When your debut release is so good that 3 years after its release, those in the know still hail it's niceness & the artists involved in said album are fast carving their way through the industry, what comes next? You simply gather some new artists, change your sound & make an even better one. Waajeed & Saadiq have created an extraordinary piece of work. I recently said that Raphael Saadiq's 'The Way I See it' set a benchmark & that it would take quite a while for it to be bettered. The fact that Abundance has upped the ante so soon afterwards took me by complete surprise. If youre a fan of 'Triple P' then get that sound out of your head ASAP. Abundance goes in a new direction & as good as their beat skills already were, the duo have blown their 1st effort out of the water with what they have achieved here. But importantly, the signature of what made Triple P great hasn't been left behind. the changes come from the expansiveness of Abundance as a whole. The Andre 3000 like bounce of Smoking Mirrors being a great example. While Triple P was a soulful head nod, this go round is much a far more varied journey. From the aforementioned Smoking Mirrors you go straight into the uplifting Funk stylings of 'on A Cloud'. The other main reason for this albums greatness is it's cohesion, which in no small part is down to the fact that there are only 2 prominent features from start to fiish. karma Stewart & Coultrain fit both the songs & each others vocals like a glove. I would suggest that there is a lot more musical chemistry between all parties this time & the whole thing has a far more polished feel than it's predecessor. Karma is surely going to go on to big things in the next year or 2 & Coultrain won't be far behind. If the fantastic 'Luv Affair' or 'Dirty Secrets' & Spaced out funk Masterpiece that is Rocket Science doesn't see them becoming an awful lot busier sometime soon then I don't know what will. The other cohesive factor is the arrangement of the tracks. It's a work of genius as one track simply flows in to the next without breaking stride. But to be frank any album is only the sum of it's parts & it all boils down to the songs. Well the songs that make up those said parts are of such a high standard that unless Raphael out does himself with another release this year. I can't see anything topping Abundance this year. And we've only just reached February. It's gonna be a long year.
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Abundantly Clear
Change, not likely
Originality is the way of the walk for Andrew Thompson. I'm Not Likely To Change is his second full length release & I haven't heard anything quite like it. Indie Folk Electro Funk with just a dash of Hip Hop & Classic Soul, Andrew brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 'to each his own'. The key to this album is his ability to make even the most mundane of topics funny & interesting. How many songs have you heard about a man complaining that he has a fly in his soup, then twist the meaning to concur with everyday life. The songs themselves are quirkyness personified but firmly reside on the right side of an eccentric fence. How come I never heard of him until 1st post this morning. Quite where this guy draws his inspiration from is anyone's guess but apparently he has a cult following. I for one am now very much a part of it.
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No disrespect but....
....at least one good thing came out of Woolworths closing. I had been looking for a copy Of Shai's Destiny Album for about 5 years. In shops it was out of print, online it was never in stock. All my usual local & not so local CD haunts didn't have it either. Then while scouring my local Woolworths store during the last few days of it's closing down sale. I see a brand new untouched copy still in it's plastic wrapping. According to the lady behind the till who had worked there for 15 years, it was delivered by mistake about 6 years ago. It had sat in the store room ever since. The man reason for wanting this so bad is my love of it's title track. Featuring a very fresh sounding KRS-One, I've got it on repeat on my Ipod. I reckon this track could still bang out in the clubs no problem. Being the nice guy that i am I have decided to share.Enjoy!
Shai - Destiny feat. KRS-One
Move Your Soul
The Soul.... Many variations have been tried, tested, used & abused in the pursuit of what defines the human soul. Why do our armed forces put themselves in the line of fire? Why do firemen go into burning buildings to save lives? Why do mountaineers climb up the most dangerous climbs on earth? And as misguided as they are, why do suicide bombers believe in there convictions enough to be willing to die in a most violent way for there cause. It's what makes these things possible that is the reason why Soul music carries it's name since that is where it is born. Hence we arrive at Slakah The Beatchild's emphatical brilliance, Soul Movement Vol. 1. Musically, I haven't been taken aback like this since Nicolay & Kay charted the human life. Think of a cocktail involving The Strange Fruit's Soul Travellin' & The Foreign Exchange's Connected and you can see where this is going. I deliberatey mentioned those two because this is an album that easily takes pride of place among such esteemed company. The guest list is a steller one for those in the know. Divine Brown, Shad (The Old Prince), Melanie Durrant, Jason Simmons & Mystic are the most notable among a cast that never miss a step over Slakah's supreme audio. At this point I would usually name a few highlights among what i've been hearing but this is way too good a longplayer for that. The 1st great album of the year is hear. BBE, you've done it again. Slakah by name but certainly not by nature.
