Virtue & DJ Emoh Betta - Been Since

Brand new video from Virtue & DJ Emoh Betta. The track is taken from their EP Never Made it to O'Briens that drops tomorrow.

Hobs Sputnik - Satellite Strange

I never got around to reviewing this album when it dropped in the end of August, but better late than never I suppose. Hobs Sputnik is this cat who's been around for a bit now releasing songs here and there, but this year it was time to drop Satellite Strange, his debut album. And what can I say? Well, I guess I both have some good and bad things to say about it. It is a solid album featuring a lot of my favourite emcees over some overall killer beats. Hobs has a distinct voice that might not be something for everyone, but I like it. What I must say though is that I think that he has gone a bit over the top when it comes to guests on the album. If I counted correctly it's 21 different guest emcees on 19 tracks. Like I said earlier, a lot of them are favourites of mine so no complaints there. I think the downside to having all of these guests is that Hobs himself seems to be lost in the mix sometimes. There is of course nothing wrong with doing what he's done here, but on a proper debut album I wish that an artist would take center stage, and not risk making the record sound more like some kind of compilation than a real album. With all that being said I have to say that I like the record, and I'm looking forward to see what he will do in the future.

Rating: 3/5

Yarhkob - Transmissions

Australian based producer Yarhkob who some people might recognize from the experimental noise rock band Injured Ninja has now released a solo EP. Transmissions is 7 songs of diverse drum 'n' bass. It's all quite good, but I can't help feeling that there is something missing. It's like Yarhkob haven't quite decided what he wants to do on the EP. At times it feels like he wants to do really dirty and gritty beats, but at the same time he puts an equal amount into making dreamy melodies. The end result is that it never really gets dark and hard or really melodic and laidback. It's obvious that he's got talent and I'm sure he could come up with some really good stuff. But then he has to decide what it is that he wants to make first.

Rating: 2.5/5

Conan the Barbarian

Conan the Barbarian

Review: I know. It's a remake of Conan the Barbarian from 1982 for God's sake. It's not meant to be a masterpiece. But I mean, Arnold Schwarzenegger did a better job at playing Conan than Jason Momoa. Jason is basically just here doing the same role as he did in Game of Thrones. And Rose McGowan? Worst acting I've seen by anyone in a long time. Lots of blood though, but the effects are really lame and the movie bored me after about 3 minutes. Waste of time.

Kaigen - Re: bloomer

I have to start out by saying sorry to Kaigen. I haven't read all the translated lyrics to the album so I won't talk to much about the content. But that being said, this is the kind of music that in many ways ignores language barriers. Even though I don't speak a word of Japanese I've always been into Japanese hip hop. I used to be a big fan of names like Buddah Brand, Rhymester, King Giddra, ECD and of course DJ Krush. I can't really remember when I first heard Kaigen, but it seems he's always been there in the background these last few years. After work with for example Curse ov Dialect and his collaboration with Meiso it's now time for Kaigen to release an album in his own name. And it's a solid album. I love his flow, and the production made by amongst others Jel, Thavius Beck and Kaigen himself is definitely my cup of tea. On Re: bloomer he has also invited some really great names such as Ceschi, Awol One, 2Mex and Myka 9 to guest on some tracks. And even though it at times is distracting to hear the clash between English and Japanese, it is the kind of distraction that is welcome. I love that language doesn't have to stop creative people to work together and Re: Bloomer is a good example of that. If you never really given Japanese hip hop a chance, I think that this album is a great introduction.

Rating: 3/5

A Band of Buriers - We All Give In [Tupac]

Brand new video from A Band of Buriers. Amazing as always! I think I'm a bit in love with these guys.

papervehicle - papervehicle

What?! Have you missed out on papervehicle?? Shame on you! But no fear, it's not too late. Thanks to the good people at decorative stamp you can now get your hands on the re-release of their debut album papervehicle. The album came out originally in 2007 as a limited edition self-released CD of just 100 copies. The album was a true beauty when it first came out, and it's still just as good. If I had to name my 10 favourite artists that has come out these last 5 years, papervehicle would be on that list for sure. Enough talk now. Do yourself a favour, go to http://decorativestamp.org/album/papervehicle and get yourself a copy. You will not only get 16 great songs. You will also get an 90 page digital book to accompany the album. edited by jamesreindeer and featuring an extensive introduction by the man himself, as well as an in-depth interview with papervehicle themselves, detailed production notes and memories from the group for each song, a complete lyrics transcription of the entire album, as well as exclusive photographs taken during the making of the album. And all this for £6. Go ahead now!

Soundtrack to Week 44

Two (!) Reviews of Cloudy October's The Metal Jerk

Two reviews? What the hell is he on about now? Well, it's really quite simple. My dear friend Jessika and I were talking a while ago that it would be fun to let two people review the same record, especially if one of the reviewers doesn’t usually listen to that kind of music. I think it might be refreshing to hear what a so-called outsider has to say about a genre he or she doesn’t listen to on a daily basis. So that's what we've done here. Two reviews of the same album and neither one is more correct than the other. After all, what it all boils down to is personal taste.

