And Now For Something A Little Different...

It might surprise you to know that I don't always listen to Hip Hop. Some people even send me some different kinds of music so I thought I'd give some of it some shine:

I've been noticing Nneka's name for a few months now and I got the chance to check her track 'Walking'. DJ Farhot, the track's producer, has taken a Curtis Mayfield composition ('Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um (Curious Mind)' as sung by Major Lance) and made it into fat slice of headnod Neo Soul with a hint of the old Negro spirituals. Nneka's voice is sweet and her message is positive, also with a hint of the old Negro spirituals. Lovely stuff.

I've also got possibly the strangest thing Stones Throw will ever release. 'The Minimal Wave Tapes: Vol. 1' is a compilation of Minimal Wave - an 80s genre of "underground DIY electronic music". Some tracks are more minimal than others, some sound like the soundtrack old school computer games (but with real singing voices) and some really remind me of the old school cinema infomercials. Whatever your preferred genre, this will certainly expand your mind! Personal favourites are Linear Movement's 'Way Out Of Living' and 'Blurred' by Turquoise Days. It's out on 15th March.

Next up is The Last Skeptik's latest project. It's a remix album on which he does nothing like he's ever done before. There are no dusty samples only original electrofied compositions. Some of the tracks he tackles are unfamiliar to me so I can't comment on whether he's done them justice or not - Marina and the Diamonds, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Daniel Merriweather, Hong Kong in the 60s, and David's Lyre all get unconventionally remixed in a way that requires loud playback. These particular remixes made me wonder whether I would keep listening if they came on the radio or whether I only like them because of a knowledge of the artist behind them - hmmm, thought provoking. The rest of the remixes are more in the Hip Hop vein with Loudmouth Melvin, Joe Budden, The Streets, Brad Strut, Lowkey, Mudmowth and Eslam Jawaad all getting reworked with varying degrees of electro-funk. That's going to be available for free on 5th April but you can go here to check out many of the tracks.

Finally, Distiller Records sent me an interesting thing: 'Flush' by Losers. It features feisty female MC Envy alongside Riz MC on a dance floor shaker all about falling out with ones other half. It won't be to everyone's taste (including mine) but Skism's dubstep remix is exceedingly heavy as is Sukh Knight's meaning that it might just appeal to those into that kind of thing. 'Flush' is out on 5th April.

'Audible Amelioration EP' - Audible Amelioration (free download)

No, I can't pronounce the name either but Audible Amelioration have named their EP after themselves so you'll have to get used to it! This is another bandcamp drop (stream the EP there) and is available to download for free from their myspace site.

The EP features a few nice UK guests who you'll be familiar with - Farma G and Brad Strut as well as DJ Para and Billy Butler Yeats (whose 'BounceBackAbility' Album is on its way). Most of the tracks are helmed by American MC Coherent Motion (or C-Motion) and the beats by Odious Din, Abject Theory and Relent are three things - quality, heavy and varied.

Relent's 'I Sit Alone' displays a hungry-as-ever Farma G alongside Billy Butler Yeats, C-Motion and DJ Para and Abject Theory's 'Stage is Set (alos with C-Motion) will smack you round the face - for real.

To download it there are three separate zip files on the left hand site of their myspace page.

'Fallout Shelter' - Brad Strut (EP review)

The Australian Hip Hop scene is more closely related to ours than it is to the US scene. The main reason for this is the automatic hard work that has to be put in to be respected above our American brothers and the attention to detail in the lyrics - Brad Strut, an Australian now living in London, is at home here.

His ‘Fallout Shelter’ EP dropped last month and with its 6 tracks being produced by Beat Butcha there is all the more reason for it to be on Certified Banger. As you would expect, the production holds weight and Brad Strut pours his triple distilled lyrics perfectly over the beats. With a positive outlook (considering the name and the concept), I find this EP to be just how I want Hip Hop to be. ‘NO!’ is a harpsichord based apocalyptic thriller – if it’s possible, this is the stand out track. The EP’s pinnacle, the beautiful but banging ‘Believe’, is blissful and flawlessly created. ‘Looking At You’, the closing track, appears to deal with some very personal issues with cryptic lyricism (check the lyrics here) being the order of the day.

As if an excellent EP wasn’t enough the EP comes packaged with a remixes LP featuring versions of Brad’s past tracks by M-Phazes, Chemo, Beat Butcha, Jehst and The Last Skeptik amongst other (possibly Aussie) producers. With 13 extra tracks this is more than an incentive to buy this excellent package.

‘Fallout Shelter’ EP/ ‘Rejuvenation’ is out now and can be gotten at Suspect Packages.

Hip Hop Connection Online

Hip Hop Connection's online outlet is now in full effect with a whole host of non-magazine articles and interviews. They've got interviews with Brad Strut, Ramson Badbonez and Khujo Goodie (of Willie Isz). They've got ?uestlove speaking on Karriem Wiggins and Immortal Technique giving Drake careers advice and also something about the heavily-lauded-by-MCs-you-love Blaq Poet and DJ Premier. Well, what are you waiting for?

http://www.hhcdigital.net/ for more!