Soundtrack of Week 21

R.I.P. Gil Scott-Heron

                              1949-04-01--2011-05-27

Dirtbag Dan vs. Henry Bowers

Finally here!

Acid Reign - Diversity

Damn! It was a while since an album made me want to party and dance from the second I put it on. But that was the case with Diversity. From the opening track We Do It All I had problems sitting still. The only reason I didn't loose myself too much in the great productions is that I enjoyed the emcees way too much. BeOnd and Gajah are two amazing emcees who can do it all. It doesn't really matter what styles producers like EQ, Nasa and Re4M bring, they kill on every track. And when it comes to guests we got some of the finest from the Project Blowed and the west coast. Aceyalone, Abstract Rude, Neila, Myka 9 and Nga Fish is just a few that helps making this a really solid album from beginning to end. And this album features one of the best posse cuts of all time. Just check out Creme De La Blowed and enjoy talent that most people just dream of. Acid Reign never disappoints. So do yourself a favour, go to Uncommon Records bandcamp page and buy it!

Rating: 4/5

sole & the Skyrider Band - Hello Cruel World

Video to the title track of sole & the Skyrider Band's upcoming album.

David Ramos - That Down There

Don't make the mistake of thinking that David Ramos is just the brother of Ceschi. Perhaps Ceschi is the one getting most of the limelight at the moment, but just check the history. These guys have really followed suite for many years through bands like Anonymous Inc, Toca, The Most, Dead by Wednesday and the almighty Knuck Feast. They were also the ones who together started the label Fake Four Inc. that has gone from strength to strength these last few years. Perhaps Ceschi have been more productive, both when it comes to own releases and guest appearences, but let not that fool you. That Down There is a compilation of tracks recorded during a bunch of years. Songs that for one reason or another never got released on either Jesus Taylor Thomas or This Up Here. But unlike most compilations, this sounds like a "real" album in every way. From the intro Start Over, I'm hooked. This album is smoking, to use that old classic term and I can't find one single bad song on it. Everyone is a real treat to listen to. And it's also nice to finally seeing the diss song No Bono released. I know that it might be unfair to mention David's brother this much in a review, but I just have to say it like it is. I love Ceschi and his music to death, but if you ask me David is my favourite out of the two.

Rating: 4/5

Murmur Breeze - Foreshore Reverie

Murmur Breeze. I was going to write that they are amongst Europe's finest at the moment, but to hell with it. They are amongst the finest period. abSUrd and James P Honey have been dropping gems for a couple of years now, and they really are going from strength to strength. Their first album Bird Irony was a favourite when it came out in 2008. And gladly enough they have risen to even higher levels since then. Foreshore Reverie is 19 tracks of the highest quality. It's hard to pick out any specific tracks that stands out since I feel that the album is an album in it's best sense. At the same time as the individual tracks stands strong in themselves, the album as a whole lifts it to another level. I don't know if that makes any sense. It's also refreshing to have a record that isn't diluted with too many guest appearences which is all too common these days. Except for Mildew, jamesreindeer and Babel Fishh guesting we get just what I want, James doing his thing over abSUrd's beautiful creations that is. I can without a doubt say that James P. Honey is one of my favourite emcees and vocalists at the moment. 2011 really should be the year of him, abSUrd and decorative stamp. Do I have to say that I think you should check them out?

Rating: 4.5/5

V/A - Ghetto Tyylit

I'm the first to admit that my knowledge of Finnish hip hop almost equals zero. Except for Ceebrolistics and perhaps Don Johnson Big Band I know nothing. And no, Bomfunk MC's don't really count. Recently however I stumble over some podcasts from the Finnish radio show Ghetto Tyylit and quite a new world opened up. I discoverd gems such as Tonedial with the amazing emcee Minnylee, Dumb and Ameba the Moodman. Recently the tape Ghetto Tyylit dropped and it's filled with good music. Some of it in Finnish, some of it in English. I was happily surprised to discover how much talent there is in the country to the east. All of it is not good, but most of it makes me nod my head with pleasure. The productions are smooth, jazzy and abstract and many of the emcees are coming from the West Coast underground school of flow and most of them are doing it with honors. The only negative thing that I have to mention is that I feel that some of the songs in English perhaps would have sounded better in Finnish due to a poor English accent. But all in all I have to stay, don't sleep on the Finns. They've got a good and upcoming scene that really ought to get some attention.

Rating: 3/5

Soundtrack of Week 20

Tucker & Dale vs Evil

Tucker & Dale vs Evil

Review: I didn't really have any kind of expectations of this movie, other than that it would be kind of crappy. But it wasn't. It was actually quite funny and a perfect day to start of a lazy Friday.

Atari Teenage Riot @ Daytrotter

Time for another treat from Daytrotter.com. This time it's a session from the almighty Atari Teenage Riot. Download here and enjoy.

