Molecules (The Legion) & Showbiz (D.I.T.C) : Revenge

Illadrenaline records aren’t only sourcing the current cream of the underground crop; they’re also diggin’ vaults and reaching into the past to release rare gems as limited edition 45’s. The latest release to emerge from their archaeological findings comes from NY rap veterans The Legion; who after releasing their début Theme = Echo = Krill on Black Sheep’s short-lived One Love imprint in ’94 are back in full effect. This slice of raw storytelling straight out the Golden Era comes salvaged from sessions at Chung King Studio back in the spring of ’95, and is set to feature on their upcoming Lost Tapes EP. Legendary D.I.T.C producer Showbiz provides his gritty take on the much-used sample Pete Rock would popularize a few years later; while Molecules unfolds an intricate crime saga across his ill verses, delivering vivid wordplay that’s as stylish as it is succinct. Thanks to Illadrenaline, there’ll be no more hunting for that Japanese release of the Diggin In The Crates crew’s All Love album; or making do with the bootleg 12″ to hear this dope throwback’s dusty loops.

If like me, you heard ‘They dun set it, them kids about to get wetted’ and started salivating with scratch anticipation; you can get the 7″ now on limited edition white vinyl.

Peace.

DJ Doom & Blacastan : Deep Breath 12″

London-based label Blunted Astronaut Records have been releasing non-stop gems on vinyl over the last year or so; and with their sick last release Thousand Word Exodus with Nottingham’s Cappo, and Amulets, their highly anticipated upcoming 12″ with Melanin9, it seemed only right for me to pay homage to their current wax, an essential single that is no doubt gracing the 1200’s of many an audiophile worldwide. Deep Breath features top-class production from boom-bap veteran and SP1200 masterchef DJ Doom, cuts by fellow beatmaker and seasoned turntablist DJ Tha Boss, a feature from D.I.T.C legend O.C, and AOTP & Demigodz MC Blacastan. As if that list of credentials wasn’t enough, Eddie Sancho from Premier’s legendary D&D studio’s handled the mixdown, and the single features instrumentals, accapellas, and all extra goodness you don’t get with digital downloads.

From the Illmatic sample to the drum break under the rhymes, Deep Breath is modern interpretation of a classic sound. O.C. blesses the track with his instantly recognisable rhymes, and Blacastan uses wise words for ‘reflecting truth to the youth’. DJ Doom’s production embraces tradition with filtered verses, Lord Finesse-style fading horns and guitar stabs throughout the verses, and hype vocal accents with more ‘yeah‘ and ‘yos‘ than a Fab Five Freddy interview. As the day fades in the promo vid, B Side Passive Aggression matches the darker mood, with Blacastan firing off more heavy bars as dusk descends over the Brooklyn Bridge. His lines fire littered with more tight couplets, touching on fake industry rappers, dedicating a bar to the departed X-ecutioners DJ and DMC Champion Roc Raida, and unloading more lyrical slugs; ‘The next time I rhyme, I go twice as hard, body the track hard enough to catch life in the yard.’ Doom’s beat laces the track with tons of style, the simplicity of his chops knitting together Blacastan’s lines with Tha boss’s cuts to create a flurry of fly rhymes rooted in old school sensibility. As a dope bonus, the crew include a Deep Breath remix that sees it emerging fresh from the lab reinvigorated; giving the vocals a calming effect compared to the hype original, acting more as re-interpretation than your typical remix, and closing this dope vinyl-only single release strong. If your into that NY sound right now or from back in the day, this LP is sure to satisfy as it treads the thin line between both.

Grab the record now over at Blunted Astronaut.

4/5

Peace.

AKD & Deepstar – No Mercy ft A.G.

Since I started this blog late last year, Hip Hop’s role as Lingua Franca between all people from all countries has been revealed to me personally. It’s unifying force, based on love of the culture, with respect for the pioneers and reverence for it’s true practitioners has not only gifted me new music from all over the planet; but also conspired to unite two heads on opposing sides of the globe, who began collaborating after linking online. The culmination of their efforts is the aptly entitled Universal Language, which drops in September on Monad Records. No Mercy is the first single lifted from this exciting alliance, with bars from D.I.T.C legend A.G. and a dope new video from one the UK’s principal videographers, Globalfaction. London MC Arise King David and Australian producer and indie label owner Deepstar have crafted some of the finest Hip Hop you’ll hear this year. 

