'The Humble Bees Project' - Shur-i-kan (album review)

Shur-i-Kan's 'The Humble Bees Project' kicks off with some Native Tongues like Hip Hop on 'Mystik' with UK rappers Ty and Hkb Finn and French MC taking mic duties in their stride - an awesome way to kick off an LP. Then, hailing from Birmingham and representing the female gender, comes Rawality with some coolly delivered verses on 'High Street Rocka' - a track still in that 90s groove.

The rest of the LP takes the headnod, boom bap instrumental route that producers like Aim have trod before - a proven road to success. With a variety of moods catered for, some differing takes on the classic Hip Hop sound (towards the end of the LP) and tracks like 'The Pickup' incorporating some choice spoken word samples there's plenty to get involved with. Hkb Finn returns four more times, twice alone (on 'Humble Zone' and 'Take a Minute') and twice accompanied (by Rawality and Lotek on 'Survival of the Fittest' and by Eshe Escoffery on 'Feel The Love') almost making the album his own - lyrically, at least.

'The Humble Bee Project' is an excellent LP from a producer after my own heart. Hip Hop's classic mould is treated with respect throughout without the music becoming stuck in a time warp. It's out now on Ballpark Records and can be bought on itunes.

'Elbow Grease' - Percy Filth (EP review)

Why should you buy ‘Elbow Grease’? Well it kicks off with a collaboration surely every UK Hip Hop head wanted to hear – SonnyJim and Foregin Beggars on the big and bouncy ‘Out To Getcha’ anybody? Percy Filth doesn’t let up in quality of production or guest calibre – next up it’s about-to-return Juice Aleem, Madflow and Lotek on ‘Electronic Music’ which somehow manages to use digital sounds on a track reminiscent of the 90s era.

It’s not just UK MCs and DJs who have been invited on board – ‘Livin’ Trife’ features Maylay Sparks, K-Skills, ‘That’s Why (Remix)’ features K-Skills and J-Sands and ‘Flesh n Blood’ features (the probably quite eccentric) Arsun F!st.

Over the remaining four tracks SonnyJim, Redbeard, English, Stig of the Dump, Dr. Syntax and Kosyne ensure that there is not a bad track on this EP. The wealth of DJs on this release take care of the very welcome cuts – props to DJ Cro, DJ Weetamix, DJ Roc-1 and DJ Jodo. Percy Filth has got the skills to pay the bills, your head won’t stop nodding for the duration and the skip button will be underused, so make sure you pick up a copy so that he actually can pay for gas and that.

‘Elbow Grease’ is out on Aerosolik/Eat Good and is available now from Suspect Packages.