz, DJ Fever, P Brothers, and Smiley’s Ill-Mannered Productions. What a line up!
Next up is a freebee for all you peeps that are skint, and its well worth the download I promise you. This is another one from MC Elemental down in Brighton. He is working on three different albums at the moment a solo, a new menagerie and a project with the Lo Fi All-stars. This one is a massive mix (an hour or so long) with Digital Midgets remixes, Menagerie, Dr Syntax, Monkey Sons and a few others. It’s a crazy mix up of all sorts of funky, electrical, mashed beats and rhymes, kind of an Aphex Twin blast at a hip hop CD. Those of you that went out and bought the Menagerie album “Wild Kingdom” will recognise some lyrics from that over some much more experimental beats. Yep, I like it and I reckon that you will. Check this lot out, they’ve got a good sense of humour, something we all need in these hard times or whatever. No guns, six fours with chromes, nines and clips, or any of that bullshhhhh…
Here we have it! The new Kids in Tracksuits limited 7″ EP “Get your KIT on“. This selection of three tracks is very innovative, much different to your usual mix tape style of cutting beats, throwing in some samples and scratching over the top. From listening to the 3 tracks you can hear the time and effort that has gone into putting this 7” together. There has been plenty of planning and organising the order of each cut, sample and the wild scratching that blends in with each tune. Definitely worth the buy.
Biggest buzz and hype of 2006 has to go, without a doubt, to the new Danger Mouse project Gnarls Barkley, where he teams up with Goodie Mob member Cee-Lo who blew it up on the Danger Doom track Benzi-Box. Usually much hyped groups can only disappoint after all the expectation placed on their shoulders, but Gnarls is an exception, bringing out some awesome tracks that will have even the most miserable of grouches breaking out into dance.
This is something you won’t see very often – Abjekt bigging up a release from Anticon. Whilst the West Coast label has moved further and further away from hip hop, Jeffrey Logan, whose production credits can be found on the seminal hip hop album Lucy Ford [by Atmosphere], has dragged the Ant-fronted label back into the sphere of the genre. His previous work had been excellent, but this new album takes him to an entirely higher level and proves why he is the shining light of the label.
Joe Beats, most famous for his brilliant production with the Sage Francis fronted Non Prophets [on their excellent album Hope], has done something I didn’t think anyone would do. He’s gotten me to listen to Indie. And not the Indie you find in the NME, but the stuff that you have to dig around to find. The album is described on his own site as “Danceable melancholia for the depressed” and that is as apt a description as I’ve ever read. From the opening track, M Ward’s Sad, Sad Song, you know that this isn’t going to be a party record, but at the same time, Joe is able to manipulate the song so that you still find yourself moving your head in time with the beat.
Last update I spoke about a much loved group of mine named Oddjobs, and their split, when I reviewed the awesome Power Struggle album. Well this time around, it’s the turn of the other group from the split, Kill The Vultures, which take centre stage. With Anatomy on the beats, a gloomy production surrounds the whole album, giving the listener an uneasy feel, as if a post-Armageddon world with things around the corner were lying in wait. The vibrating guitar sample in Beasts Of Burden jumps from out of nowhere as the MCs, Crescent Moon, Advizer and Nomi break out their booming vocals, accompanied by percussion which doesn’t keep the beat but more holds it at knifepoint.
Next up is a 7″ from Anticon producer Alias and Tarsier of Healamonster & Tarsier fame. The typically floating and softly spoken melody underlayed with busy Alias beats are the best canvas to showcase the art of Tarsier, with dreamy vocals draped over the beat. It starts off slowly, gaining impetus throughout before delivering a sure fire late night winner. Alias’ beats can always be counted on for atmospherics, but the coupling of his production with the talents of Tarsier brings out the best of both.
Desdamona has managed to combine both spoken word and hip hop, alongside steel drummed rhythms, courtesy of legendary duo Sly and Robbie in this release. From the intro I Wanted 2 B An MC you hear where Desdamona’s brilliance lies, in her lyrics, as she takes you on a ride through a world made up of hip hop greats, moving us from Digable Planets and seeing a little Redman and some Beastie Boys.
From the opening few moments of the second track on this album, the Big Jess [of Unknown Prophets fame] produced Higher Ground, you know you’ll be able to bop your head to this album. The rolling piano sample lacing the back of the track gives a perfect platform for Capaciti to let his people know he just trying to reach the higher ground.
