I know Professor Elemental is not going to be everyone's cup of tea (aaagh, sorry had to be done), but I must say I'm a bit of a sucker for anything involved with Tea Sea Records. This project is basically a compilation of remixes of Elemental tracks from over the years. To be frank, it is rather inconsistent. But Elemental is unique, and for that alone he should be applauded.

'Fighting Trousers' - Elemental (video)

'The Indifference Engine' - Professor Elemental (album review)

I'm a sucker for comedy rap (don't let him catch me calling it that); and it doesn't come more refined than that which Elemental purveys. This time under the Professor guise, the MC continues where he left off on 'Cup Of Brown Joy'.

Essentially what Elemental does is adopt a posh English accent in order to explore appropriate material; things that you don't hear in your everyday rap songs. But it's more than just that, if you know of Steam Punk, then just think of that, but in rap form - Steam Rap? Tom Caruana (and Herma Puma in one instance) doesn't pass up on the chance to plunder some rather jaunty sounding records in order to provide the right beats for a gentleman - making this a very rounded piece of work.

Safari, elevenses, Victorian cake-based naughtiness (involving a lady rhymer), adventure, Battenberg, fayre grounds (and much more that would concern only a real gentleman) are the order of the day here. There's even a diss song aimed fairly and squarely at one Mr. B, claiming that there is only room for one gentleman rhymer. Things could get ugly. Just because you like whichever sort of rap you like doesn't mean you shouldn't check this out - everyone's got room for a little enjoyment haven't they? Enjoyment is why Hip Hop started - let's not forget.

'The Indifference Engine' is available on the wonderful Tea Sea Records and can be bought at their website and fully previewed at Bandcamp.

More Free UK Hip Hop from Krystatic, Nugget, DJ Slademan, Jeye Severe, Krate Krusaders, Elemental, Cross Bone T and Yogi & Shade 1

I found these two remixes on a forum but don’t know who is behind them. The remixes are of DJ MK’s ‘It’s All Live’ featuring Jehst and Supa T and the other is of Jehst’s ‘Nightime Vultures’. If you are the producer or know who did these then let me know, thanks.

There’s a new MC on his way out of Wolverhampton. It’s Krystatic with his track ‘The Taste’ which is produced by Dezert Rhino. Apparently he “will make it with his music” and “you can do anything you set your mid to in this world” – not sure about that.

An MC named Nugget from Ireland got in touch with his track ‘8 Million Bars’. Nugget vents his Irish anger over a nice head nod beat. Thankfully there aren’t as many rhymes as the title suggests – that would just be too many!

British producer DJ Slademan has been working with US MC Big Test to bring you these two tracks: ‘Hip Hop’ and ‘Be Patient’. Slademan has also been working with the UK’s Jeye Severe – the result being 'They Just Don't Know' (this track is labelled incorrectly as a Gensis Elijah track - don't ask me why!).

Jeye Severe has also been working with producer Chat One on their reggae influenced track ‘Money’ and this hectic beast of a tune for you – ‘Yes Blood’ – turn it up loud and get hype.

Another transatlantic collaboration that works well is the track Krate Krusaders have done with Dominique Larue – love beats like this - 'That Ain't My Style'.

‘Player Hater’ is a pretty funny track from Elemental about football – something I can totally relate to, being a non-football fan myself.

Cross Bone T’s latest track is ‘Say I Believe’. T’s conscious lyrics are a little less paranoid than on his last single as he brings a fairly positive message to his listeners.

Yogi and Shade 1 dropped this one via Twitter ( a very valuable resource for getting free music directly from the artists) - ‘Puddycat’. UK West Coast type stuff.

Rising Styles 09 Album Tracklist

Listed below are the artists and tracks that made it onto this years festival album. It's good to see that here at Certified Banger we haven't been off the mark with some of the underground artists who we consider to be on the way up - Queens English, Asaviour, Apa-Tight, Kasha and Grit Grammar have all been on 'On The Radar' and Skilf, Elemental, Tom Caruana, Verbal Contact (Leeds stand up) and Tactical Thinking are all firm favourites here. Well done to all involved:

01 Jimmy Davis - Brits Are Coming - www.myspace.com/littlejimmydavis
02 JackL & Timmay - Turn It Up
 - www.myspace.com/timsbeats
03 Queens English - Full Limit featuring Mr Chips & Embee of Looptroop
 - www.myspace.com/queensenglish
04 Asaviour & Apatight - Gully
 - http://www.saving-grace.co.uk/
05 Kasha - Rats & Roaches
 - http://www.kashamusic.co.uk/
06 Skilf - Let Loose
 - http://www.skilf.co.uk/
07 Theory 77 - Who’s He? - 
http://www.nofrillsrecords.co.uk/
08 Mr Tubz - Take Me Away featuring Katarina - 
www.myspace.com/tubzta
09 Elemental & Tom Caruana - Blind Bob’s Vengeance - http://www.teasearecords.net/ www.myspace.com/mcelemental
10 Grit Grammar - Musical Life - www.myspace.com/gritgrammar
11 Verbal Contact - Trifling Times - www.myspace.com/verbalcontactleeds
12 Tactical Thinking - TT Onslaught - http://www.tacticalthinking.co.uk/

