As the track drops, you think classic hip-hop reminiscent of Melle Mel‘s “The Message,” but with a present-day rhyme style. One.Be.Lo spits a rapid yet rhythmic array of lyrics that fit perfectly with the beat and Magestik Legend compliments it as well. Good for coming out of an old school hip-hop set into newer joints, or for creating a chill atmosphere.
The Impossebulls One Man‘s Dope
The A-side on this 7″ from Chuck D‘s label is “One Man‘s Dope,” a subpar track with subpar rhymes; it‘s not terrible, but it‘s not my style, and the beat is pretty simplistic-almost like a skeleton track. The B-side, “Psychodelix Holy Ghost” by 7th Octave, has a more upbeat, hip-hop-meets-rock feel circa ‘91. It‘s more developed than the flip, but again suffers from subpar rhymes and unoriginal beats. You‘ve heard it all before.
P.H.E.A.R. Amount To Somethin
“Amount To Somethin” has a beat that sits somewhere between J Dilla and Pete Rock: stabby bass and chopped horns with solid drum movement. It‘s a butter track by a producer named Mr. Porter; the rhymes are street conscious, telling cats to rise and wisen up. “I Love Her Again” is a smooth B-Side where the MCs point out what they love about hip-hop. Pick this up if you‘re a fan of Native Tongues, De La, or Pete Rock and CL Smooth.
Various Artists Breakbeat Science Exercise 5: Mixed By Clever
Crazed mobs haven‘t yet crammed Comiskey Park yet to set flame to stacks of Metalheadz wax-but amongst the downturn in dance music as of late, drum & bass has arguably fallen the farthest and the fastest. A shame, as there are a few brave souls out there (like NYC‘s Clever) holding it down for the polyrhythmic ingenuity the genre was initially known for. While this mix plays it safer than Clever‘s Troubled Waters disc of last year, there are still numerous standouts-the lithe rhyme style of Beans hitting on every other beat of Graphic‘s “I Am Metal” and the insect-like skitter of Ezekiel Honig‘s “Love Session,” among others.
Various Artists WickedJazzSounds
With this 14-track compilation, Amsterdam‘s WickedJazzSounds collective lays out its saucy, funk-fueled mission statement. DJ Phil Horneman displays typical Dutch opportunism in his selections, skimming only the thickest, freshest stuff off the top of a worldwide bowl of slick, floor-greasing grooves. The jazz in the title relates more to organic, free-swinging arrangements than a particular era or style of music; recent classics like The Herbaliser‘s “Something Wicked This Way Comes” and Mark de Clive-Lowe‘s “State of the Mental” strut alongside this-minute jazz/funk bangers by Quantic and Platinum Pied Pipers, and even a sunny throwback by the Godfather himself. WickedJazzSounds = Ubiquity van Nederland?
Delinquent Feat. Shad Ghetto Queen
The fast-rising Delinquent production team comes with an arrangement that‘s equal parts pure pop sensibility and straight street soul, giving newcomer Shad‘s excellent vocals a perfect place to shine. From the Cali-styled gansta lead lines to the syncopated chord progressions with vocal stabs, Delinquent has crafted a brilliant piece of 2-step. The Wideboys 4×4 remix just adds value to the package.
R-Kane & Domino Feat. Kele Le Roc Jestler
Badmen R-Kane and Domino are right on the mark with another vocal banger and the always-on-point Kele Le Roc adds the vocal spice to make this tune a dancefloor success. While all the mixes are quality with big, stonking basslines, the 4/4 version hits like a Mack truck and will smack you upside the head with a kick drum. Bang on.
Roy Ayers Virgin Ubiquity II
When legendary bandleader Lionel Hampton gave five-year old Roy Ayers a pair of vibe mallets after a performance in LA, he planted an inspirational seed. Ayers grew up to play vibes for artists as diverse as Herbie Mann and Guru. This second compilation of previously unavailable tracks draws from the period when the LA-native peaked commercially. Included is a demo version of his classic, “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” a track notably sampled on Mary J. Blige‘s single “My Life.” The jazz-based R&B of “Holiday,” featuring the sultry Terry Wells, shows why many have dubbed Ayers the godfather of neo-soul.
Tonedeff Archetype
Growing up in Miami, Tonedeff learned to rap by freestyling over the region‘s popular 120-plus bpm records. You can tell by listening to the hyperkinetic flow he brings to “Heavyweight.” Lines like “I stay flagrant with lyrics nastier than Tammy Faye bathing” drop faster than Lil‘ Kim‘s dress at a music industry gathering. The hilarious “Pervert” sounds like a sped-up Biz Markie chopped up with Mozart. He displays a serious side on “Politics” and “Masochist,” which breathes life into the tired subject of the plight of the indie rapper. Tonedeff‘s quotable quotient is worth the listen, if you can keep up.
Henrik Schwarz Leave My Head Alone Brain
This guy has such a tasteful sound: deep and dirty, but at the same time intelligent and damn funky. This fantastically titled fifth release on his Sunday Music imprint is a bassline-driven track with a dubby touch, topped with a sweet vocal hook and weird old samples. Gourmet.