As soon as you see the South Bronx you know you’re hangin where Hip Hop lives, with UncleRaeRae’s slick shots of locals on the corners, handstyles on bins and throwies on buildings spliced together through Globalfaction’s cinematic scope. Deepstar’s beat holds a healthy amount of 90’s influence, with heavy drums that still pack a punch despite the current trends leaning more towards  minimal, reserved production. With a memorable guitar loop lending the song a tension that echoes the video’s sprawling cityscapes, and a simple hook that sits upon swelling string melodies; the old-school arrangement and classic feel give the track a timelessness rarely found in today’s over-proliferated music scene. Arise King David’s rhymes are littered with jewels, and as a stripped down version of the beat kicks back in for A.G’s verse, the Diggin In The Crates originator keeps it plain with his words; that stylish flow that took his crew to their 90’s heights still alive and well.

 It’s no secret the majority of rap coming out of New York right now is heavily influenced by the meteoric rise of BK’s Pro Era, Flatbush Zombies & Underachievers; so to hear strong raps with knowledge wrapped in the traditions that took the culture from jams in the park to the world stage is not only refreshingly informed, but essential listening for anyone deep in the history of Hip Hop. Mark the ninth month down as the time Universal Language will be born, then sit back and watch it grow to dominate the worldwide underground by the time the year is out.

Grab No Mercy here.

5/5

Peace.

6thBoro: SoundScans

Good things come from checking out any music that comes your way. This time consuming and ocd method of digital diggin lead me to 6thBoro’s latest beat tape SoundScans a few weeks ago; and since then it’s been gettin regular play in my headphones. The three producers from North NJ & NYC have kept it simple, piecing together seven tracks of atmospheric boom bap that rolls through your consciousness like thick smoke clouds. Their music paints pictures like all good instrumentals do, with multi-layered compositions that hang thick and full in the air, like the evening haze that bathes the sonic cityscapes they evoke. The Thief is a mellow opener that grants you the map to their musical landscape and invites you to explore further. Delicate guitar tones drape themselves over loose kicks and snares as sampled voices ride the rhythm, and simple scratches with style add that seasoning. Wine Glass is more rap-able, with a New York sound that could accommodate the Mobb or Common equally as well, and some warm horn melodies that are so buttery you could spread them on toast. If there’s a sound more satisfying than a well-looped piano and some swing on a kick-snare then you’re guna have to let me know; add a waning sax to that mix and I’m reaching beat-nerd nirvana and fighting the urge to binge buy vinyl.

The smooth brass of the previous song dissolves into the darkly haunting vocal loop that echoes throughout the experimental first half of Your Eyes. The initial beat acting as the closest aural representation you’ll get to an abandoned subway tunnel without actually placing your ears in one; someone needs to set this tune to a night time graff video now and start raking in views. The producer’s drum placement gets an interesting overhaul as they leave behind the straight-ahead soundscapes that marked the opening tracks to utilize messy kicks and snares that stumble over each other like they’re clambering to escape the tracks’ depths. The second beat is more traditional, with an upbeat drum break that takes you into the lounging affectations on Some Time Ago with an ease and lifts the tape’s mood once again. Although its dope by comparison to much you hear online, a lack of variation in the song’s comparatively long length, and an ugly note or two makes Some Time Ago less enjoyable than the rest of this outstanding EP. Peace & Quiet (In NY) is put together perfectly, the small number of chops used resourcefully and the filters on the sample lend the tune character. As each new piece is added it’s allowed room to breathe, and nothing is rushed despite the tracks short duration; finding an equilibrium after the last song’s protracted play-time. 

Ineffable lives up to it’s name; a beautifully executed song that channels Nujabes and Shing02, with dim horns that resonate in the distance and upfront strings dancing about like leaves on the breeze; the time shift towards the end is a dope addition, making this highlight of a track two times as enjoyable and keeping the momentum up strong as this instrumental journey reaches it’s destination. City Lights is a last stop worthy of revisiting. The shuffle of the hi hats and firework-like kicks echo through the air like the dying wails of a new years eve reinterpreted through the 404SX; and again, this short song could have gone on for half hour and still been a cool listen, but if we’ve learned anything from Madlib and Dilla; it’s keep your shit short and let the others do the looping. With plenty more projects on the horizon, and new EP’s being released regularly from the 6thBoro camp; it’s a sure shot that the three young minds behind the group have got plenty more audible panoramas left to paint.

Check out their other EP’s and buy their ill beats here, and follow them @_6thBoro.

4/5.

Peace