Review: .5 Borough Breaks are back with another essential slice of 90s hip-hop nostalgia. Their latest 7" revives a 1995 Hot 97 favourite-a gritty, golden-era banger that once ruled the NYC airwaves. Handily pressed for both DJs and collectors, Blahzay Blahzay's 'Danger' captures the raw energy of East Coast rap at its peak. As always with this label, the flip side features the original sample source: a soulful gem 'Rockin Chair' from recently departed legend Gwen McCrae whose legacy shaped generations of soul fans and hip-hop heads. As such, this 7" combines deep digging with authentic hip-hop flair and pays tribute to both the beatmakers and the soul pioneers who inspired them. Essential wax.
Review: .German low end collective Bass Come Save Me unleash a new 45 with a strong Portland portrait as Boomarm's Gulls makes their debut on the label with a warm beat that will keep the chills at bay this winter. Add Jamaica's Wayne Daniel on the vocals and another Portland native Madgesdiq on the conscious bars and there's a vibe that sits somewhere between Roots Manuva, YT and Wyclef. Yeah it's that toasty. Stay blessy.
Love From Philly (feat Schoolly D & Chuck Treece) (4:23)
Love From Philly (feat Chuck Treece) (4:24)
Review: Brewerytown Records and 30amp circuit - a Philly-based not-for-profit - cues up its new Live From Philly series with a first taster from blue Philly soul maestros G.Love featuring gangster rap legend Schoolly D and punk rock and skateboard hero Chuck Treece. It is quite the line-up for one EP and the A-side here packs a punch: it's raw funk music that is run through with epic rock guitars, hard bars and plenty of dark soul. On the flip is a second version that is slightly more spacious and less densely packed but has just as much attitude and spirit.
Review: Sami Galbi is a Swiss-Moroccan musician who looks to his childhood for musical inspiration. The A-side of this new 7" is a thoughtful post-breakup classic with raw synths and bouncing rhythm that melds rai influences with contemporary sounds and despite tacking a serious subject with gravitas also has a humourous edge. On the flip is 'Rruina,' a powerful follow-up with deeper darker club sounds that take Swiss-Moroccan rai-chaabi fusions into new territory. Both tunes are captivating listens from this fine talent and are sure to make an indelible impression on all who hear them.
Review: The second salvo on the Street Knowledge series of golden era hip-hop reissues comes from legendary East Coast twosome Gang Starr. It offers up a pair of much-loved 1990s club bangers: 1999's "Full Clip" and '92's "DWYCK". The former is a classic DJ Premier production: a toe-tapping, head-nodding bounce through rubbery beats, jazzy guitars and toasty bass topped off with the fine flows of the late MC Guru. "DWYCK" meanwhile is a more bass-heavy, floor-friendly affair, with Premier's on-point scratching complimenting Guru's vocal and the addictive weightiness of the groove. In other words, these are two golden era classics you definitely need in your life.
Review: Given that Gang Starr recently reformed and jazz is now all the rage, it seems fitting that Mr Bongo has decided to reissue the rare 7" version of the group's 1990 masterpiece "Jazz Thing". It's a wholehearted tribute to the greats of jazz - and the role jazz records have in hip-hop's sample culture - that comes in two distinctively different mixes. On the A-side you'll find the "Video Mix", a bouncy and suitably jazzy DJ Premier production that layers Guru's fine rap flows above loose-limbed drums, smoky horn samples and his own super-tight scratches. Turn to side B for the "Movie Mix" - so-called because it was created for a Spike Lee flick - where Guru's vocal rides improvised horns and an entirely different beat crafted from Kool & The Gang samples.
Review: A historical pairing of hip-hop and soul that celebrates the connection between the iconic rap track and its sampled origin. Side-1 features 'Mind Playing Tricks On Me' by the Geto Boys', a landmark 1991 hit, widely regarded as the first Southern hip-hop classic. Scarface, Willie D and Bushwick Bill deliver deeply introspective verses exploring paranoia, mental health and street life, setting a precedent for emotional storytelling in rap. The track's haunting atmosphere and raw vulnerability put Houston's 5th Ward on the map, cementing the group's legacy in the genre. On Side-2, Isaac Hayes' 'Hung Up on My Baby' takes center stage, the soulful 1974 instrumental that inspired the Geto Boys' masterpiece. With its funky guitar licks and cinematic grooves, the track embodies Hayes' genius and underscores the lineage between soul and hip-hop.
