pavleisdead - Predestination for the Labyrinth

I love coming across artists I never heard about and know nothing about, and then really like their music. That's the case with pavleisdead. The only thing I know of the man behind this album that he's a 19 year old guy from Croatia. 

When I first listened to Predestination for the Labyrinth I wasn't really feeling it at all and was more than willing to dismiss it. But one morning I let it stay in my headphones on my way to work, and then it slowly opened up to me. It's like the soundtrack to a non-existing movie with a lot of layers and unexpected turns. Well, now I lied a bit. There actually is a bit of film to watch while listening to this, but I was just making a point. It's dirty and distorted at the same time as it's frail and beautiful. And what really speaks to me is how it all sticks together so well, it's a really well formulated album. Probably not a record for most people, but I'm at least happy to have made this acquaintance.

Rating: 7/10

Misanthrop - Filmmusik

Misanthrop has been responsible for some great music these last couple of years, but I think I personally have slept about on his skills as a musician and producer. So when Filmmusik now I arrived, I was keen to check it out. This is his first full length instrumental album, and I was looking forward to just paying attention to the beats and productions. And there are some nice tracks on this one, and I can definitely get the feel for a soundtrack to a film. There is something missing though. It feels that I need something more for this album to completely work. Maybe a film. Maybe lyrics. Worth checking out though.

Rating: 5/10

Psychopop - 13

There is only one bad thing about this tape from Psychopop. It's way too short! 2 tracks, 13 minutes. But at the same time, it's an amazing 13 minutes and the sounds and emotions that the music provides is more than most full length albums out there. Quite simply, I love it! Unfortunately the physical tape, released on I had An Accident Records, is sold out, but do yourself a favour and check out the digital tracks if you can. You won't be disappointed. 

Rating: 8/10

Blindspot - Mars Athletics

In the beginning of last year, Blindspot released their album Apart. This duo was a new discovery back then, but I felt that they had some interesting stuff to offer so I've kept a lookout for new music from them ever since. 

Now it's the time for the follow up, Mars Athletics. And it's clear that they have come quite a bit since last time. Even though Apart was good, it didn't stand out in any way. It felt like they hadn't quite found their own personal signature at the time. Mars Athletics however stands much stronger, and feels like a more complete and focused album. No hits, but who's really looking for hits in this genre. 8 solid tracks, what more can you really ask for in a record? Keep an eye out for these guys. I have a feeling that we will hear more good songs from them in the future.

Rating: 6.5/10

F. Virtue - We Are Not the Shame

At the age of 23, F Virtue is no newcomer to the rapgame. These last few years he have released records with people such as Emoh Betta and his Fameless Fam crew as well as collaborating with Mac Lethal and Watsky amongst others.

When it comes to putting your heart on your sleeve with your music, there is always a fine line between coming across as sincere, or more as a poser. There are great examples of people who at first seem to produce heartfelt music, but quite soon is discovered as nothing more than a emo crybaby looking to get laid. But this is not that Canadian. F. Virtue have just chosen to show us all who he is, telling us that it's ok to just be yourself and that skills and heart has nothing to do with being cool, it's about being human.

Do yourself a favor and pick up We Are Not the Shame here, you won't regret it.

Rating: 6.5/10

nosunnofood - nosunnofood

I've been meaning to review this album for quite some time, but I couldn't. Not because I was too busy or anything like that. The album scared me in some way. I didn't know how to put words to what edison under the moniker nosunnofood have managed to accomplish here. It's the frailest, most beautiful music I've heard in a very long time. Instrumental lo-fi hip hop with an indie vibe. That's what it feels like, but it diminishes what this album has to offer. It is so much more than those simple words, it's music for everyone, for all moods and for a bright new future. See what I mean, I'm just rambling here. I can't do this album justice. Luckily enough the album is more than able to speak for itself. A real masterpiece that you can find here. Support one of the true musical geniuses out there!

Rating: 9/10

a.hymnz - Second World

A topic that I have touched upon several times in different reviews is solo albums that contains a lot of different producers and guest vocalists. There is always a big risk that the artist himself gets lost in it all, and it mostly come out sounding like some kind of compilation album.

When sitting down to listen to Second World for the first time, I was a bit worried that it would end up sounding like something else than a solo full length from a.hymnz. That wouldhave been a shame since I've been a huge fan of him ever since listening to off the beaten path that he released together with variex. back in 2010.

Fortunately my worries were uncalled for here. Second World sounds and feels like a coherent album no matter what producers are responsible for the individual tracks. And there are some really good ones on this one; Factor, zöen, Pierre the Motionless, variex. and Chuckchee are just some of the people serving up great stuff for a.hymnz to do his thing to. And even if I might feel that the number of vocal contributions from other people are perhaps stretching the limit a bit, you can't really go wrong with awesome emcees such as Thorts, Hobs Sputnik and 2Mex. 

