quick audio picks: 12
Previously known as one half of acclaimed undie hip-hop duo Emanon, Aloe Blacc is poised to get some solo shine on his debut release on Stones Throw. Though previously known as an MC, the emphasis in these two tracks is on Blacc's...
expand review soulful vocals (which in their quieter moments invite comparisons to Dwele), over some very engaging productions - "Want Me(1)" is a clipped, frenetic synth-driven banger, while "Arrive(2)" is my favorite here, swathed in gorgeous, swirling atmospherics floating on a bed of skittering, un-quantized hi-hats (ed's note: that was pure, un-quantized Language right there, folks). These two songs manage to sound effortlessly futuristic and original without the least bit of self-indulgence, and they really don't sound much like anything else out right now. I've had the pleasure of hearing a whole CD's worth of unreleased heat from Aloe, and believe you me, there's a lot more where these came from. Recommended if you dig the Sa-Ra/Platinum Pied Pipers soul vibe. Two tracks in all with instrumentals for both. -Language
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The fourth Tribe album from 1996 in its original double vinyl, pic sleeve format. This album is most noted for the rise of Jay Dee & The Ummah plus the conspicuous presence of Consequence. Like anything Tribe post-Marauders, this album sounds a...
expand review bit better removed from the pressure of the nineties and a little aging. Check out: "Get A Hold(1), Jam(2), 1nce Again(3), The Hop(4), Phony Rappers(5)" and "Stressed Out(6)." -the mgmnt
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Another super combination for MF Doom, this time teaming up with Ghostly's Dabrye, known for making beats that are both left field strange and instantly accessible. Witness both beats here for "Air(1)" and the remix(2). They at first appear loose and noodling,...
expand review slightly stuttered and maybe a little too "smart." But as the track slides on you get further into Dabrye's plan and then he hooks you with little things like dancehall acapella snippets out of nowhere. And of course Doom fits right in, furthering his case for most visual rapper of all time with lines like "at first he couldn't tell she had a chromosome missin/ kept a spare/ somewhere/ in his underwear/ he swear/ and help to get the gum out her hair." With all the collabs and guest appearances that Doom does, it's kind of amazing how consistent he stays. Any other rapper would be like a 35 year old toothless streetwalker by now. Includes instrumentals for both. -the mgmnt
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Multifaceted EP from Dabrye (aka James T. Cotton, aka Tadd Mullinix) to tide us over 'til his new full length later in '08. "Get Dirty(1)" features the unmistakable flow of AG (of Show &...) over a squelchy horror movie beat, originally recorded...
expand review during the Two/Three sessions. Speaking of Two/Three, Flying Lotus' remix of that album's "Game Over(2)" shows that the Cali-bred Lotus can make a mean Detroit-style clapper to suit the Dilla and Phat Kat rhymes of the original, and Kode 9's spooky grime take on "Air(3)" sounds extra weird with the time-stretched Doom verses (best to hit the instrumental on that one). B-side holds instrumentals for all three tracks. -Chris Lemon-Red
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This originally came out as a limited Ninja Tune press (once available at the lab, thank you). More than a year later, they've reissued it with a new pic sleeve and art. As for the "Impending Doom(1)," lets see what Doom has...
expand review to say about it: "Bro, this beat is simply retarded yo, sounds like it came off the Hey Ricky Ricardo Show." Thanks, Doom. This is definitely a sleeper in Doom's ever-growing catalog, don't miss out. The other track on here is equally fantastic, checkout the majestic downtempo of "Just Briefly(2)." What else could there be? You get the Doom acapella(!), and two twisted b-side remixes(3,4) by Domu. Recommended. -the mgmnt
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If you're like me, you'll always have a soft spot for Plugs 1, 2 & 3, but the times of running out to cop their new shit the day it comes out is recent history. They must be aware of this decline,...
expand review cause they took no chances on this 12". First off they got Jay Dee producing both sides. The B-side "Much More(1)" flips an unidentified soul sample with Trugoy getting down and dirty (sorry Pos), an intro from Premier, and some girl named Yummy singing the chorus. The A-side "Shoomp(2)" flips the Tom Tom Club's "Genius Of Love" again, and I think Dilla is the only one talented enough to get away with that at this point (ed.note: jms loves dilla). It also enlists cameo whore of the moment Sean Paul, and has been getting a lot of luv in the club the last couple months. Instrumentals are included for both songs along with the acapella, clean and dirty versions. If nothing else, buy it for the fact that it's on De La's label and they deserve your patronage. -JMS
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Following the surprise success of Dudley's "Flowers(1)" 7 inch, Madlib and Perkins deliver a full length look into their experimental late night minds. Although unaccomplished as a "singer," years of emceeing as Declaime have honed Dud's vocal phrasing, and he stretches his...
expand review voice, comfortably cracking, whispering, questioning. More unguardedly intimate than preachy conscious, A Lil' Light conveys naked emotion much like Mos Def's "Umi Says." YNQ appears on two tracks yet Madlib keeps production handclapping and straight ahead, especially on Side 4's "Just Think(2)." Side C's lead track "Falling(3)" plays like an open letter to soul searchers, contemplating the ills of Babylon. In interviews, Dudley has expressed the desire to collaborate with Quasimoto and the intros to this album's tracks are often decorated with loops, revved up vocal snippets, and the comfortable smokiness of Madlib's production from that era. Check the lead single "Money(4)," where Madlib's trademark dusty head nod meets D.Perkins' world-weary, layered vocals inna O-Jays style. Not something you'll be playing out (though "Flowers" got some run), but rather taking the dames (or fellas, girls do your thing) home to. 16 tracks on 2 LPs. For a limited time, this release comes with a free CD of the album's instrumentals. -P Gorgeous
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The Dudley Perkins-Madlib concoction returns with two new tracks in the spiffy Stones Throw sleeve. In hindsight. the duo was onto something pretty early, as producers like Sa-Ra have taken off on similar platform of off-kilter and amateurish vocals. Instrumentals on the...
