The 5th and final instalment of Mr Caruana's remix project is now up for free download from his website. This time, 17 tracks from the legendary Digging In The Crates crew get a re-working, grab it from this link:
Here is the Video for 'Love Me!' the Free Dowlnload Single taken from the forthcoming 'The Samson Lok Files' Mini Album, also Free to Download from 28th February 2011!
This video is Directed by Kieran Malko, and features production from Paris based Keor Meteor. Mixed and mastered by The Scarlet Pimpernel.
Download 'The Samson Lok Files' from 28/02/11 Here- http://www.knew-jeruslum.bandcamp.com/
Wizard is probably as prolific as any producer in the country. That Work may be only his second solo album, but that ignores various projects with KidEight & Scizzahz, a large number of instrumental releases and regular production for a whole host of MCs up and down the country. With this release he aims to prove that he is also as versatile as any of the competition.
No MC manages to feature on more than a single track on this album. This is often a drawback for producer albums, as the sheer amount, and variety, of different voices and styles prevent a cohesive theme or sound from emerging. That proves to be the case here as well, particularly as Wizard seems keen to change production style almost as frequently as guest vocalist.
Not that the album is without it's highlights though. Sonnyjim, who hardly ever spits a weak verse, brings his A-game on 99%. Jack Flash shows that even when in cruise control, and working with fairly uninspired subject matter, he is more engaging than most. Both the production on this, and Thabo's ever soulful crooning, would genuinely not feel out of place alongside any chart-destined smooth Hip-Hop/RnB track of recent vintage. The IRS also show up, to round the album off nicely, with Cold City. However, probably the highlight for me is delivered by one of the least heralded guests. The highly underrated Truth brings the album's most insightful lyrical performance on These Times.
The other side of the pond is also well represented here. Wizard provides some crunching electric guitars for Thesaurus Rex to drop punchlines over, on album opener WWF, and Little Brother affiliate Joe Scudda warns people to keep their hands out of his pockets on Playing With Me. However, one of Wizard's biggest miss steps here is the remix to Ill Bill's Remove The Gag. The lightweight drums on this synth-driven track give a rather bland backdrop for probably the 3 highest profile guests on the album (Ill Bill, Wordsworth & Verbal Kent). Another below-par effort is the highly generic R&B stylings of Carlos Montana & Joey G-Zus on Lay You Down.
Overall this album doesn't quite live up to its predecessor, due to a dip in the overall consistency of both the beats, and the guest verses. It is also affected by the curse of producer-led albums, having a "compilation feel", as the variety in guests prevent the project from finding a sound of its own. Whether or not it's actually the case, it makes you feel as the listener that Wizard simply threw 17 of his most recent tracks together, rather than setting out from scratch to come up with a cohesive album. That Work works better as a shop window for Wizard's production, showing that his range has expanded over the last couple of years, and anyone looking for beats can go to him for more than just underground bangers.
6/10.
New single from The Planets, following up from their recently released collaboration EP with Roc Marciano. As the title suggests, and as is always the case with these guys, their deen is the foremost topic lyrically. In fact the new album will be called Deenology, so expect more of the same to come.
I recently posted the first volume of Tom Caruana's 5 part remix project, The Rough Versions, which featured Large Professor remixes: Tom Caruana presents: The Rough Versions Remix Series: Vol. 1, Large Pro (Free Download)
These three releases are all available to download from: roughversions.cfm 
Here's the first track from Atmosphere's upcoming album 'The Family Sign', which drops in April. Over reggae-tinged production, Slug breaks down some female issues that I'm sure many will relate to...
Atmosphere - Just For Show by rhymesayers
One of several live hip-hop bands who have sprung up over the last couple of years, Kings of the City drop a new video. Klashnekoff drops in to drop the third verse on the track. The moody guitar-based track is matched with catchy hook. Not completely sure about the vampire flex in the video though...
The track is also available to download for free from the group's bandcamp page, and while you're there, there are a few other free bits and pieces that are worth checking out as well.