Review: Gaika is the experimental rapper, producer, and visual and performance artist you need in your life, and what better way to get acquainted if you aren't already than with this new 12" for Theme LTD. 'S Composites' opens up and features Liu adding some angelic vocal sounds to the crunchy broken beast, glassy synths and generally frosty, lo-fi production aesthetic. It's a tune that will lodge deep in your brain then on the flipside is 'Racing Gloves' (feat The Narrator). It's a spacious, eerie, rather haunting number with woozy pads and some nice conscious bars over the dubby low ends.
Review: There isn't much info out there about Goto but on this evidence he is a well school artist with a love of contemporary R&B and classic hip-hop. He brings both together while rapping in Japanese about who knows what, but the end result reminds us of a classic MC Solar joint. 'Feelin' is all lo fi sounds and heart melting chords that are romantic and heartfelt, then 'My Summer Goes On' gets more crunchy in its beat work. Noodling sax leads bring the warmth, the piano are that bit more playful and once again the result is superb.
Review: Following the success of their debut album On The Inside, UK hip-hop, soul and r&b collective Gotts Street Park are back with their highly anticipated new EP which features a series of instrumental tracks born from the raw, live chemistry of the band. Made using techniques inspired by Miles Davis's Bitches Brew and with no lyrics, the music draws on psychedelic influences and hip-hop instrumentals so tracks like 'Diego' blend funky grooves and snaking guitar riffs, while 'Ozu' evokes the peaceful, voyeuristic feel of director Yasujir? Ozu's films. The EP ends with 'Enzo's Theme' which is nicely inspired by The Godfather.
Review: Wild Style may well be the most iconic hip-hop movie of all time, while its soundtrack - created by Blondie's Chris Stein with the assistance of Fab 5 Freddy and turntablist Charlie Chase - remains a touchstone in the development of the style. That soundtrack's focal point was 'Wild Style Theme', a full vocal excursion featuring on-point raps from Grabndmaster Caz of the Cold Crush Brothers. This seven-inch presents both vocal versions of the track: an A-side mix full of cuts, 8-bit videogame bleeps, Blondie style drums, gnarled guitar riffs and weighty bass, and a flipside rework that sits somewhere between early drum machine hip-hop and the more organic end of the style, with a few nods towards the kind of organ-sporting funk and rock classics that partly inspired the sound's creation.
Review: Flip The Script Radio is a place those in the know head to hear the to new MCs and hip hop acts before they blow up. To celebrate their six year anniversary, they have joined forces with Good For You Records and legendary MC and lyricist Grand Puba for this red hot new special edition 7". It finds the icon's classic 'I Like It' replayed by a n eight piece band but with some new verses delivered from the rap legend himself. He lays down in fine style and makes this a great new version of a classic that is filled with heart warming soul.
Review: Has there ever been a more influential rap record than Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five's 'The Message'? Widely considered the first 'conscious' hip-hop record thanks to lyrics that provide a searing commentary on inner-city life during the Reagan era (previously, most rap tracks had been unabashed party jams), the track's far-sighted musical backing and killer synth bassline (later the inspiration for the similarly memorable B-line in Pet Shop Boys' 'West End Girls') was also highly influential and remains seriously futurist in tone. If you don't own a copy already, we'd recommend snapping up this reissue, which also boasts (on the B-side) the lesser-celebrated, vocal-free instrumental mix.
Review: New York's Gregg Green teams up with Pimpernel Jones (Herma Puma) to deliver a release that operates around the more soulful, thought-provoking end of hip-hop. The title track 'Hypocrite' delivers a powerful message, calling out the hypocrisy of those in power while showcasing Green's signature emotive vocals. The track is set against a smooth yet compelling backdrop, with Jones' production adding depth and warmth. On the B-side, 'You'll See' offers a cautionary tale, urging listeners to stay true to their values as they navigate the pursuit of dreams. It's a track filled with subtle wisdom, offering both an uplifting and introspective vibe. This release exemplifies the duo's ability to create soulful, engaging music with both heart and purpose.
Review: Street Corner's FliP Sessions is a great source of beats for hip-hop heads and this eighth volume is no different. It's limited to just 200 copies and features five more exquisite little sketches that are loveably rough around the edges and full of laidback and dusty soul. After the busted breaks of GREENMINDZ, Toby Glider zones you out with lo-fi loops and Beaulemaire brings heavier beats. Side 2 has a more jazz cut from Elusive and star gazing cosmic melody from Shri!. All five of these are delightful little pieces.