An official announcement regarding the release date will be made early September. The album will be available as a digital download from Suspect Packages

'Heavyweights of the Hip Hop Division' - T.S.K. & VA (free download)

Check out Thetford's T.S.K. as he reps a cross-section of the UK Hip Hop scene covering artists as diverse as Wretch 32 and Tom Caruana. Also featured are battlers Arkaic and Kulez, producer Jon Phonics, Thetford heads Franko Fraize, Lyrical T and Red Eye, UK legend Wordsmith as well as AC and Terra, 'On The Radar' artist Reain, T Leevz, Wazlee, Jabba Tha Kut, Forbidden Tongues and Mr. Drastick - see I told you it was diverse.

This is available at Datpiff so go download, burn a CD and support the cause.

'Further Into The Wood' - Tom Bombadeal (album review)

Fresh from Tea Sea Records is Tom Bombadeal’s follow up to 2007's 'Songs From The Wood'. ‘Further Into The Woods’ is a far as a magical mythical character from middle earth gets to releasing a mixtape. It’s a prequel to Bombadeal’s main album (which is as yet untitled) which will tell a story in sequence and will feature some familiar characters from ‘Songs From The Wood’ and ‘Further Into The Woods’.

At 35 tracks, yet only 50 minutes long, this is like a collection of snapshots giving insights into the world of Tom Bombadeal. What strikes me is that, despite this being set in an imaginary world, this album really captures many aspects of modern day life – and it makes me glad to be alive.

As you saunter through The Shire with Tom you meet the Sun, the Moon, trees, a witchdoctor, a troll and many more characters some voiced by rappers Elemental, 777, Dizraeli and Teej. Tom’s production is beautifully folksy making this as un-Hip Hop as Hip Hop gets – it’s extremely refreshing and in the short time I’ve owned this album I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve listened to it.

‘Further Into The Woods’ is out now on Tea Sea Records and I can’t urge you enough to go pick this up from them or Suspect Packages. But be warned, if you do buy it; be ready to be stripped of all your rap inhibitions. Play this one for yer kids.

'It's So Different Here' - Tom Caruana (album review)

Don your lifejacket, hoist the mainsail – and then slip Tom Caruana’s latest LP ‘It’s So Different Here’ into your yacht’s boombox. Embark on a voyage to somewhere truly unlike the usual realms of UK Hip Hop.

Caruana’s newest album is a pastiche of amusing snippets, bits and bobs and rapping over happy time beats – TC certainly keeps things interesting. With less than half the tracks resembling traditional rap songs it’s fun for the whole family.

The title track sees Tom rapping about fishing over a sample previously heard on a Beatnuts track, single ‘Someone Else’ speaks volumes of truth about the personalities we all choose and ‘Wonderlust’ featuring Vecks is straight up head bob Hip Hop. Elemental features on ‘Blind Bob’s Vengeance’ which is a breakneck speed pirate themed track – top stuff.

For lots of laughs head over to Tea Sea Records and order yourself a copy of ‘It’s So Different Here’ – don’t take your bloodclart selves so seriously UK Hip Hop heads. This LP is the follow up to 'Welcome Aboard' (available free from Buda Beats or on CD from Disorda at Suspect Packages) and if you really get into the mood of things Tom's holding a colouring-in competition so people can colour in the front and back cover and send them in to me, the best one will get printed as a limited edition reissue - the page to download the artwork is www.teasearecords.net/competitions.

Suspect Packages Radio Show August

Suspect Packages Radio. August. Free Download/Stream. Features Tactical Thinking, Micall Parknsun, Orphans of Cush, Karl Hinds, Lowkey, Koaste, Elemental & Tom Caruana, Juice Aleem, Contact Play, Big Cakes, Double D Dagger, Foreign Beggars and loads more new stuff that even I've not heard yet - lucky I'm on holiday and can just blast it then.

As Disorda says "No special guests though due to shear amount of tunage to get through (which gives me more time to vent my anger at bootlegging blogs), but wait 'till next month on the guest tip". I'm not a bootlegging blog so I'm in the clear.

Current UK Hip Hop itunes Releases

So what can you guys and girls get for yourself this week on itunes? Well, there's a whole host of stuff:

Micall Parknsun - 'All 4 Hip Hop' (also at Amazon and HMV)

Roots Manuva - 'Do Nah Bodda Mi' (Preview at Ninja Tune and buy the 12")

Elemental & Tom Caruana - 'Rebel Without Applause' (read my review here or pop over to the Tea Sea website to buy the actual CD)

Million Dan - 'Acceleration' (it includes remixes from Baby J and versions of 'Hip Hop U Don't Stop' from Jay Large and DJ Firstaid)

Killa Kela - 'Built Like An Amplifier' (Not Hip Hop really but it does feature a Sway remix. Watch the official video here)

Kyza - 'Sin City'/'Go' & 'Love & Music'/'Dirty' (His two singles from the forthcoming 'Shots Of Smirnoff')

YNR Productions - 'Feeding Time At The Zoo' (or here on CD)

Lowkey - 'We Don't Want Them' (produced by The Last Skeptik and all for a good cause)

Sleaze - Theolovision (or here on CD)

Homecut - No Freedom Without Sacrifice (go to First Word for the CD)

That should do ya for now...let me know if this is a worthwhile thing to do, whether I post up what's available on itunes or elsewhere.

