Alright, after taking a column off and returning with a show preview for the Free Press Summer Fest, it’s time to settle back into the groove of a couple new picks combined with a sweet old school flashback pick. And I now return you to your regularly scheduled blogomania:
:Bike For Three - Let's Never Meet: The odd long-distance combination of Canada’s staccato MC Buck65 and Belgian producer Greetings from Tuksan seems like it wouldn’t work. However, since there’s obviously a playable track above this paragraph, that’s not the case, and shame on anyone who may have assumed it was - you clearly have something against Socialism. Somehow, despite their high taxes, Buck 65’s bitten-off bitter lyrics skip preternaturally along the playfully produced beats by someone with whom he never met during the creation of this album. Their long-distance collaboration on More Heart than Brains lets the listener in on a sparse digital pop album that is artfully imbued with the spirit of iconoclastic hip hop. :Blue Scholars - HI-808: The latest single from these Seattle prodigies doesn’t stir up the same kind of freedom-loving political revolution emotions like their previous releases, but it does pay homage to the drum machine that has made hip hop accessible to at-home producers for the last 25 years: the 808 drum machine. It’s more of a summer cruisin’ track and its laid-backitude and use of bells without sounding like Christmas make it listen-worthy. :DJ Spinna - Lyrics Are Back (Featuring Torae): The lyrics by Torae on this track truly are back - an all out, balls-out, challenge rap, calling out every other rapper out there to even try to match him - and he does an amazing job making space for himself in the production; however, I truly think that anybody rapping on this would be overshadowed by the sweet beat. This track from DJ Spinna’s Sonic Smash, released in June, is just one example of Spinna’s mastery of beatmaking - combining Ray Lynch with Pink Floyd and a high hat without a heavy handed bass beat that would make this into Top 40 trash, it finds a balance between tempos and rides it. Next time, though, you can hold the kid’s singing. Oh man, I hate kids singing. :Pugs Atomz - Roof Top: Remember that short-lived fad in hip hop of sampling Indian Bollywood beats, adding bass, and some synthetic alto voices and POOF! you have a Top 40 hit? No? Well, yeah, I understand - I’m trying to forget it too. Anyway, I present the above track from Pugs Atoms and produced by DJ Vadim as an example of how to do that shit right. Note the delicate acapella intro piece and the syncopated beats that follow! Note the lack of thumping bass, since the contrast of the deeper drums against the light taps and tambourine jingles is enough to support the melody! Note the positive rap! Note the awesome!
:The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy - Television, The Drug Of The Nation: Less a rap song, and more a spoken word piece, this track, released in 1992 on Hipocracy Is the Greatest Luxury, is clearly prescient. I realize there was some crappy TV in the early 90’s, but it’s like they know Fox News is coming to brainwaaasssshhhhh yooouuuuu. The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy were relatively unknown during their run from 1990-1993 and may now be best known as one of Michael Franti’s early bands - that’s right, I wrote Michael Franti, but this ain’t no Burning Spear. The highly politicized nature and delivery style of their lyrics drew comparisons to Gil Scott-Heron, and, as with most industrial hip hop bands, the music got old, but the message stayed strong.
- Leah Manners
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