expand review flip. -the mgmnt
quick audio picks: 12
There was a time when you couldn't walk 2 steps in the Lab office without tripping over someone rushing to answer a page from their wifey. Now with R.Y. replacing Modem and P.G. rolling dolo, the majority of the office is in...
expand review the bachelor camp. Which is why Dudley's "Brainwashedsyndrome(1)" is the only shoulder I have to lean on these days. As he puts it, "this is for my lockdown…sometimes all you need to get by is a girlie." This track exemplifies the magic of the Declaime/Madlib alter-ego at its best; lyrics that are both funny and sympathetic, sung with a catchy melody over one of the Beat Conductor's finest. As a whole I thought the A Lil' Light LP had some of Madlib's strongest work to date, but Dudley just never really did it for me… which is basically my problem with the flip side of this 12", "Moma(2)." Maybe if you're too broke to buy a Mothers' Day present this year you could make a mix tape for her with this song and that Tupac song, I don't know. Both instrumentals are included so it's essential for keeping the Madlib catalog complete. -jms
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Stones Throw's first female artist follows up a strong debut EP with this full length album. The cover with its casual, semi-experimental photography evokes some late seventies fusion jazz feelings, while the music itself evokes an updated vision of the fusion...
expand review ideals. What I'm trying to say is that it sounds like a new hybrid of the current R&B scene, mixed with Stones Throw type beats, L-Boogie type diversity, and throwback jazz styles. Georgia holds her own on the boards too with beats on par with anyone in the ST stable. The Telekenetic Kat, who is a good meter for this type of stuff, loves this shit. Check "Melanin(1), Frames(2), Lovelight(3), Speakervision(4)," and "Birds(5)." Pretty deep at 21 tracks. All produced by Georgia Anne herself. -the mgmnt
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If you like the beats on Georgia Anne's recent Olesi album but aren't quite feeling the vocals, then I don't know what the hell is wrong with you. You need help because you have no soul. Seriously, the beats are...
expand review incredible and all produced by Georgia Anne herself, but if you are buying this INSTEAD of the vocal version I really couldn't even get a cup of coffee or tea with you. If you're buying it IN ADDITION to the regular album, we could maybe have a strong and meaningful friendship in the future. There are 14 instrumentals in total. Most of them are on the short side, but all of them are strapped with a Kalashnikov and a rose so listen with caution. Check these tracks for the new shit, check the album for the necessary shit. As a side note, I just had Olesi on master blast while riding the train through the Italian countryside and it was treating me right. The melancholy beauty of leaving new love in Siena on the Eurostar in the pouring rain while having a Nina Simone/Georgia Anne Muldrow soul sandwich with a side of hash really can't be put into words even though I just tried. -Telekinetic Kat
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The heavy sounds of Malcolm Catto's Heliocentrics get invaded by the rapid fire vocals of Percee P and NY's most valiant villian, MF Doom. The track is "Distant Star(1)" which takes the instrumental of the same name from their recent...
expand review deep funk release, Out There. The combination of modern funk and hip hop is truly a unique hybrid. Don't think jazzamatazz, but more like think dirty rotten funk with articulate emceeing. Manic standup basslines drive the motor, as Malcom chops those beats like a madman, while Percee aggressively grabs each bar and MF sprays a coat of bad urban landscape. It's quite a ride. There's also a shorter "Strange Version" that just keeps the composition more straight forward with the essential instrumentals on the flip. Note: the label lists the "Distant Star - Inst" and "Space Time Girl - Inst"(unreleased) but you also get a secret unnamed inst of the "Distant Star - Strange Version - Inst" with amazing sitar solos. So worth the buy. -C'mish
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When Donuts first rolled into the Lab, I gave it a cursory listen and (wanting to get home to the new episode of Lost as quickly as possible) tossed off a pithy little blurb for it. It wasn't until a few...
expand review days later, when we all heard of Dilla's passing, that I realized how much I really believed in the sentiments I'd written down. Here's the original. R.I.P., Mr. Yancey.
You really need to read this? Everyone -- from backpackers to big name producers -- agrees that Dilla is the god, and this new record is only here to confirm what we already knew. Featuring 31 tracks of freshly-minted beats from the master himself, Donuts is a collection of instrumentals that not only manage to sound substantive and complete (despite the fact that they're all under 2 minutes in length) but that also come together to form a cohesive whole. It's a kind of new mission statement for the old dog, and it couldn't have come at a better time. -Chris Lemon-Red
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This is the indy hip hop Dream Team right here. I don't need to tell you about J Dilla, but combine him with the power of Madlib, Detroit's Karriem Riggins, the sharp wit of MF Doom, and the rawness of Guilty Simpson,...
expand review and you get the Level 3 super special finishing move! Check "See (Suite)(1)" and "Mash's Revenge(2)" for the super advanced styles. Don't think I've ever seen this many dope heads on a 12" since PB Wolf's comp. Recommended. -Cmish
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