Just stumbled across this nice little bandcamp freebie. I hadn't previously heard of Leddie & Smoggy, who are from Middlesborough. Features a sped-up chorus, and dope guitar sample. Get your listen and/or download on below:
After the recent release of his album "Ready To Diet",Nugget shows no sign of slowing down with this taste of things to come,produced by Tony Mahoney,Nugget drops some serious bars on this
Skuff produced one of my favourite LPs of all time in 2006 with 'End of the World News' so I'm always ready to listen to what the man's got to say and he delivers plenty of outstanding rhymes over bootlegged beats including Nas' Purple, The Game's Dreams and Outkast's B.O.B as well as a couple of random homegrown bangers. Skuff flips hooks and rhymes from the original tracks, hence the title of this free mixtape 'Deep Covers', as well as delivering his usual autobiographical steeze and extensive vocabulary. Not many MCs can use such a vast range of words while still being entertaining and applying so much emotion to there vocal delivery. Download 'Deep Covers' for free HERE or follow the above player. As Skuff states on the bandcamp page 'this album will probly never be finished' so expect more of the same somewhere in the future....
It's been a long time since we've had some 'music from the corner', but here's a quick freebie that the boys have let loose via Bandcamp. According to the notes, this was the last track that they ever recorded together as Taskforce, back in September 2009.
Yet another mixtape from Ramson Badbonez. The concept here is pretty straightforward, Badbonez spitting over Dilla instrumentals. Don't expect any carefully crafted songs here, not one of the tracks even reaches as far as 2 minutes long. That said, Badbonez over beats as good as this for free, can't be a bad thing now can it?...
Sons Phonetic are back with this banger produced by the mighty Mook and featuring irish legend RiRa,taken from the 12 Labours album which is out now,look out for the review coming soon.
Connect with SP here
The debut single from Tricksta's album 'Out Of Darkness Cometh Light' due out summer 2011.
Be on the look out for the single dropping soon on itunes in April which includes a drumstep remix by the legendary Juttla
My man Josh posted the trailer for the new CunninLynguist's album a couple of days ago, and mentioned that the first single was on the way...
This well travelled MC spits with all his influences around him. Barbados born, New York & Toronto raised talent and now residing in the UK, Fdot1 is a name to be on the look out for. As he preps and gets the ball rolling for the release of his debut album ‘Money MusicK’ album dropping in May.
Download here
Fdot1 website
Here's the first single off an upcoming mixtape from North-East/South-West tag team Chattabox & Samuel Otis 'Hard Graft'. If their free mixtape from last year, 'Stupid O'Clock', is any indication, this should be well worth checking for.
Here's the first leak from Cyrus Malachi's upcoming album 'Ancient Future'. The track features some head-nod inducing keys and horns, courtesy of Nottingham's Endemic. Vocal features come from the other side of the pond in the form of Ruste Juxx & the late Killa Sha.
"Oneirology" from StevenMossberg on Vimeo.
Kentucky group Cunninlynguists are set to release there 4th studio album 'Oneirology' on March 22nd. Having reached acclaim through their inventive concepts, moving lyrics and breathtaking beats 'Oneirology' looks too continue the trend and features Tone Def, Freddie Gibbs and more. With their near classic back catalogue I look forward to hearing the latest offering from Natti, Deacon and Kno. Keep your eyes peeled for the first single which should be available tomorrow.
Click Animosity member Gage is back with the first single from his solo album the Desolate Lands. After the critically acclaimed group effort Feeders of the Flames last year he shows no signs of slowing up. Featuring Click Animosity member Rhetoric and un-official member Reverend Kane and hiphop legends Hell Razah and Vast Aire this is uncomprimising,authentic hiphop with no gimmicks.
Coming soon on Metal Barz Records and produced by the man behind the label DJ Extremidiz dont sleep on this.
Oooooh Shit. Title track from Raekwon's upcoming album. Classic Wu right here. Large...