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edit: such is this albums fence treading niceness, I decided to burn the candle at both ends & post it on both blogs.
Ramblings of a man on the street
And so to 2009. More terrorist threats, more gun crime, more knive crime, more Israeli/Palestinian tensions, more babies having babies, more politicians who are only out for themselves, more staling over what to do about Zimbabwe, more economic gloom, etc etc etc. I could go on & on with that list being that the possibilities are pretty much endless. The worldwide economy is apparently in meltdown. This is only true of the countries that didn't prepare though. I find it funny that the apparent top 2 superpowers of the world (US & UK) are feeling more than most, while the emerging powers (Brazil, China) & those that did there homework (Australia & New Zealand among them) are, in a financial sense, sailing on a steady ship. It makes me wonder why we as a nation keep on letting these old Etonians in office when they've either lost touch with the real world, or were never in touch with it in the first place. They are now upto the 50 million dollar note in Zimbabwe & the 100 million version is not far off. How can the people with the power to stop this man keep allowing this ridiculous state of affairs. People should not be carting money around in wheelbarrows (literally) to buy the bare neccessities. Israel's current flurry of military activity reminds me of the 'fights' I used to have in school. I would get a mountain of abuse from certain people. Monkey taunts & big lip taunts were the way. I would take it in lessons non stop for ages & it would continue throughout the day. finally when it came to the point where I couldn't take the abuse anymore & I would start pounding in the perpetrators with tears in my eyes (true story). It seems that israel have also come to the point where that can't take any more. As much as the Israeli's are overreacting & as much as I support the Palestinian cause, Hammas only have themselves to blame for their current predecament. This situation, along with the economy, will determine Baracks legacy. The UK government, in it;s infinite wisdom, decided to massage the violent crime rate figures when they were published a while back. This is just another example of UK society being taken for fools. If you want to win elections just tell us like it is & show us that you are genuinely trying to do something about it. The state this country is in cannot be hidden so stop wasting my money on Bureaucrats whose sole purpose is to do just that. We have one of thee worst teen pregnancy percentages in the world & our standards of education in schools is abysmal. Why are countries such as Sweden & The Netherlands so much better & handling both. I'm very luck as my daughter goes to a great school with a superb headteacher & a raft of extra curricular activities. This is not the norm in this country & it borders on insanity that this government is still not there yet after 11 years in charge. When the education & extra activity situation is handled, petty crime will go down drastically, which in turn lead lead to less violent & drug related crime. This is not rocket science, yet all over the country youth clubs/projects & playgrounds are still closing & there are less & less competitive sports being allowed in schools.
Yet amidst all the doom & gloom the human race does occasionally show flickers of greatness. On 1st of January 2009, Tom Algie wanted to spend some time with his family & away from the day to day running of his DIY shop. Now due to the current economic slump he did not want to leave the shop shut. So he decides to leave his shop open & unattended for the day, leaving only a bucket & a note asking any customers to take what they want & leave payment for the goods in the bucket. He returned to his shop at 4:15 pm the same day, to find a £187.66 profit in the bucket & NOTHING STOLEN. It may have been in a small town & it may have turned out diferently in most other places but it's nice to see a dose of humanity amongst all the barbarism.nofrillz 1st Annual Favs: 2008
Raphael Saadiq – The Way I See It
Any album that carries a lot of soul, while still sounding so polished & also contains my favourite Non Hip-Hop track of the year has to be on my list. Raphael Saadiq has created a modern classic that, years from now people will be going back to in the same way that we go back to Songs in the Key of Life. To any singer/songwriter, past, present or future, this is the benchmark.
Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons, You Make That Shit Gold
Stupid question of the year. Someone asked me ‘How can you claim Mobb Deep & The Wu-Tang among your all time favourites, then turn round & listen to Atmosphere?’ My answer: ‘Because it’s very easy to listen to one of the best Hip Hop releases of the year’. Seeing as WLGYLYMTSG also contains arguably my single favourite Hip Hop song this year (In Her music Box), you who had the audacity to ask me that in the 1st place, should be asking yourself why you aren’t listening to music of this quality? And on top of that, Ant has to be one of the most underused producers in Hip Hop.