Next up is a double album from versatile MC Carpetface. The British rapper, beatboxer and producer has managed to put out 38 tracks which he’s made over the past 3 years and shows his versitility as he switches from the Stereo MCs sounding Positive Formula which skips along with a beat and female back vocals to the jazzy Bug In The System which sounds like its drawn its influence from the old Digable Planets style double bassline.
Have a little shot of a couple of stickers put up in LA by an artist named Zato One. Simple and yet really effective, cool as you like. In fact, if you see any stickers or graf that you really like, feel free to send the pictures in to me at the address at the bottom of the page. I always love seeing new art.
Here, we’ve got a decent follow up to volume 1. If you people out there liked the last Homegrown compilation you will just love this one. This rough and rugged CD brings us some of the UK’s best underground hip hop, some names we have become partial to and others that, at least, I don’t know. I’m always up for promoting new talent if they shine in some way.
Now I know this lot aren’t bothered about pr or radio play so ill keep this one short and sweet.
Now I didn’t know much about these until I was sent this CD a few weeks ago. What a CD it is! From the Label Fueled By Ramen the Gym Class Heroes made an instant impact on me. I think the fact that I knew that the music was made from live instrumentals, no loops or samples, made it a real winner for me. I have noticed that you can sometimes find this CD in the rock or punk sections of loads of shops. So, when you do go out and buy it make sure you look in the right places. Or, fuck it, just ask the shop assistant to find it for you. That’s much easier.
So, onto this update’s recommendations. First of all we have an album by Power Struggle called Arson At The Petting Factory. The two members, Nomi and Deetalx, were both members of Abjekt favourites Oddjobs, and their new project, following the split of Oddjobs, is one of the best albums I’ve heard in a very long time.
Next up comes an EP from Witness, an MC and producer from Philadelphia. Ever Since is an 8 track slice of brilliance on a number of levels and delivers a multitude of sounds and emotions, transcending a lot of what I’ve heard lately. As an MC, Witness can rip it fast or take it slow and smooth, all with a great flow that never sounds off point.
Two other CDs which found their way to me were The Orbital Effect by Ernie Rhodes and Crazy Low Budget’s album. CLB’s album is a good release from the outfit coming out of New York, especially the third track on the CD, Dust Clouds, where the simple yet effective bassline lifting itself up and down the scale embosses itself on the memory. Another track which gets the foot tapping and the head nodding is Continental Draft, which has the MCs rapping over a nice jazz club guitar with lyrics maligning the state of how people are treated and the situation he finds himself in, living in a basement.
In the last mix I said that based on the tracks I’d heard on Ernie Rhode’s myspace page, his album would be worth checking out. And whilst I don’t like to blow my own trumpet [oh who am I kidding?] I was spot on. The album has some great production from Last Word, especially on Undercurrent where 2 attention catching samples weave their way over the start, the first a high pitched sung sample and the second a worrying voice clip of someone in desperate need of help and company. This track has the added bonus of the beautiful voice of Doomtree’s Dessa working the chorus and is, for me, the stand out track on the album.
The Dilated trio are back with a new album after a little while out and they come pounding back with a solid album full of chunky beats and more crossover potential, like their previous album. First single Back Again, the standout track of the album, throws up a heavy headnod beat with Beat Junkie Babu spinning a nice sample behind the dual fronted vocals celebrating their return. You Can’t Hide, You Can’t Run flows on a nice late-night summer tip, with some smooth vocal samples cutting in around the verses to throw up a nice catchy chorus.
Now have a photo of a stencil of the great Poirot, taken in Montpelier in Bristol by Jen Saul, who is an awesome photographer. You can get in touch with her 
This single is coming to our local specialist shops on, or around, the 6th of February. I’m sure you will all be over the moon to hear that it is another assassin of a track. With Verb T & Harry Love bringing together a destructive munitions store of serious rhythm and rhymes, how could you possibly go wrong? This is a relatively dark tune with an unstable state of mind and a vision depicting loss of ability to see reality. Good for listening in your car to get your swerve on or playing out at clubs and bars. I stuck this track in my set just after New Year and it went down a storm. Yep, I’m in to this one. What a good way to bring us into the new year of 2006 from Harry Love & Verb-T.