Leak from the bottomless crates radio show, tune in every Wednesday night http://www.thebottomlesscrates.com/ this will be featured on the Verified EP
for free download of the YET TO VERIFY EP go to http://ytvmusic.bandcamp.com/
Production & Cuts by HENRYtha8TH
The Guardian newspaper recently did a feature on 'the rising stars of UK Hip Hop'. Weather you agree with it or not i felt it was worth posting on the blog:
'UK hip-hop was once the stomping ground of champions such as Roots Manuva, London Posse and Skinnyman. But nearly a decade on, after grime's ever-expanding success a new wave of rappers is emerging. They don't have press shots. Most still have other jobs or play out their rhymes in their daily hustle. But they're united in redefining UK hip-hop as we know it.....'
READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE
A very nice little freebie for you here... Badhabitz, one half of production duo the Krate Krusaders has remixed 17 UK tracks from the past few years, many of which are bona fide classics. Krate Krusaders' production is always on point, so this is a free project well worth checking out. If you need any more convincing, have a look at the tracklist below, and see which tracks have been given a reworking:
In the week of the ‘Rewd Awakening’ release we caught up with Rewd Adams to talk about everything from the history to the future, Radio 1 to religion and Prison to Plan B……….
For people who don’t know your history can you please tell us where it all started for you in terms of first putting the pen to pad?
I tried a little bit of drum and bass mcing when I was about 20 under the name Creeper. It kind of got semi serious to the stage where I was performing at some up and coming jams in London. I went away for a bit ‘on a holiday’ then when I came back I was less into the drum and bass and more into UK hip hop. Some guys that I was running with put me onto guys like Jehst and Taskforce. From then I thought yeah I want to be doing this. It was about 2004 when it all started.
Im not a fan of labelling MCs into categories. I much prefer to hear where they came up from and let people build their own assumptions. Please tell us your background in music in general?
I don’t really come from a musical background at all. I grew up listening to DnB, jungle UK music and my Dad was banging out a lot of rock and roll like Cream and people like that. I grew up on UK stuff. Right now I listen to a lot of soul and old RnB. Things like Marvin Gaye, The Isley Brothers and Earth Wind And Fire.
Going back ‘Project A' was your first official release and saw you putting your vocals to beats by the already well established producer Chemo. How did this connection come about?
I met Chemo through Manage who was my next door neighbour back in the day. Chemo was engineering for Manage and Wordsmith. From there we started recording....
New G Rap produced by the UK's very own Leaf Dog of 3 Amigos
Some very expensive looking visuals for my favourite track off Nas & Jr Gong's colloration album from last year, Distant Relatives.
New track from Salar, produced by Reklews. Exactly the sort of moodiness you'd expect from the Blah records camp...
Salar - Persian Rugged by Reklews
Here is this months fix from Disorda. Sonnyjim is the guest this time...
Somerset producer Beatnick Dee has been working with LA rapper CO$$ and has produced two tracks for his forthcoming LP 'Before I Awoke' which is set for release in April on Tres records and also features production from Exile and Flying Lotus. UK/US collaborations are rare and more often than not dissapointing so I was pleasently suprised to hear such a well made and cohesive song, sounding more like a shared effort than a random teaming up of top notch talent. You can stream 'Through The Flames' on the player below and download it for free HERE. Blu (Johnson and Johnson and Exile collaborator) closes the song with a exceptional verse that drifts between the low end samples and dusty drums.
