It looks like the Virus camp has changed directions with this release by new signing Baron. Really different than their usual stuff, and it’s really surprising to ear some nu-school jump-up on this label. Anyway, it does the job. While the title track is a typical Baron tune, “Redhead” on the flipside is the one to watch. With its trademark Baron intro driving into a heavy, catchy and efficient b-line, this tune gets rewinds wherever I play it.
Ebony Dubsters Vol. 3 Murderation (Who Runs Tings Pt. 2)
Another devastating anthem from Shy Fx & T Power. “Murderation” is a pure jungle smasher that brings us back to the “Original Nuttah” days, but in a fresh way, with two different mixes. Heavy drum breaks combine with a catchy reggae vocal sample to lift the crowd, which this one does everywhere it’s played.
Dizzee Rascal Boy In Da Corner
During his 100-stop tour of the US with Kid606, dj/rupture told me he was only listening to the Dizzee Rascal album, because everything else bored him. I knew exactly what he meant. Boy In Da Corner is so much more than just another UK hip-hop record. Rascal and his Roll Deep crew spent their youth breakdancing to Mantronix, MC Craig G and BDP on the grey concrete paving stones of West London, and Boy In Da Corner shows the torso-rattling power of dirty snares and handclap sequences. Happily, Rascal isn’t interested in nostalgia-he just wants to make drum machines thunder through miles of council estates, and then top them with phrasing that lingers in its jagged pauses. “Fix Up, Look Sharp” really encapsulates the spirit of the record, as Rascal makes even Billy Squier’s “Big Beat,” that old hip-hop standard, feel like something you’ve never heard before. Make no mistake: this album is a mothership of British funk that will remain in hearing range for quite some time.
Stereotyp Meets Al-Haca Sound System Phase 1
A long-time collaboration between Stereotyp from Vienna and Al-Haca Soundsystem from Greiswald in northeast Germany has given birth to this EP of top-class futuristic dancehall. Guest appearances from heavyweight vocalists Lady Saw on “Lately,” Hawkeye on “Boss It,” Shagon (Afrodelics), Nadja & Hubert Tubbs on “Blaze n Cook” and RQM out of Brooklyn on “Watch Me Flip.” Music that pushes the boundaries-just the way we like it!
Scrappy Off the Lead
Scrappy (better known as Blowfelt) delivers a 10″ EP that’s a cauldron of funk, Motown, hip-hop and dub, which I’m sure has been inspired by plenty of tokes on the funny cigs! When listening to this record, I have visions of King Tubby and Jean Jacques Perrey getting down inna Kingston. Solid!
Paul Murphy 7 Samurai
No one will ignore this track when it’s played in a club or on the radio-it stands out a mile! It’s a version of the theme from the 1954 Akira Kurosawa classic The Seven Samurai, and features former Freakpower frontman Ashley Slater on trombone, who puts in a performance that would make Don Drummond proud. This is a cinematic, percussive, skanking monster…and a beautiful one at that!!
DBX Blip, Blurp, Bleep EP
Three unreleased tracks by minimal-techno legend Daniel Bell. My favorite is “Phreak Yo Body,” which is pure jackin’ Chicago, old-skool style. I guess Mr. Bell still has lots of great unreleased tracks like this in his archive.
Baby Ford Built In
Another living legend says hello with new tracks for Germany’s Force Inc. label. The a-side is a phenomenal, moody groover with the typically strange Baby Ford vocal particles and strings. The b-side offers two more minimal and funky tracks that just keep on going and going.
Undo/Redo Gleit:Zeit
This is another great release by the Areal label from Cologne. Undo/Redo is a project by Metope and Konfekt/Konkord, and they make crunchy techno tracks for the best time of the night. Two of the tracks here knock you out right away, while the other two are more subtle. Check it out!
