Mirapid: The Green Season

Se Fire producer Mirapid has just dropped his first instrumental EP on fledgling Bristol label Ghosted. Expanding upon the experimental elements he incorporated into the group’s 2012 Match in The Ocean LP, the five tracks on The Green Season erupt into a heady blend of pulsing rhythms, cyclical garage vocals and heavy dub. Clean percussion propels the ambient melodies on Morning; building tension patiently as short vocal hooks are draped over tribal drums on the claustrophobic intro; then Broken Limb opens up to reveal luscious expanses of sound that hide something new around every unanticipated musical turn.

Zombie Pool Party builds on entrancing house rhythms with organic sounds that envelop you as they unwind, while Strings For Synth provides much-needed breathing room; using light electronic touches to top warm waves of synth as they crash onto the track then quietly withdraw. Heavy kicks knock hard on the title cut, pounding the EP towards it’s conclusion with pitched vocal chops that wail like sirens; screaming through thick basslines as they bubble under warped keys.

The skilful composition is what makes the EP so hypnotic. Each section intertwines to co-exist harmoniously with every other component as the tunes flourish with a natural feel, lightyears away from your average four-to-the-floor build or wobbly drop; and although this style of electronic music gets bitten heavily, when it’s done well it’s undeniable. On The Green Season Mirapid has pulled it off flawlessly.

Buy it here.

Fliptrix : Out The Box

‘Fuck the trendsetter, I be the peacekeeper’.

From the intricate fractal geometries that adorn Out The Box‘s cover art, to the title’s allusion to expanded awareness; it’s clear that the man with the mind behind High Focus Records isn’t shy when it comes to penning esoteric verses steeped in deep content. April sees Fliptrix re-release his 2010 project Theory Of Rhyme on double vinyl, and begin to build momentum for his forthcoming Polyhymnia album by dropping Out The Box, a new collaboration project with South London-based DJ and producer Rebs. This ill remix LP features reinterpretations of 6 of tracks taken from the essential Third Eye Of The Storm album; along with 6 new previously-unreleased songs that illustrate the change in perspective the meditative MC has undergone over recent years.

Much more than an interim release, Out The Box finds the duo devising musical remedies for the modern Hip Hop listener; with cleansing sounds that reinvent the original songs. Reb’s remix of Chemo’s haunting strings on The Storm switches your receiver, taking your perception of the content from Michael Ruppert-style harbingers of cataclysm to messages of hope in the face of adversity. Soundscapes has a similar effect, as Farma G’s bars sound out even clearer over Reb’s otherworldly piano stabs, and Fliptrix’ transcendental chorus lines emerge revitalized and renewed by the remix process. The first new track Smoke Rings is the best on the album; Reb’s simple beat is melodically fulfilling and heavy on that old boom bap stomp, while Fliptrix’s lyrical alignment with peace dominates his heartfelt delivery; with clever use of metaphor, ‘never will I be the fireplace without the coal in’  and intricate rhyme schemes; ‘twilight embarks on the dawn of reality, my thoughts spawn from a sparkle of a fractal dream, rap and beat brought together by the tractor beams, words will travel round the globe, defy gravity.’ Reb’s dub selection skills nearly top the future-garage vibes of Kontigo’s original on The Essence. With Flipz at his most honest and beats that bang this hard, the tune holds the potential to spark off your club night or accompany you on a solitary search for soul purpose, as you reflect on ‘what happened to fun without drugs, and how come everyone fucks but don’t love?’ 

