- Hiphop coming from the UK has been geting better and better lately, with awesome production coming from different angles all aiming toward the one target - to make phat hip hop tracks that get the heads nodding - and lately a lot of them have been hitting the mark. We've seen some great albums from the Nextmen and Unsung Heroes on the 75ark label, The Creators going off on Bad Magic (Wall Of Sound's hip hop off shoot), Mad Doctor X releasing a really tight album on the highly credible and Oz-friendly Marble Bar, and of course the Ninja's with their Big Dada label, home to some fine talent in the name of Roots Manuva, The Infesticons and New Flesh (4 Old).
New Flesh's new album Understanding, requires a little bit of understanding to get used to - it's not the usual James Brown sampling style or the jiggy jiggy style that we've seen coming out of the US mainstream lately - Part 2 has decided on more of a digi-dub/dancehall (thanks Jeff) feel, pretty much in a similar vein to Roots Manuva. Broken beats and bass lines, the only real dance action you can do is nod your head and listen deeply. Toastie Taylor rips up the mic with his interesting gruff ragga voice style and Juice Aleem just rips it up period.
Move Slow featuring Beans. The Anti Pop Consortium have become quite an underground hip hop phenomenon with their latest release being put out on the Warp label - interesting. The beat in this track just sounds phat with the synth line just getting melodic enough to sit in the background yet not get in the way of the lyrics. Beans kicking like only Beans can - abstract and fast
Zero Gravity. This seems to go from hip hop beat to a drum'n'bass feel in a matter of seconds, in fact a drum'n'bass remix could be in the pipeline - it would work so well. The 2 MC's show that they not only know how to rhyme but they like to get a bit melodic with their style, not like Nelly though, a bit more like Lyrics Born in his "I Changed My Mind" guise.
More Fire. Sounds like a ragga influenced Timbaland production. Nuff said really. Broken beats and syncopated bass lines with bells, whistles, horns and cowbells going off in the background.
Nortbert & Cecil featuring Cecil P.Y.L.M Pim Pimpernel. Cecil AKA Roots Manuva can seriously kick some wicked rhyme flows as he's demontrated on his 2 albums. Here he complients Juice Aleem's and Toastie's rap style with his ragga rhyme stylee, as if he was meant to be in the group.
Stick & Move featuring Robotic E.B.U. This is one of the standout tracks on the album and it would be hard on an album that sounds really good. The bassline sticks in your head and moves you, probably the reason why they named the track.
Real Child Soldier. The trumpet sample in this track gives it a melancholy feel. The beat here is quite a change from the usual syncopated beat style which the rest of the album showing that Part 2 can produce both the traditional hip hop style and the new "Timbaland" style beats.
Communicate featuring Gift Of Gab. The man with the Gift Of Gab, the Alphabet Aerobics Instructor can always rock the mike on whatever track he represents. On this, he pulls out the big guns and starts rapping at the speed of light. Toastie Taylor deciding to take on more of a vocal angle and sing. Going on more of a upbeat dancehall style, this song may be able to hold it's weight on the dancefloor at a 2-step club. Pianos never sounded so good in a hip hop track until now. The rewind button usually comes in handy at the end of this.
Bound. After the chaos of Communicate, things slow down with this bass heavy, lazy drum beat number. Quite hard to adjust to, however Toastie and Juice decide it's time to let loose with some quick rhyme flows.
Transition featuring Gwen Esty. Always good to have a female singer sing on top of a hip hop beat. This one could easily be the female version of Communicate as they sound quite similar and use similar components. Gotta love the piano!
His Stories Crockery feat. The Ramm:Ell:Zee. Spoken word to a beat and a funky ass beat at that. The bass line gets the head nodding and your neck hurting at the same time. Similar to Jello Biafra in Message From Our Sponsors.
Aspirations pt.1 One and a half minutes of robotic vocodered madness... nothing more to say really. Pt.2 is available on the Stick & Move CD single.
Mack Facts feat. The Ramm:Ell:Zee. Spoken word, rhyme flows and Toastie Taylor''s melodic rap stylee join forces in this "straight-from-the-future" hip hop cut. The beat feels like it's come straight from a sci-fi movie with it''s orchestral stabs.
Do You Understand? (What Will Be...). Another piano heavy cut also very similar in sound to Communicate, especially with Toastie Taylor singing and rhyming at the same time. Part 2 seems to have found a new niche in production style as they all seem to work quite well. Comes with a secret track 5 minutes after the end.
Big Dad seem to come straight out of nowhere and hit the mainstream artists in the gut with every release they put out. If you like Roots Manuva then this one is for you, if you don't then try this out.