YOUR OLD DROOG Vinilo y CD

Review: Here comes Brooklyn's finest, Your Old Droog, with a double feature of EPs previously confined to Bandcamp. Natures Sounds have gathered together 2022's The Yodfather and The Shining and pressed them up on a platter and there's no doubt both releases are more than worthy of the extra shine. While you might expect such cinema-referencing projects to be loaded with bait samples, Droog works in more subtle ways, laying down his killer flows over those blunted, off-kilter beats that mark him out as one of the strongest voices in US hip-hop right now.

Review: 'The Return Of Sasquatch' by American rapper Your Old Droog and his occasional collaborator Madlib dropped last year as a 45rpm that soon sold out. Fans of hard-assed hip-hop need not worry though as this limited edition picture disc is here to save you. The title track is full of big raw horns and dark soul synths, menacing bars and low slung grooves. Flip it over and you're treated to a live rehearsal version of 'The Unknown Comic' which is a clattering cut with lo-fi fizz and static hum adding extra edge, texture and authenticity to the beats.