Prose - Real Talk (Video)

Prose are set to drop their second album, The Dark Side Of The Boom, in a couple of weeks. I'm definitely looking forward to that, as last 2010's Force of Habit was excellent. This first single/video shows they haven't slowed down, so expect the new LP to be a late contender for UK album of the year...

Prose - For The Love/What's Love (video)

Prose get all 90s on us by dropping a split video, featuring two of the tracks from their Force of Habit album. Both tunes are dope, as is virtually everything on the album, so if you haven't checked it out yet, do so...

'Force Of Habit' - Prose (album review)

You may have seen me waxing lyrical (in 140 characters, on Twitter) about this album. My position has not changed. This review could be one the easiest I've had to write because I could just insert a few positive words and then tell you to buy it. But that's not what you've come to expect from you and I wouldn't want to let you down now, would I?

Essentially, Prose (that's producer Steady and MC Efeks) do Hip Hop in just the way I want to hear it. The beats are banging yet melodic, traditional yet never samey, the rhyming is clear, concise and listener friendly, the subject matter is varied and there are cuts (courtesy of DJ Matman).

Single 'Life Times' comes early on in the playlist and it still sounds great. Previously heard (as a free download) 'Run For The Hills' featuring Ed Strong and King Kaiow of The IRS still sounds fresh and heavy too. 'Broke' featuring Reef The Lost Cauze is the better of the two transatlantic hookups on the album, the other being 'More Than Before' featuring Side Effect and Killer Rellik;a track that just doesn't wash with me. To be honest the album doesn't need these artists - Efeks is better.

'My Baby' featuring Belle is a definite stand out to me, maybe because I can relate to the topic being a new father myself, maybe just because Efeks pours out his heart emotively yet without sounding soppy. It's hard to pick out any other tracks because this release is so fluid as an album - it's not a thing you'll pick and choose tracks from, it's something you'll listen to the whole of, and you'll enjoy all 76 minutes of it. In some ways it's hard to put a finger on why this LP is so good, but I think I said it back in my second paragraph; they just do Hip Hop perfectly.

'Force Of Habit' is out on the Boombap Professionals label on 22nd November 2010.

'Life Times' - Prose (video)

'Run For The Hills' ft. Ed Strong & King Kaiow - Prose (free download)

More music relating to The IRS: 'Run For The Hills' by Prose featuring Ed Strong and King Kaiow of The IRS. This is a free download in order to drum up business for their forthcoming album 'Force Of Habit' with music and artwork this good best believe Prose are going to be a name you hear a little more.

If you haven't already heard their name then get digging backwards on that there Bandcamp page. They've really got their back catalogue on over there so you can go stream or download some classic-sounding boom bap UK Hip Hop in order to familiarise yourself with these boys. Can you hear the jungle drums?

'Bring Your Army' - Prose (free download)

Reminding me of M9, Cyrus Malachi et al is Prose's latest track 'Bring Your Army'. It's available as a free download at Bandcamp. The track is featured on The People's Army 'General Salute Mix CD Vol. 1' which is available here for a very reasonable price.

'The Boombap Bootleg Volume 2' - Prose (review)

Downtempo, cheese-free beats worthy of the album’s name and honest organic rhymes make up Prose’s latest release ‘The Boombap Bootleg Vol. 2’. The cover claims that these are ‘demos, rarities and treats’ and the last is certainly true. MC Efeks and Producer/DJ Steady bring the realness as described on ‘Built To Last (First Quest)’ and Efeks’ belief that he was “conceived in a lab, by die hard Hip Hop fans trying to rekindle the essence of the dead culture” may explain why their music is authentic Hip Hop.

‘Know(the)ledge’ stands out with its appealing guitar melodies and its successor is ‘Personal Efeks’ – a familiar and almost medieval sounding slice of wise lyricism. Here are ten tracks of pretty positive and intelligent Hip Hop for all those hankering after some decent listening.

The album can be bought from the venerable Bandcamp for a minimum ‘donation’ of £2- well worth it – what else can you buy with that anyway? Go stream the album there to try before you buy.

'I Gotta'/'Gladiator' - Prose (free download)

Free soulful boom bap Hip Hop from the crew called Prose. 'I Gotta' is a track that we can all relate to (unless you're very rich for whatever reason) - we have to work for our living. 'Gladiator' is a more fast-paced affair about dedication to the art of Hip Hop. Both tracks are real, full flavour Hip Hop with crunchy drums and samples and both instrumentals come in the package

These two tracks are taken from the forthcoming 'The Boombap Bootleg Vol. 2'.

Whilst you're over at Bandcamp (click the 'download it now' link below') check out their other free to download releases.

'Running Man EP' - Prose (free download)

Ah here's some really dope, fresh and free UK Hip Hop for your earpieces. Another Bandcamp drop from the group known as Prose.

Steady and Efeks defo keep it really real - the lyricism is top notch ("You only wanna destroy life, whilst I preserve it//Embalming this beat after I stone cold murk it") and the beats are too.

'The Storm' has a menacing but melodic sound, 'Running Man' is computer game digital and 'Born Invincible' is a very recognisable sample - all guaranteed to get you mean mugging and head nodding. The download also includes the instrumentals.

'Running Man' is also available backed with 'No Mystery' on Bandcamp, again with their instrumentals.