If you’re in the UK you probably remember Rising’s riotous rhymes on Sammy B Side’s Wordplay Mag mix a few issues ago; the tune packs party-vibes for days with short bursts of verse, and a chorus so huge it could accommodate whole families. Duppying The Style is confident and lyrically creative; with imagery and rhyme schemes that were prevalent on his first few albums, and the title track keeps things upbeat as Rebs draws from the same sample source Illinformed used for Brothers Of The Stone; with Fliptrix channelling a chorus sure to set you smashing mental boxes for fruits of wisdom like Crash Bandicoot on the hunt for apples. His references to the vibrational reality of the universe measured through cymatics and JFK as ‘the only real president’ demonstrate his skill for subtly sign-posting paths towards truth for the listener, using synchronicity-style invitations that always manifest humbly; ‘Do this for a greater reason, my divine purpose, truth hides beneath the surface when I’m writing verses, third eye alignment, vibration’s perfect, time is everything and nothing but it’s never worthless.’ Fan favourite Wylin’ Out gets a mellow make-over as energetic verses course over Reb’s oriental sounds, before Runone’s original Nothing’s Quite As It Seems reincarnates with mystic harp riffs winding through the maze of cryptic content contained in the first verse. Verb T flows slightly less obscure, with standardly clever wordplay and effortlessly inventive flow patterns that hold jewels; ‘Thoughts take strange shape like a mutant, manifest physically, some as pollutants.’

Mutantz  energetic flow crackles with anger towards the system, buffered by complicated bars that keep their underlying message simmering beneath the surface. Reb’s inventive sampling gives way to a more computerized cadence on Walk this Way, marking the only miss on an otherwise hitting LP; but still boasts a nimble verse from Bristol-based MC, Buggsy and some cool electro chatter that elevates the chorus. As the album draws to a close, the sombre sounds on Ashes To Ashes find Flipz briefly turning his attention away from the earth, and towards the more business-motivated churnings of the world; addressing the vacant state we’ve been nulled into that finds the majority ‘addicted to consumerism, purchasing to fill the void‘, then posing the poignant question ‘How come humans used to look so beautiful? now every day it’s like their dressing for a funeral, pessimistic state, grey aura in a cubicle.‘

The huge shift Fliptrix made from Third Eye Of The Storm‘s tentative spiritual references still somewhat mired in negativity, to an an almost ego-less cosmic consciousness on The Road To The Interdimensional Piff Highway previously seemed enough of a jump to give Graham Hancock new material; but now with Out The Box the HF figurehead has provided us that missing mental link; and more importantly created an album of hugely enjoyable songs as his spiritually-transcendent, socially prescient lyrics take residence over Reb’s mellow instrumentals.

Pre-order the album at the High Focus website here, or on itunes here in anticipation for it’s release on April 14th. Get it before the official release date by buying the Theory Of Rhyme double vinyl.

5/5

Peace.

 

A UK Hip Hop Retrospective 2012-2013.

 Just Incase you missed any of the stormers the UK put out in the last year, here’s a few off the top of my head.

  

CYRUS MALACHI: This guy always blows minds, If you’ve ever seen ‘Hidden Colors’ or read into the euro-centric perspective american and british history has been given; then the Triple Darkness team member is exactly what you’ve been looking for musically, Spittin interactive history lessons with more style than any guy rappin about whippin up a batch on the stove. Cannot recommend this album and his preceding LP ‘Ancient Future’ enough.

‘Contraband’ off Black Athena: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqvQB-ZPJ6k

‘Crimson’ off Ancient Future: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qaai8UBJ8eI

http://firstson.bandcamp.com/album/cyrus-malachi-black-athena

THE BOOK THIEVES: Nice, laidback duo from Oxford. Ol-E Mac and Legoman released ‘In Spite Of Everything’ and ‘Why do we do this everyday?’ a year ago.

‘Beauty’ off ‘Why We Do This Everyday’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj-ddX52w3M

http://thebookthieves.bandcamp.com/album/why-do-we-do-this-everyday

CONCEPT OF THOUGHT:  Brighton based trio making that classic boom bap underground sound.

‘Our Thought’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr8VjclBKzs

http://conceptofthought.bandcamp.com/

Frankie Stew’s stuff with Harvey Gunn is worth a look too. ‘07239’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC2t_eAFYf8.

 

 SE FIRE: Bristol based group who dropped this dark dub-driven album this time last year. It’s a haunting, claustrophobic debut that draws you in and keeps you there.

The end of this video’s amazing. ‘In Every’ taken from ‘Match in the Ocean’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX5KPGJtlhs

http://www.durkledisco.co.uk/2012/07/23/se-fire-match-in-the-ocean-lp/

TRELLION AND SNIFF: Sheffield duo spitting grossness from the weed pits. North Luna’s just been reissued in vinyl too for the headz.