People Under The Stairs – Fun DMC
Sometimes Hip-Hop should be exactly what it says on the tin. Thes & Double showed us what it was all about in the first place with Fun DMC. An album that doesn’t try to do anything other than be an enjoyable listen but is a whole lot more besides. Thes changed up his beat making game for this one & although all of the core PUTS elements are there, there’s also something extra that I can’t quite put my finger on. It’s that something that put FD on my list.
Nicolay & Kay – Time:Line
The sublime greatness of Nicolay’s sound on here doesn’t need to be explained anymore. But conceptually & lyrically this album was overlooked by many (including myself at first). To chart life from start to finish is a feat in itself. Kay did it in a classy, understated way. He will have known that Nicolay would have got the immediate plaudits & that some of us would have questioned his half of the partnership. It took me about 4 listens realise just how good a job Kay did.
Elzhi – The Preface
When an MC that spits as much fire as El does, gets together with a producer with the gifted talent of Black Milk, Hip Hop really shows what it’s capable of. Rarely have I heard an MC spray such constant verbal bullets. But with that said, I still think Royce just about steals the whole show with his bomb proof bars on Motown 25. Damn!
The Knux - Remind Me In 3 Days
Talent such as this is always meant for big things. These guys came at me completely out of the blue with their brand of Hip Hop. Should Outkast's desire to pursue any new avenues together diminish, these guys are more than capable of taking their mantle to a new level. Remind me... easily carries the most original sound I've heard this year. Definite superstars in waiting.
Jazz T – All City Kings
His beats may carry a sense of organised (Jazz infused) chaos but such is the quality of said chaos that his mention here was inevitable. Conceptually there isn’t much to discuss but that in no way takes away from the overall execution. The MC’s in (Tim Dog, Kashmere, Percee P & Yeshua) on proceedings are all there to tell us how good they are & Jazz provided one of the illest/my favourite backdrops this year.
Lizzy Parks – Raise The Roof
The sexiest (both in looks & sound), this year. I dare any red blooded male to listen to this lady sing & not want to get to know her better. She has one of those voices that when i listen to it, life seems just that little bit better. Ben Lamdin (Nostalgia 77) & Riaan Vosloo (Nostalgia 77 Octet) should be scoring movies, such is the quality & depth of the sound here. If there is one artist I would love the chance to see live (for more reasons than one) it’s Lizzy Parks.
Ugly Duckling – Audacity
These guys just don’t know how to make anything other than great hip Hop. Once again, this is an album that doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is. There is a newly found sing-a-long element that Dizzy & co have added to their game. I was singing the hook to ‘I Won’t Let It die’ non-stop for days. This album also showcases just how much these guys love what they do & not unlike PUTS, this come across on every track.
Dyme Def – 3BADBROTHAAAS MIXTAPE
Even in ‘underground’ circles, these guys never seem to be on many folks lips. How Hip Hop of this quality keeps getting over looked I will never know. All the releases to date from these guys is a necessity in all self respecting, so called true Hip hop enthusiasts collections. Brilliant.
Jazzanova – Of All The Things
This is the most versatile of the artists on my list. Of All The Things shows that these folks can turn their hand to anything & make it work. There’s something on here for everybody with Funk, R’n’B, Deep Soul, Smooth Jazz, Straight Hip Hop & a lot in between making an appearance. And with a guest list that should wet many appetites (Ben Westbeech, Joe Dukie, Phonte, Dwele, Leon Ware etc), they covered all angles. The fact that they’re on point with all of them only make it all the more enjoyable.
Robin Thicke – Something Else
We know that this guy (in tandem with Pro J) is a supremely talented songwriter/producer. We, for the most part, agree that has about as soulful a voice as you’ll here for many a year. But it’s the way that all was bared for us to see (or in this case hear) that set this album apart amongst it’s counterparts. Feelings, emotions, views on life, political commentary, it was all on Something Else.
Funky DL – The Jazz That Was Forgotten
DL has been around for what seems like an eternity. Now, in that time although conceptually he has grown, technically he’s still the same MC. I’m not sure whether overall that is a good or a bad thing, but in the context of this album alone, it’s the right thing. The clue to the supreme niceness of this album is in the title. Jazz Hop is the way of the walk & DL knows the right steps to take. Jazz samples have always been a staple of the Funky DL diet but This album was when it all came together.
Black Milk – Tronic
This guy has been busy as hell this last year & a bit. Yet he still saved his best beats for himself with his 3rd superb solo release. The albums vibe is exactly as the title describes. Futuristic electronic samples & sounds coupled with the kind of snares & kicks that Primo would be proud to claim as his own. Black Milk sooner or later will surely be the next go to guy in Hip hop.... Right???