Adeem - The Volume in the Ground

Ahh! I've been waiting for this one! Adeem will always have a special place in my heart, and every release that he's dropped, either solo or as part of a group, have been real gems that I've listened to a lot through the years. The Volume in the Ground took 5 years to come out, but after the first listen I admit that it was worth it. It's obvious that this have been a labour of love for Adeem, and you can hear it in every part of the album. The lyrics, the awesome productions and the instrumentation. One of the words that pop up in my head when it comes to the sound is earthy. It's blues for the year 2011. It's so refreshing to hear an album that has nothing to do with the latest trends, but that is the beautiful end product of an artist's vision. Forget about Pitchfork for a minute and check out this album. You won't be disappointed.

Rating: 4/5

Tyler, the Creator - Goblin

American Psycho is fiction. Reservoir Dogs is fiction. Tyler, the Creator's lyrics are fiction. There, now we settled that and can move on to talk about the record itself. I guess few people have managed to avoid the hype surrounding Tyler, the Creator and his group OFWGKTA. Very often artists don't really live up to the hype and it all ends up quite disappointing in the end. I don't think Goblin really lives up to the hype, but how could it to be honest? He, and the rest of the group is neither the future of hip hop, nor it's saviours. What they all are however is really talented artists. And Goblin is a good album. It shows Tyler's strengths both as a producer and a storyteller. What I think makes Tyler and OFWGKTA special is that they provide a breath of fresh air in a genre that quite too often seem to stagnate. I don't think that Goblin will be among my favourite albums at the end of the year, but I will listen to it a lot these next few months at least.

Rating: 3.5/5

The Tallest Man on Earth @Trädgår'n

Yesterday was the third time that I had the fortune to see The Tallest Man on Earth live. The first time, in 2009, totally blew me away and is one of my favourite concerts ever. Last year's gig at Debaser in Stockholm was a good show at a completely wrong venue. I've never really been a big fan of Trädgår'n as a venue, but for artists such as TTMOE it's just right. And yes, yesterday's concert was pure magic. We got to see him perform some of his best songs, both solo but also a few backed up by bass and drums as well as a beautiful duet with Idiot Wind. I'm trying to single out some good examples from it all, but I really can't. The whole concert was amazing (apart from the screaming drunk fuck that almost ruined the experience, but got dealt with really nicely by TTMOE himself). One thing that really made this evening was not just the music itself, but TTMOE's personal, shy and charming way to perform which made it to a really intimate evening even though there were about 600 in the crowd. I was going to write something about the opening act Francis, but I think I will leave it. Just one remark. Stop doing indie posing 101. All in all a superb night. Already looking forward to the next time I get to see him. Ending this review with a clip from yesterday. Enjoy.

Soundtrack of Week 19

Ill Bill & Vinnie Paz - Heavy Metal Kings

I know some friends of mine who thinks it weird that I like groups such as Jedi Mind Tricks. In some ways I can understand them. I mean, there is a huge leap behind the sounds of them and for example Murmur Breeze, themselves and Ceschi. But the thing that I like about Jedi Mind Tricks is the pure excellent and moody productions of Stoupe and presence, voice and tightness of Vinnie Paz. The later is truly underrated I think, and he's able of combining simple lyrics with lots of meaning and feeling. This album is a collaboration between him and Ill Bill. They have worked together before and we don't get any surprises here. Violence, conspiracy theories and politics all wrapped into a boom bap package. Far from new and exciting, but always with a high level of standard. I like it, but it's not one of the more memorable releases from either of them.

Rating: 3/5

Battles - Gloss Drop

I loved Battles debut album Mirrored. It was a real breath of fresh air when it came out in 2007. Since then the singer Tyondai Braxton left the band to focus on his solo career. I must admit that I wondered what would happen to their sound after that since Braxton seemed to be the man songwriter in the group. Gloss Drop, which is to be released in June, made those fears go away though. Once again are we met with quirky sounds, sunshine and great songs. This time around most of the tracks are instrumental, but that is no let down. Battles still manage to bring good music that are just in the mode of what I want this summer. Check it out when it drops.

Rating: 3.5/5

Battle: Los Angeles

Battle: Los Angeles

Review: Just another example on how to waste money showing the world the fighting spirit and good heart of good old U.S.A. Expensive crap is another name for it.

Big Pauper - Beyond My Means

This is the album that I've been waiting for since 2007. It was around that time that I discovered Big Pauper (then PZ or Panzah Zandahz) as a part of Two Ton Sloth. I loved his productions and felt truly blessed when he made an exclusive outro for my compilation Du Ska Inte Tro Det Blir Sommar. Besides doing music with Two Ton Sloth, he's been doing a lot of remixes and mash-ups. This year it's finally time for his solo debut, and even though it has taken it's time it's well worth the wait. What we get is 40 minutes of dusty sample based, B-movie inspired mayhem that makes you want to shake those hips continuously with a big smile on your face. And you know how I feel about beats, breaks & big smiles. This is one album that might turn up amongst my top 10 at the end of the year. Buy it!

Rating: 4/5

Art & Copy

Art & Copy


Review: Tonight it was time for the one Doug Pray documentary that I had left watching. Art & Copy is about advertising and interviews people behind many of the most groundbreaking campaigns. As always, Doug manages to create something interesting, thoughtful and rewarding to watch. He's probably my favourite documentary director at the moment.