Suspect Packages Radio Show July

Bit late on this and probs none of you are cos it's Supect Packages radio show innit and where else would you be hearing all the next stuff before you can get your mitts on it? Nowhere, that's where.

So as usual Disorda packs a lot of UK Hip Hop into his allotted time - and mroe than usual cos there are no live shenanigans. Anyways, there's loadsa good stuff as you would expect from all of the best current UK artists including Kyza, Micall Parknsun, Delusionists, Elemental and Tom Caruana, Danny Spice, Dialect, Truth and loads more MCs who you read about regularly at Certified Banger. Check it out yo.

'Rebel Without Applause' - Elemental & Tom Caruana (album review)

I love it when Hip Hop isn’t taken too seriously but is still treated with respect. Elemental and Tom Caruana have put together an LP that is as silly as it is credible. In fact this sentiment, taken from ‘Cup of Brown Joy’, might just sum up the attitude: “So when times are hard and life is rough, you can stick the kettle on and find me a cup”.

The album is a patchwork of full tracks, actually funny skits (‘Hunting Season’ is about hunting hunters and mounting their heads) and short idea tunes (‘Patience’ and ‘Cartoon Baboon’) which makes listening easy and pleasurable, especially if you have ADHD. Tom’s production more than adds to the joyful feel of this album as he samples what can only by smiles and sunshine in audio form.

Tracks like ‘Town Called Nowhere’ and ‘Livin’ in the 90’s’ (awesome sample used here) will appeal to everyone who has lived in a town or in the 90s – that’s a lot of people and I hope they all hear this album. ‘Ye Old School’ has a great message and is similarly appealing – quite a few of us have similar fond memories of our days in education. ‘Pay Me A Visit’ features Hip Hop legend Count Bass D and is worth a mention in this review for that fact alone.

Elemental and Tom Caruana have the skill to evoke the “That’s so true!” reaction that a good stand up comedian draws from his audience. They are testament to the fact that the mundane things of life (like sick days) can be the funniest and that they make good subject matter for rap songs.

‘Rebel Without Applause’ is a breath of fresh air in our serious scene and whilst not everyone should be on this tip it’s a very good thing that Tom Caruana and Elemental are. It’s out now on Tom’s Tea Sea Records label and is available from their website. Check out the video for 'Cup of Brown Joy' below:

More Forthcoming Reviews

As usual I've got a never ending pile of CDs and a hard drive full of mp3 awaiting review. Here's what I'll be covering soon, hopefully before each of their release dates:

JVF Clique - 'Alternative Income' (album)
Big Narstie - 'The Big Man Returns' (mixtape)
Elemental & Tom Caruana - 'Rebel Without Applause' (album)
Dialect - 'D.Day' (album due out April)
Delegates of Culture - 'Bad Guys' (album due out on 27th April)
DJ Vadim - 'Hidden Treaure' (single due out 27th April)
Wordsmith & I.N.C. The Poet - 'Take a Walk in My Shoes' (single due out 27th April)
The Score - 'Opus' (album due out 27th April)
Yung - 'Unconditional Hustle' (mixtape due out 4th May)
Mr. Lif - 'I Heard it Today' (album due out 4th May
Homecut - 'No Freedom Without Sacrifice' (album due out 18th May)
YNR Records - 'Feeding Time At The Zoo' (album due out 25th May)
Wordsmith & I.N.C. The Poet - 'A Baltimore Martini' (album due out 25th May)
Choong Family - 'Baptism of Fire' (pre-album due out 25th May)
The Early Man - 'Alpha' (single due out 25th May)
Resin Dogs - 'More' (album out 1st June)
DJ Vadim - 'U Can't Lurn Imaginashun' (album due out 8th June)

There are probably more too. I'll try get these done for y'all!

Producers - Tea Sea Records Remix Opportunity!

It's that time again when I big up the virtual treasure trove that resides in Tom Caruana's (tea) sea chest. If you pop over to his Tea Sea Records website and click on the button that says 'remixs' (their spelling not mine) then you will be able to download about a million acapellas from some of your favourite UK rapperinos including Wordsmith, Koaste, Dr Syntax, DPF and Genesis Elijah.

All you have to do is join the site, which will get you a whole load more than a bunch of acapellas (so even if you're not a beatsmith, do it). If you make a remix and send it to Tom, he'll feature it on the page and he'll consider it for inclusion in an album of remixes he's planning for later in the year. Can't say fairer than that can you?

Also keep your ears peeled for his new album with Elemental called 'Rebel Without Applause' which will be out soon.