First 12" from the stellar Heliocentrics LP and man, it's a smoker! The album version of "Before I Die(1)" is reminiscent of early Mo' Wax, Shadow, Krush, etc., but rather than being sampled and chopped arrangements of samples, the shit is played live by dirty drum master Malcom Catto and his crew of talented musicians. It's really sick. Exclusive to this 12" is the rap version(2) with Guilty Simpson dropping a proper verse over the beat and hip-hop instrumental version (which is an edited version of the OG with added cuts and scratches). Flipside features stunning unreleased tracks from the Heliocentrics band - funk to the maximus with "The Gorn(3)" and the heavy cosmic jazz sounds of "The Oracle(4)." Feeling the retro Sun-Ra-esque pic sleeve too. Recommended.

reviewed by snackmaster