‘How Many Times’ off ‘North Luna’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrVQwtyWXe0

 http://badtaste.bandcamp.com/album/north-luna-limited-edition-vinyl

 

HAWK HOUSE: Nice chilled trio reminiscent of the classic Roots sound, real cool to hear some decent, natural female vocals on some shit too.

‘Live-Ation’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGf0KetI6Ls

‘We Got Bored’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps9n-N5wm1E

THE LAST SKEPTIK: dropped one of my favourite videos of this year so far with ‘Pick Your Battles’, his new album ‘Thanks For trying’ is well worth the cheap price the physical copy costs.

Pick Your Battles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B43y8iZKp48

Lullaby ft Jehst: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxAIXzhtGPM

http://www.bbemusic.com/releases/BBE209ADG/The%20Last%20Skeptik%20-%20Thanks%20For%20Trying

 

 LEAF DOG: Natures greatest Remixs is the High Focus Beat master’s Ill mixes of Q-tip, Busta Rhymes, Ghostface Killah, The Fugees,

Cypress Hill, Dr.Dre, Raekwon, Kool G Rap…. seriously I don’t need to go on, just buy the fuckin thing here:  http://leafdog.bandcamp.com/releases

MADLEAN: Got reminded of how awesome this was last night, seriously worth a look.

The mans smooth as fuck, the beats bang constantly an the artworks sick, check it here: http://madlean.bandcamp.com/album/batteries-not-included

SKUFF: As soon as I write this I’m guna go dig this album out of a crate in the garage and blast it.

I listened to it when non stop when it came out at the end of last year, It’s honest, heartfelt, and ‘The Jewel’ is a classic.

‘The Jewel’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12VK8qKvYVw

‘Darkside’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fFkjY7dJ5w

http://skuff.bandcamp.com/releases

 

 MYSTROGEN:  Mysdiggi’s a cheeky guy, his wit and big personality shine through on every track on this slammin album he put out at the end of last year.

‘Neighbours’ and ‘Da Milkman’ are hilariously entertaining, ‘Mystentatious’ parts 1 & ” are on it with the wordplay, and the rest of the album is rammed with catchy hooks and his trademark charm.

‘That Rush’:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzULrpo7Nb0

‘You ain’t Right’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEcO1nLZ3EM

http://mysdiggi.bandcamp.com/album/mystrogen

 SPLIT PROPHETS: All their shits worth a look, esp ‘Scribbled Thoughts’ from 2011. ‘Drugs, Booze & Dental Issues’ is the latest from the Bristol Collective’s Res & Datkid, produced by Baileys Brown and Badhabitz from Krate Krusaders.

‘Comparisons’:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgY4nznVjLA

‘Devil’s Lettuce’ ft Leaf Dog & BVA ( B.O.T.S. ) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnM3zhHJfTU

http://splitprophets.bandcamp.com/

 

VERB T: Uplifting, funny, completely british in attitude, and a great listen, verb T’s latest is one of his best yet.

Definitely more cohesive as a whole than some of his other albums; and with the tasteful selection of guests and immaculate production throughout it’s def one for the collection!

‘Said & Done’ : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_epI0H33V-w

‘The Morning Process’ : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nYxXFAyaM

http://shop.high-focus.com/product/verb-t-the-morning-process-cd

KLASHNEKOFF: Fuck The Long Talk is Klash on form and killing every track, the Terra Firma general just keeps cementing himself as one of the best in the UK with every release. The productions polished but raw, Beat Butcha, Red Spyda and B Clever bringing out the bangers, and Last Resort and Show N Prove providing the mellow, reflective joints. Lyrically, he shines on every track, ‘Elevardo’ is so epic I can’t even put it into words without putting my fist through the screen; and ‘Brand new Day’ is an instant classic.

‘Dat Time’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLCFbZaoPyQ

‘Brand New Day’ : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjzhVj5IXKI

http://www.suspect-packages.com/store/ftlt-pre-order/

All albums worth checking out/ raiding your nan’s old Jammy Dodger tin she keeps her loose change in to afford!