CO$$-'Through The Flames' Ft. Blu (Prod. Beatnick Dee)
Associated Minds seem to pull out all the stops for Mudmowth releases. His Circus In The Cemetary set from a couple of years ago came out on particularly stylish white vinyl. This joint 'mini-LP' with Metabeats comes in an equally posh embossed digipack. I'm always one of the first to moan when a project that you have to pay for is only released digitally, and I guess this is one way to try and counter that trend. If artists and labels put as much thought into the product as they do the music itself, then they can create something that may persuade people to go for the physical rather than the digital product. Props to AM for leading the way. But, none of this would matter if the tunes were wack, so how do the 8 tracks onboard here shape up? Mudmowth has clearly come a long way as an MC. I first heard him on Ghost's Seldom Seen Often Heard album, where his featured track was (an admittedly dope) self parody of a Welshman making hip-hop. Whilst this track clearly demonstrated the man's talent, it's almost gimmicky nature didn't necessarily suggest that a great career was in store. These days however, Mudmowth is nothing if not versatile. The lyrical tone shifts dramatically from track to track, through introspective self-criticism to inspirational stories to dark streams of punchlines. The quality of the rhymes holds up throughout, although the cohesiveness of the project does suffer a touch, as you may not always be inclined to play it through from start to finish. The quality of the production here shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who heard Metabeats' heavily slept on Metaphysical album from 2008. No beat here misses the mark, whether it's the heavyweight neck-snapper of 'Maaad Tight', the RZA-like wails on 'Sledgehammer' or the horns on the intro. Things are also kept interesting with a smattering of live instrumentation, mainly provided by P.L.O. The guitar on Sing Tears being a particular highlight. Picking out highlights here is really just down to personal taste, due to the consistent quality. For me, Sing Tears, Concrete Buttercups & Life's Never Enough are all vying to be the best track on here, as these are the ones where the songwriting really stands out. Sing Tears is a particularly personal effort, with Mudmowth breaking down his relationship with his father amongst other subjects. An infectious hook is provided by Richie Hayes, and when all this is coupled with Metabeats' plodding keys, the result is a captivating track. Concrete Buttercups is an excellent way for the project to finish. The laidback, soulful, sax laced production allows Mud to put forward a more optimistic view of the world than is on display elsewhere on the album, verse 3 probably being the best:"There's too many people in this world who are simply existing,You need to break out of your bubble and really start living.Because nowadays the only people smiling are the children,Because when you hit your teens, all that stress starts building.The British mindstate: wake early, work late.Man, we're slaves to the wage until we reach our graves.I know you've all got to keep a little food on your plate,But some of you people live to work, and it should be the other way." So what missteps are there? The use of a tongue-in-cheek autotune chorus on Ghost doesn't really work. Satirically using autotune is starting to become a cliché in itself, and the fact that this track's own hook begins to grate after repeated listening ironically emphasises the point it was trying to make in the first place. Mud also has a tendency to slip the odd unnecessarily crass line in here and there, such as claiming on Maaad Tight that he is "fisting Rihanna with her umbrella". But when you have to pick on individual lines, rather than whole verses or tracks, the artist must be doing something right. In the liner notes, Mudmowth says that "it's gotta be an album next time". Damn right, as there is no doubt that as an Mud has the songwriting ability and versatility to hold down a full length project, and that Metabeats status as one of the most slept on beatsmiths in the country will be in danger if he keeps producing Sledgehammers like this.8/10.Maaad Tight feat. Sonnyjim & Skamma (Video):
Ive been a member of Akai MPC Forums for a while now you can here alsorts of madness over there from the beautiful to the idiotic. Nym, another long term member, presents his instrumental LP 'Warm Blooded Lizard' the album is one of the most consistant, imaginative and inspiring pieces Ive found there or anywhere else for that matter for a long time. The album features and was inspired by spaghetti westerns and films of that genre, Nym aims to evoke the emotion and atmosphere of those movies he does that and much more creating huge soundscapes that never seem to stop evolving. Its a mere $5 but entirely free to stream so do the old 'one click hustle' and have a listen on the player below to 'Lesser Known Good' and follow the links to his bandcamp where you can buy the album.
New 8 track debut solo-EP available to download for free from Chief, of the JVF Clique. West Midlands vibes...
Hastings' Wizard dropped his second producer album a couple of days ago via his bandcamp page, apparently a CD version should be coming very soon. Big guestlist onboard here, as expected, from both UK and US, including Sonnyjim, Jack Flash, Ill Bill & Ramson Badbonez. I haven't checked this yet myself, but will do shortly, Wizard is nice with his. Review soon come...
Really lovin this video, dark undertones and some dope lyricism, just a pleasure to listen to
You can buy this track for 79p from Itunes Here
'On The Radar Volume 5' - available now - click the image above to download!
'On The Radar Volume 4' - click here to download!
'On The Radar Volume 3' - click here to download!Email us at: certifiedbanger@gmail.com
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