Showing posts with label Bless Beats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bless Beats. Show all posts

Monday, 15 June 2009

'Shots Of Smirnoff' - Kyza (mixtape review)

If this is the standard of the mixtape, how good will the album be? Kyza is true MC and his versatility is the key. He’s got the stories fiction (‘Freddy’) and non-fiction (‘My Soul’ and the heart wrenching ‘Wild Orchid’), the gritty observations (‘Sin City’), the braggadocio (‘The King’, bouncy ‘The Dirtiest’ and more), the club heaters (‘Go’ and ‘Dirty’) and everything else in-between.

Whatever Kyza has to say, he says it with excellence - nothing but fine lyricism here. Mr. Sayso also displays his creativity with flows and rhyme schemes; ‘My Soul’ is written as a list of events in a 24 hour period written in note form – a direct contrast to his double-time shenanigans on ‘Go’. He also premiers his ear for a tune on the self-sung hooks on ‘Zonin’’, ‘My Soul’ and ‘Wild Orchid’ – not at all bad for a rapper!

Kyza does his thing on the 18 tracks over a fine selection of specially-produced and jacked beats as Foreign Beggars’ DJ Nonames does a quality job of blending throughout (oh, and he doesn’t do annoying Kay Slay style shout outs). Original production comes from Chemo (and D.Ablo on guitar), Ghosttown and Bless Beats.

‘Shots Of Smirnoff’ (aka 'S.O.S.')is the mixtape that you need in your life right now and it’s out on Dented Records as of today. Kyza is still doing it, and better lyrically and conceptually than most rappers out there.

Saturday, 13 June 2009

'Sin City'/'Go' - Kyza (single review)

Kyza the lyricist is truly back. 'Sin City' (download free courtesy of HHC) is the latest single to be lifted off the excellent 'Shots Of Smirnoff' mix CD. Reminiscent of his Terra Firma days, Kyza paints a stark portrayal of any given metropolis with the finest street poetry. Chemo provides the ominous production complete with screaming guitar solos.

'Go' is entirely different; crafted for the club and the grimier heads by Bless Beats (of 'Wearing My Rolex' fame). Kyza spits double time can't-test-me rhymes to match the frantic synth strings – not my usual cup of tea but Kyza pulls it off with style and quality. Bar9 provide a nasty (in a good way) dubstep remix.

'Sin City'/'Go' was released on Dented Records on 1st June.

Check out the HHC website for their little chat with Kyza about drinking, Terra Firma, Violence, UK Hip Hop and the Old Skool.