I’m linking you to CV’s myspace page so you can sample his work, and I’m sure you’ll feel it. Lead off track My Tosis is the sort of track you’d expect if you were standing in a corn field and a spaceship came out of the sky and ripped the decks in front of you. The bouncing bass lines will have the head nodding and the chorus, a catchy sung vibe, will have you furiously clicking for the reload button as soon as its over. 
Now, these people need no introduction. Public Enemy have released a brand new CD & DVD combo to bless our two most receptive senses: Sight and sound. The intro track of the CD tells us the history of Public Enemy’s impact on the world in a nutshell, and it is explained perfectly. “PE made the world listen. They articulated the frustrations and anger of the black community, more importantly they changed the perception of what hip hop could be. Chuck D said they were like the CNN of the black community, and no one broadcasts louder…than Public Enemy!”.
Well I think the two best tracks are at either end of the CD. This works for me, it starts in the same way that it ends. The CD title track “New Whirl Odor” has a sniff of the older style of PE. This is a heavy one, stompin’ its way into your ears right the way through. It reminds me of my younger days stamping my feet and throwing off some big moves to Ice Cube’s “When Will They Shoot” (if you remember it). I think this is the reason I’m into this track. Anyway, this is one of the best tunes on the CD if for no other reason than to remind me of some cool times. I’m sure “New Whirl Odor” will have the same effect on loads of you out there.
Next up is some of the best collaborating I’ve seen or heard for a long time. We had a real treat when “‘Ere Comes Da Black” came out with a similar collab. But here, Dark Horizon has brought us an even bigger and badder follow up. “U Wot” featuring the likes of Seanie T, Roots Manuva, Rodney P, Karl Hinds and Robert Emanuelle is twelve inches worth of pure indulgence. 
Once again, the Foreign Beggars have produced another absolute diamond. Or should I say parallelogram because of its perfect coordination between every artist on the track and its slant towards being pretty fuckin’ messy. This lot have got a knack of making everything sound right even though they’re all over the place and can send your head into a muddled up unorganised stack of clutter. I do mean that in a good way.
Ok, I’ll share one more top tune with you. This one was released just a few weeks ago on the 24th November. This is real tough Nottingham street hip-hop brought to you by a person who makes up 25% of the forever ready and dangerous Outdaville (one of my personal favourite crews). She has collaborated with Estelle, appeared on The Streets second album and won best female emcee 2005 at the UK hip-hop awards.
After 2 years away, Atmosphere brought out their follow up to the Epitaph licensed Seven’s Travels and blew it out of the water. Ant’s beats flew all over the place, from old boom bap to God Loves Ugly era-Atmosphere to country-sampling goodness and they were topped off by Slug’s impenetrable story telling. The usual bitterness from the Twin Cities emcee was present but party songs were in the mix too. An absolute stormer of an album.
Minnesotan emcee and Doomtree member Sims’ debut album is a collection of tracks that showcase not only his brilliant lyricism and flawless delivery, but also the immense production coming out of the Doomtree camp of late. Not to be overshadowed by the better known POS, Sims gets political, hype, traumatic and emotional in this little known but incredibly enjoyable release.
Yep, it’s grime. No, it’s crossover. No, it’s hip hop. Whatever you want to call Kano’s album, make sure you call it good. The former Chelsea trainee rode crunching guitar beats, even sampling Black Sabbath, samba rhythms and softer romantic flavours on this album. He is able to be confident in his talent whilst remaining modest and his variety is certainly something that sets him above the rest of the field.
Everyone knows about the Gorillaz, and as a staunch Damon fanboy I was always going to enjoy this, but it really surpassed my expectations. Danger Mouse’s beats brought a much more rounded feel to the plate than Dan The Automator’s did on the first effort. A plethora of great guest vocalists from MF Doom to Dennis Hopper to Shaun Ryder meant there is something for everyone and everything for this someone. Awesome.
Slug and Def Jux’s Murs made a return as the Felt duo this year and this time brought the undeniable production qualities of Ant into the equation. This is, simply put, a summer album. The beats are all feel good, smile inducing head nodders, and with Slug and Murs chatting about how they check out girls, fuck girls, go and party in Vegas and then slam doors in faces, this is an album that just reminds me of how good life can be. Fuck the English weather!