I have a hard time picking favourite tracks on Second World, mostly because I feel that they all complement each other. I must however say that Light Posts stick out amongst the others, mostly because of Tommy V. He truly is the unsung hero of this underground rap game.

A great album I think that you need to check out.

Rating: 7.5/10

Walter Gross - Rotorcraft

Walter Gross. One of the guys you can always go to if you want those nasty, dark and dirty beats. Productions filled with distortion, noise but also wicked melodies and a lot of heart. It's not beautiful perhaps in the classic sense, but who cares when the music is as good as it is. As quite often on this blog, this might not be everyones cup of tea. I drink it almost daily though.

Rating: 7/10

Tigermoth - Duality and the Infinite

Like I have said plenty of times before, sometimes you just hope that all rappers and emcees could keep quiet because you're sick of their voices getting into your head. At times like that, it's always nice to pick up some instrumental music to clear your head for a bit. Unfortunately most instrumental records when it comes to the hip hop genre can't really stand on it's own. The music isn't strong enough to survive without the help of a vocalist. 

Melbourne based Tigermoth however has no problem with that. On his third full length, Duality and the Infinite, is a nice collection of heavy beats, turntable and sample heavy productions that comes together to give you just what you need. Not memorable perhaps, but good enough for the moment, and that's what music is all about most of the time. 

Rating: 6/10

soso - Not for Nothing

Some albums that you listen to just leaves you lost for words. You try to come up with phrases to describe what you hear, but all you can do is feel the music. Feel it with you entire body. It makes you happy, it gives you goose bumps and it makes you stare into space, just getting lost in the music and the lyrics.

I've been really trying to figure out what to write about soso's latest album Not for Nothing, but I can't. My knowledge of the English language is too poor to really give it justice. So if you're looking for a review that will describe the music, then this is not that one. All I can say is that soso and Maki has come up with the, so far, best album of 2013. Period.

Rating: 9/10

Freddy Knop - Polyphonies EP

I had never heard about Freddy Knop before this, but the fact that Polyphonies is released through Circle Into Square is enough for me to check it out. And I'm glad I did. Freddy Knop is a Berlin based producer who here serves up 7 instrumental tracks that is made for the times that you feel like relaxing at home or just escaping the outside world with the help of a pair of headphones. It's frail, minimal and might I even say Björk-esque at times. It's music for recharging your batteries in order to face another stressful day.

Rating: 5.5/10

Ancient Mith - And the Dead Shall Lie There

For some reason it seems like a lot of people are sleeping on Ancient Mith. I can't understand why. Sure, not all of his tracks are the most easily accessible, but he got talent coming out of his ass to be quite honest. This bearded gent has a rap style that is far from unique, but he got lyrics and tracks that stand out from most people that I listen to to. At times he feels like the hardcore version of Sage Francis, but that is also very unfair. Ancient Mith is a solid artist that easily can stand on his own without any comparisons. 

And the Dead Shall Lie There is not his most immidiate record to date, but give it time and let the tracks work their way inside your mind and body. I promise you won't be disappointed. The only thing really that I feel that I'm missing out here is the live version of him. As much as I love his recorded material, I get a feeling that it is live that he comes to his true glory. One day perhaps I will get to see him live, but until then I'm more than happy to listen to his records.

Rating: 7.5/10

Hermitofthewoods - Land of the Lotus Eaters

Before this release I have to admit that I hadn't really heard any of Hermitofthewoods earlier material and wasn't quite sure what to expect. But the fact that Scott Da Ros was handling the production on it was enough for me to get interested. And I'm really glad that I gave this album a chance, because such an album it is! Hermitofthewoods is, for you who haven't heard of him before, a hip hop and spoken word artist based in  Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The concept of spoken word artists dropping albums is far from always a good thing. A lot of the times they end up being too shattered and uninteresting to listen to in full length. Land of the Lotus Eaters however is a great example of how to combine hip hop and poetry and make it a highly enjoyable listening experience. The lyrics and the delivery throughout the album is of the highest class, and goes perfect together with Scott Da Ros personal and dark productions. It's perhaps not the easiest album to get into. The songs take you on weird and unexpected journeys, but journeys that you are more than happy to take as soon as you give the artists the control and just follow along. One of the best albums I've heard so far this year. This is what anticon should have sounded like in 2013.

Rating: 8/10

Chrystal Oak - Post Romanticism

Behind the name Chrystal Oak we find probably the most productive Swedish hip hop artist ever. This is the 14th(!) solo album from Prosperous. He's not just the most productive one, but he's also without a doubt one of the most talented. We do however run into a bit of a problem here. First off I have to say that I really like this album. We're treated to 15 tracks of high quality and it's on regular spin in the headphones. 

But the fact that he is as productive as he is, makes it a bit much after a few years. I've been listening to Prosperous since like 2004 and love him to death. He do however release too much material for his own good. Not everything he's dropped is of high quality, and after a while you kind of reach a limit of how many Prosperous tracks you can listen to. I kind of wish that he would release a solid release about every two years or something. That would make me long for new music from him. At the moment I've almost stopped being able to say which of his albums that I'm listening to at the moment. 