Review: Dynamite Cuts continue in their mission to share jazz, funk and soul deep cuts with the world, this time pulling a timeless gilded funk rabbit out of their hats. Gregory James Edition took on the collective mantle of "Prophets Of Soul" at the moment of their 1973 debut, which would only then be followed by the 1979 record Gonna Grow Some Gold before an eventual disbandment. A shame, since 'Ain't No Sunshine' and 'Changing Things' stand out as the record's finest offcuts; the first track uses its various clavinets and Farfisa Combo organs to estrange an existingly capricious funk sound, rendering it rather odd, alien, spacious. 'Changing Things' contrasts with upswells of gushing piano set to a funk backbeat, which come yet measured by an admirable key change control, again held down by lead player Gregory Bibb.
Review: GW Edits made a fantastic start to life with a big edit of an Italo classic back in September. Now the second volume of edits arrives with three more disco gems. Up first is a bonkers mix of Amerie in fine form and drums from The Verve's 'Unfinished Sympathy', a character cut with bustling beats. 'Gotta Keep Workin' It' the mixes up Miss Elliot with some old school funk to playful effect and 'Working The Illusion' layers up 80s synths and vocals with tambourines and hip swinging claps next to more iconic samples.
Review: Two UK Battle Weapons fresh from the guys over at the eponymous edits label. On the A, we’re hit with a new one by a frankenstein whom we can only guess, by syllogistic intuition, is an invention of the label - LL Smooth K, with ‘Fix Up The Seed’, a rope-burning mashup incorporating acapella verses from Dizzee Rascal’s ‘Fix Up, Look Sharp’. Then there’s DJ Snatch’s version of Gregory Porter’s bluesy ‘Liquid Spirit’ on the B, a surprisingly pacy curveball compared to the cutthroat injunctions of the A.
Review: In a break from their usual program, Circoloco look to Chicago and the rising star that is NEZ. Previously spotted last year on Three Six Zero alongside Felix Da Housecat, now NEZ throws down three varied cuts that show he's one to keep tabs on. First up comes 'You Wanna?', a pumped up peak time house cut with our man upfront inciting the dancefloor to come alive. 'Let's Get It' drops down into trap mode with Schoolboy Q jumping on the mic, and then the B side turns the heat up with the mighty Moodymann and Gangsta Boo chipping in to create a party monster in 'Freaks'. Skip this one at your peril.
Water Jet Escape Team (feat GrandScheme & HimLo) (3:31)
Wanted For Collateral Trade (Big Gamble) (2:15)
Contract Knife Killing (3:06)
Lo'cean'z 11 (feat DJ Exes) (2:51)
Side Road Homicidez (3:02)
Mallz UnderSeige (3:05)
Review: Da Buze Bruvaz are a hardcore rap duo from Philadelphia, consisting of Him-LO and Clever One. Known for their outlandish, non-politically correct, and gritty lyrics, they owe much of this influence to their former memberhip of New York posse The LoLifes, founded by Thirstin Howl III. Gunz Knivez & Nunchuckz carries out what the title implies; Clever One's lyrical skills and Giallo Point's grimy production combine to produce a cinematic, action-packed sound, be that via the sinister mover 'Vizable Ghost Gunz' or the hilarious, film-referencing 'Lo'ceanz 11'. A must-have for fans of hardcore hip hop and boom bap.
Review: By K-pop standards, rapper-turned-popstar G Dragon (Real Name Kwon Ji Yong) is something of a veteran. He's been a star in his native South Korea since the tail end of the 2010s, enjoying success for a trio of albums released between 2009 and 2013. Ubermensch, officially his fourth full-length, sees him return to solo action following a period spent working as a songwriter and producer for other artists. It's a typically entertaining, fun and boisterous set that sees him sing (and more occasionally rap) atop tracks that variously mix and match elements of P-funk, EDM, disco, synth-funk and 21st century pop. K-pop fans take note!
Review: 90s pop favourite Gabrielle's Find Your Way was released in 1993 and was the debut studio album that established her as one of the UK's standout r&b and soul artists of the era. Now reissued, it features the hit single 'Dreams,' which topped the UK charts. The album blends smooth soul with pop and dance influences while Gabrielle's distinctively husky voice, emotive delivery, and relatable lyrics about love, heartbreak, and self-empowerment continue to resonate widely. Tracks like 'Going Nowhere' and 'I Wish' are further proof of her skills and help make her a major voice in British pop.
Review: Galcher Lustwerk is one of those artists who has a completely diehard fan base. And for good reason, he is an idiosyncratic producer who collides myriad different sounds. Rap, funk, blues, beatboxing, techno, electro and bass are all fair game to him. His fist ever mixtape was a stream of sonic consciousness that has never before been released on vinyl. But now Ghostly International step up and press it to two 12"s, with both black and coloured green versions as well as a CD version available. It was a fine announcement of his arrival back then and still stands apart today.
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