The Foreign Exchange – Leave It all Behind
It’s that man again. Personally Nicolay is my beatsmith of the year. To have been the sole producer for 2 of the years best albums is something Dre & Tim would have trouble with. Yes we all wanted Phonte to spit. But now the smoke has cleared it’s obvious Kanye isn’t in the same league vocally as Phonte or sonically as Nicolay. Yet we all know who’s gonna push more units. I can only imagine what’s possible on the next one. Beautiful.
Q-Tip – The Renaissance
All those false dawns have been worth the wait & then some a Q-Tip comes back with a big bang. This was the album I had hoped for. It seems that unlike some, time hasn’t dulled his craft. Q is his usual charismatic self on the mic, while the soundscape is worthy of any future ATCQ reunion (come on you know you want to). An upbeat bounce from start to finish, I’d forgotten just how good a producer the man is. Now if only....
Algebra – Purpose
Erykah has it, Jill has it, Alicia has it & Algebra has it. That special something, that distinguishes them from the rest. Kedar’s still got it too & he is perfect person to oversee such a talent. Neo-Soul has been operating in its more conventional cousin’s shadow for the last few years & it’s a damn shame that more of the good people don’t know anything about Algebra. This is the songstress that can put music of this type back on the radar.
Sonny Jim – Trading Standards
Sonny must be a popular MC judging by the guest list on this album/mixtape. Soweto Kinch, Orifice Vulgatron, Verbal Kent, The IRS, Skrein, Cappo, Jehst, Verb T, Stig & more help means this cannot be overlooked. One neck snapper is followed by another without a single press of the skip button in sight. Such a naturally gifted MC who releases material of this quality should really be pushing this as an album. But hey, when Hip Hop is this good who am I to judge.
Solange – Sol Angel & the Hadley Street Dreams
Be honest. How many of us actually thought that this album would be any good. When I heard the 1st single my initial expression was, eh?. But once that had grown on me I bought the album & was more than pleasantly surprised. As vocally superior as big sis is & as polished as ‘I am’ may sound SAATHSD, carries a better vibe throughout & has a lot more variety. Solange has definitely proven she has a lot more balls (metaphorically speaking) than her, rather more established, sibling.
Green Tea – Dosage II: Choices
Neo-Soul with a major dose of headnodability, Dosage II is one of those albums that, as I was flicking through the rack something just told me to grab it. Luckily that spare tenner is money well spent as I have wiled away many a recent afternoon with this lady crooning in the background. And to think I had never even heard so much as a murmur of her name before. Don’t you just love a new discovery.
Dela – Changes Of Atmosphere
Frances great new hope strikes back even better second time around. He’s found a happy medium between his last album & his Soul Village period. In case you haven’t noticed I’m a major Jazz Hop head & this is Jazz Hop of the highest order. With a guest list of immense quality (J. Sands, Naledge, Blu, Dynas, Supastition, J-Live...), Dela should be a very busy man from now on.
Wax & EOM – Liquid Courage
The 2nd album on this list that came at me from leftfield, I wasn’t expecting much from Liquid Courage. Let’s be honest we all know where the term liquid courage comes from (But apparently these guys took the title from movie ‘The Dark Knight’). I won’t make that same mistake the next time I see a project with either of these guys involved. There is a generic Hip Hop spine but it’s been twisted & contorted to great effect. Wax can change tact at the flick of a mic switch & EOM’s sample usage is as superb as it is quirky.
Jack Flash – The Union Jack Album
Superbly polished, soul inspired beats are coupled with a easy on the ear conversational rhyme style. Jack flash is in his element when telling a story, which matches the laid back samples. Yet what pushes this album to the fore is that as chilled as the samples themselves may be, they are coupled with some fearsome fearsome (think Buckwild). I said earlier but I repeat, those who think that UK Hip Hop standards are slipping should be using albums such as this as a marker.
and don’t forget these...
Giant Panda – Electric Laser / What I like to call B-Boy niceness
Murs & 9th Wonder / Sweet Lord
The Antidotes – L.A. Lights / Like PUTS, like Ug Duck, get this album
Million Dan – Spektrum / Ragga tinged Hip Hop at its best
Belleruche – The Express / Tru Thoughts are like P. Diddy, they can’t stop
M9 – 144,000 / East coast USA, eat your heart out
Evil Ed & conspicuous – The Get Together / Brit head nodding niceness
Oddisee – 101 & 102 / Not all new but all top notch