But with that being said, this is still better than most music out there, and I really feel that you should support the man. The album has now dropped as a digital release, but it will soon be released on a jelly red tape through Hiss Tapes. 

Rating: 6/10

Beatoven - Tangled EP

I think I first stumbled across Beatoven when I found out that the guy behind the moniker, Stephen Baxter, also was a part of the amazing group Wild Dogs in Winter. They have now sadly enough stopped making music together, but the members have not been sleeping since then. Luke Payne creates stunning music under the name Thverfellshorn, Rhys Baker is A Native Hundred, and like earlier mentioned, Stephen is releasing music under the name of Beatoven. And such beautiful music it is! I liked Fully Baked EP that dropped back in 2010, but Tangled EP feels more matured, more finished somehow. 5 songs that hold their own no matter if they are instrumentals, such as Ground Born, or if we are treated to the vocals of Amy Hiller and the Palistinian emcee Boikutt. It feels like the time now is ready for a full length from Beatoven, I know that I will listen with enjoyment.

Rating: 6.5/10

sole - No Wising Up No Settling Down

Time again for yet another album from the man we call sole. And what is good about his releases is that you know that they will never leave you untouched. His material always envokes some kind of emotional response in you, and I wish that I could say the same about the majority of records being released out there today. I was going to say that on No Wising Up No Settling Down, sole is angry, but sole is always angry. He wouldn't be the interesting artist that he is without that fire inside him. And this is an album where he, as always, shares his views on the world around us in a personal and trustworthy way. 

I know I have dissed him from time to time lately, but I admit that some of my opinions have been wrongly aimed at sole's talent and material. He IS a very good emcee and he has lyrics that actually say something, and in many ways he is the Chuck D of our age. Unfortunately though, the beats and music that backs him up is not by todays The Bomb Squad. Far from it. To be quite honest, most of the music on N.W.U.N.S.D. leaves me completely cold, and even bored. So if a could put a grade on the lyrics and vocals alone on this album, it would probably end up being a 7. But because of the music and production, the grade can only be a 5.

Rating: 5/10

Kadyelle - The Theory of Everything

I first heard Kadyelle a bit over a year ago, and I really liked her style. She has a nice jazzy flow and a voice that is pleasant to listen to. And she keeps showing why she's a force to be reckoned with here on The Theory of Everything. She has developed as an emcee and as a lyricist and she feels much more secure in what she is doing. 

Unfortunately the album itself doesn't quite work in its entirety, and that's mainly because of the beats. They are not bad, but too many of them are a bit too weak to really lift the album to where it needs to be. In the end though it's still a decent album featuring a really talented artist. I thought about giving the album a 6 out of 10, but the horrible beat for Safe  unfortunately brings it down to a 5.

Rating: 5/10

Sadistik - Flowers for My Father

It's a true joy to see an artist constantly evolving, improving, reaching. Sadistik is one of those artists. Someone who doesn't settle for what's easy or trying to fit in with what everyone else is doing. He strives to bring out the personal in everything he does, and we as listeners get to enjoy beautiful music because of it. I really liked The Balancing Act when it dropped back in 2008, and ever since then he's slowly but surely picked out his own path with his music. 

Flowers for My Father is 13 songs of some of the best hip hop out there at the moment. Well, let me rephrase that, it's some of the best music out there at the moment. Simply defining Sadistik as a hip hop artist is only restricting him, and he's so much more than that. Flowers for My Father is a great start of the year for him and for Fake Four Inc.

Rating: 8/10

Serengeti - Saal

I like Serengeti. You never quite know what to expect each time he releases a record, and that's something I admire. When I first put on Saal I was really pleased. I liked the soulful, singy album that sometimes are as far away from typical hip hop as you can get. He doesn't really get away with his new style though. At times he borders on the sound of Buck 65, and that's a good thing. All too often though he borders on the style of another Canadian rapper that I won't mention by name here. And that's not a good move. 

Even if I still like the album, I get less and less impressed by it, and I don't think that this is one of the Serengeti records that I will return to very often.

Rating: 5.5/10

Hectic Zeniths - Type One Era

When Hectic Zeniths dropped his album with the same name back in 2011, I got hooked. Hooked to the beautiful melodies, the moods he created and the worlds the music opened up for me inside my head. That album is one that I still listen to quite often, whenever I feel I need to hide a bit from the world outside. So when I heard about type one era, I got really excited. Unfortunately I wasn't as taken this time around. This EP, while still good, is much less focused and more fragmented and it feels at time that it has no real sense of direction. It confuzes me at times, while sometimes creating that beautiful feeling in my head. Perhaps I need to give this record some more spins to really appreciate it fully, but for now I'm not feeling it that much.

Rating: 5/10