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: Teddy Powell and Zee Desmondes are The Jack Moves, a contemporary disco and hip hop outfit who here link with unknown newbies The People Of Newark and Larry Hamm for this tidy new 7" on Star Creature. 'Horror Games' has a squelchy synth bass line that carries the loose drum work and bustling methane of background vocals and found sounds. A lead singer takes charge up top as various chatting crowds play out in the background. It's a busy tune that also comes as an instrumental for those who prefer the focus to be on the well crafted drums and bass.
Review: Boom: three years, three albums. No biggie for Bristol duo The Allergies, Jalapeno's biggest success story since Kraak & Smaak. Each album shows them getting deeper into the groove, creeping away from the cheeky samples and sculpting their own pedigree funk originals. With Ugly Ducking Andy Cooper onside through the mix from the wild ride vibing "Fade Away" to the white knuckle lyrical fire of "Run It Back", there's a real band feeling to the whole album as familiar voices thread throughout the jams... including that of UK hip hop legend Dr Syntax.
Review: Having previously shone a light on lovers rock via two volumes of his For The Love of You compilations, dusty-fingered selector Sam Don has turned his attention to 'underground UK soul'. In practice, that largely means - though not uniformly - street soul of the late 80s and 90s. It's a simple idea, executed brilliantly, with Don working tirelessly to get the blessing of all the artists involved. Sweet, synth-heavy and lusciously loved up, the 12 tracks on show are undeniably excellent, with the many highlights including the piano-sporting, breakbeat-driven dancefloor pleasure of Kofi's 'Step By Step', the sax-sporting shuffle of Jenny B's 'Sexy Eyes (Club Mix)', the bubbly 80s soul cheeriness of Cavalier's 'Don't Touch' and the bustling post-boogie brilliance of 'Passion' by Taffy.
Come Gully Bun (Gambian President) (feat Boss Belly)
Playing Chess
Review: .Three years on from the release of his hugely successful third album, Big Conspiracy, J Hus continues to make all the right moves. Now a genuine superstar of British music, the London MC has aimed even higher on Beautiful & Brutal Yard, enlisting the vocal talents of none other than Drake on 'Who Told You' (a Latin-tinged chunk of r&b slinkiness), as well as an impressive array of fellow MCs and beat-makers across an album that consciously pulls grime in a variety of accessible, radio-friendly directions. Lyrically, there are naturally some hard-hitting moments, but for every reflection on inner-city life and wider social issues there's a dose of loved-up sweetness and weary reflections on relationships. As a result, it's an impressively balanced and impeccably produced collection.
Wesley's Theory (feat George Clinton & Thundercat)
For Free? (interlude)
King Kunta
Institutionalized (feat Bilal, Anna Wise & Snoop Dogg)
These Walls (feat Bilal, Anna Wise & Snoop Dogg)
U
Alright
For Sale? (interlude)
Momma
Hood Politics
How Much A Dollar Cost (feat James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley)
Complexion (A Zulu Love) (feat Rapsody)
The Blacker The Berry
You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)
I
Mortal Man
Review: Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, the Compton-based rapper's first album since 2012's major label debut, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, has been receiving rave reviews. In truth, it's not hard to see why. Imaginative, soulful, and blessed with the looseness of live performance (a result of the use of jazz-minded live players as much as anything else), it sounds like the kind of album that may one day be hailed as a hip-hop classic. Sure, there are big name guests - Dre, Snoop, George Clinton and Thundercat included - but the focus remains on Lamar's distinctive flow and almost cinematic tales of life on L.A's streets. Given the quality of his lyrics, that's no bad thing.
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