Jessika's review:

Until just recently, until I became friends with Michael that is, I thought that hip hop was just a noisy business with a lot of yo yo bullshit, but thanks to my dear friend I´m starting to realize that it is a bit more than that. I will hopefully get there and I´m willing to make an effort and maybe in the end I might be a home girl wannabe with a hardcore rock’n’roll disability. So read this review and know that I don´t have a clue and this is my attempt to fill that blank canvas.

I started off listening to the lyrics and I guess Cloudy October got what he wanted, it was a total mindfuck. Usually when this happens you get the picture after a while but this is just what I just said: a mindfuck literally. All I get is this yada yada about how great he is at what he is doing and everybody else is shite. The whole of The Metal Jerk's lyrics seems to be just “words, words, words” as our dear Hamlet would say. Although I must say that Hairline Fracture that deals with mid life crisis and hair loss made me smile a bit.

Moving on to the music in itself I feel better. To me it’s a nice mixture of old, new and a nice variety of different music genres. There is a nice blend of jazz, reggae and lots of guitars, which is, by the way, my favorite part. This is a new uplifting experience for me that use to think that almost all hip hop sounds the same. The music is the reason why this album gets 3 out of 5.

Michael's review: 

I first heard of Cloudy October about a year ago when I saw the video for his track Lowerface.  I really dug the production on that one, and felt that overall the beats on The Aviator is Dead were good. One year later now it's time for his debut album The Metal Jerk. Once again I'm feeling the production on it. I also like that he's got a nice flow and is really articulate. Too many emcees out there today mumble their lyrics, or are just not concentrating enough to really come off sounding good. The little downside with being articulate on a song though, is that you have to have really good lyrics to present. Unfortunately I think that's where Cloudy October's weakness lies. Not that his lyrics are bad. They are just really unimaginative and time after time you realize that you heard these kind of lyrics many times before. I agree with Jessika though that Hairline Fracture for example has some entertaining lyrics. But what makes that song really good is it's old school rocksteady production. And that is a good example of where Cloudy October's real strength lies. In the production.

Jessika's rating: 3/5
Michael's rating: 3/5



                     

Hail Mary Mallon - Grubstake

Not really a great song, but I'm happy everytime I get to hear Aesop Rock on any kind of track.

J-Zone - Root for the Villain

I really want to get my hands on this book!!!

Mathas - White Sugar

Maybe I shouldn't post this video considering what a sugar junkie I am, but the song and video deserves it. Want to hear more from Mathas, go to his Bandcamp page.

Soundtrack to Week 43

Raleigh Moncrief - Cast Out For Days

New video from Raleigh Moncrief who just released his album Watered Lawn on anticon.

Bunraku

Bunraku

Review: Bunraku felt like a cool interesting movie for a couple of minutes. Kind of like a choreographed stage production of Kill Bill mixed with Sin City. Unfortunately the movie was 124 minutes long so quite soon it shows that surface is the only thing this movie got. Poor script and bad acting.

Sadistik & Kristoff Krane - Higher Brain

From Sadistik and Kristoff Krane's upcoming album Prey for Paralysis comes the first video Higher Brain. The album drops November 22.

Waiting for Superman

Waiting for Superman

Review: Waiting for Superman is a documentary that deals with, and analyzes the failures of American public education. It is an interesting movie that shows that even though money usually the reason why many schools fail, other reasons are also teacher's unions, contracts and bureaucracy. But most of all what makes this an interesting watch is how it shows that even though there's no easy sollutions, many people out there have ideas that might in the end save the education system.

The Garthim-Master & DJ Extend - Ghosts of Nostalgia

Selfhelp's album Old Friends was a real gem when it surfaced in 2009. On that album we got a taste for the nerdier side of the emcee on a couple of tracks. And as a bit of a nerd myself when it comes to sci-fi, action figures and geeky television I'm thrilled to listen to Ghosts of Nostalgia. Here he, under the new moniker The Garthim-Master, hooks up with German producer DJ Extend to go all out on those themes. Here we get 14 songs dealing with everything from Heroes, Gremlins and Star Wars to World of Warcraft, The Dark Crystal and Watchmen. When doing something like this there is always a big risk that it all comes across as some kind of a big joke. But fortunately these guys have not forgot that what makes any record good is great production, a wicked delivery, clever lyrics and melodies that makes your head bop. And Ghosts of Nostalgia is filled with that. I think you should go here and download the album for free. If you like it as much as I do, you will also put your money on the upcoming limited 12" color vinyl that drops in November.

Rating: 3.5/5

Joel Siméus & Smokey131 - No Rules No Frames

You know those long boring rides to work? It can be in a car, on a tram or on a train. You want nothing more than to escape from reality for a short while, just to feel that you're actually still living. My solution to that problem is to download No Rules No Frames. It's about 50 minutes of the finest escapism courtesy of Joel Siméus and Smokey131. These two guys serve up a dreamy industrial landscape which lets your mind wander to those special little places that we go to when reality is a bit too much to handle. And thanks to these guys, together with postrap, this little trip is free. Go here to download it and enjoy those little moments when you can still fantasize.

Rating: 3/5

Soundtrack to Week 42