Jahmanji - Jammer Review

Even though grime got glam and captured the ears of everyone from ringtone-buying teens to contemplative middle-class listeners since being commandeered by Dizzee’s Disco, it’s still refreshing to hear an album that keeps solidly true to its roots while wringing London’s non-stop music scene for all it’s worth. Jammer is an old hand in the grime game, and uses his influence to rope in plenty of producers, MCs and vocalists on this debut. The most familiar track is last year’s Party Animal, which loops his urgent, on-repeat vocals over producers Boy Better Know’s old-school jump-up beat and throbbing bass, but there’s a lot more to get excited about here. Ignore the perennially boastful subjects a number of tracks are burdened with (money, status, girls) and check highlight Back To The 90s – a hardcore stomper given the 2010 treatment, with a wonky keyboard line and in-the-know lyrics. Musically, Jahmanji is vital, dementedly inventive and impossible to ignore. [Euan Ferguson]

FDT - Mystro

ut now on his own Don’t Bizzniz imprint, UK hip-hop emcee Mystro presents the F.D.T. EP. I’ve been following Mystro for nearly ten years now and he’s always been one of the freshest and slickest emcees in the UK. He’s also one of the nicest and most hilarious guys you’ll find in the scene – which reminds me, you have to check out his “Mystro Investigates” video series on the Spine TV site, very entertaining stuff!

The F.D.T. EP spans ten tracks and just over half an hour of music, which includes a few rather humourous skits as well. Where plenty have come and gone over the years in UK hip-hop, Mystro is still at it and still doing it strong. I think an element that has contributed to his longevity is his ability to laugh at himself and generally have fun with his music. Been plenty of complaints about UK hip-hop being too moody and negative, but Mystro manages to find a near-perfect balance. Plus, ultimately, it’s just good music and he’s a wicked emcee.

Tracklisting:

01. The Truth
02. F.D.T. Radio Skit 1
03. Banishment
04. Live & U Learn
05. Thorish
06. F.D.T. Radio Skit 2
07. Maintain
08. Aquarius
09. F.D.T. Radio Skit 3
10. The Urge

Things kick off with The Truth, a hypnotically melodic track with a fierce cypher containing some pretty clever lines! It’s a real head nodder of a track – the simplistic parts, like the main piano melody and the brass stabs, work tightly with the slick verses and breakdowns. Banishment is a fiercer track, bit darker, but the narrative is brutally honest, essentially referencing the need to remove bad influences from your life. The third full track is Thorish, a track with a heavy beat and subtle brass backbone. It has a retro vibe, but Mystro keeps it fresh with his rapping – and like a battle rap, it hits hard. Maintain takes a step back for a moment and I’m really feeling the construction of the track with it’s multiple stabs and general organised chaos. Proving to be one of the most popular tracks on the EP, Aquarius is a more chilled number indeed. Warm key samples and gentle percussion, dance gracefully under Mystro’s verses. The final track is The Urge, with its sharp use of heavier guitar samples and a banging beat. Certainly a more bleak narrative to this one, plus it’s interesting to see Mystro delve a bit into a slightly different sound. It’s frank, but he’s just telling it as it is!

F.D.T. is a solid EP and a good showcase of decent UK hip-hop, specifically from a solo artist. Mystro is genuinely an amazing emcee, as you’ll hear for yourselves, and I cant help but wonder how good it would be if he’d do work with some of the newer cross-over producers. The very thought of Mystro rapping over a Suzi Analogue or fLako beat makes me feel dizzy! Essentially this a wicked EP though, and it is available on iTunes right now, so check it out!

The Exit Strategy - Invisible Inc.

It is full steam ahead as Kashmere, Verb T and Ghost head back into the future on this time train of thought. Mystery and musical magic is conjured time and again in this work of full substance that employs a detailed and distilled formula.

This is undeniably a journey into the sonic mind-scape of titans, with genre defying productions and lyricists at the height of their craft. They have created an album of breath taking perceptions to unleash on to an unknowing and as yet unready audience. Defiantly moving and growing from the last crew project "Seldom Seen often heard", an organic depth manifests itself in a collection of tracks that prefer synth over samples, gloriously re-taking ground from dub-step and grime and placing it firmly back in the hip hop realm. In so doing they move as one ahead of the curve, in line with the ethos of Project Moon Circle and the ingenuity of DJ IQ, in parts a club driven frenzy and in others a vision of the synth laden heavens. Considering the freedom of thought that the crew builds upon, the development of sound scenery is remarkably fine tuned by Ghost, one of the most consistent and livest producers making beats in the UK.

With more concepts and sound-scape than Floyd, the rappers verbally tour inner spiritualism of psychedelia to absorbing effect. The mystical motifs well-used by Kashmere raise the imagination to his 'metaphysical design' and are the perfect foil to Verb T's earthly sensibilities, although they both take and lend to each others strengths in what sounds like their finest collaboration so far. Where Verb T's strong chorus binds together the cogent verses of the three rhymers, they are keen to add breadth and depth to the track. Kashmere's abilities to weave words fluidly between engrossing narrative and sharp dialogue is symptomatic of how sick his rhyming really is. Using a referencing system ranging from the cherished figures of history, great books and visual magic, to the heights and depths of outer and introspection. His images are so vibrant that on this record his performance is all too far off the scale to measure. Verbs perfectly catches that balance between real and unreal that symbolises the wide variety of experiences explored on the album. He makes steady inroads into the art of the author speaking into the mind of the listener, his lyrics are a virtuoso orchestration of the listener's imagination, in an act that sees his transition from quality writer into distinguished poet.

In this project the poetic sense Verb T has earnestly developed, becomes the link between a deep surrealism and the pure cogency and desire to express a clear reality. Kashmere's rhymes appear embossed into the track and when he emerges the listener is summoned on to a new plain of existence, an act of the imagination that is only possible when authors such as these are in full control of the fine arts of penmanship and delivery. Asaviour appears now and then to provide the odd track with a touch of his refined graceful flow , pushing the ideas of the other MC's forward and allowing a varied focus of styles. Dubledge's feature gives a versatile and smooth conversant flow, bringing extra flavour, and keeps to the themes, styles and fine values instilled in the work. The use and high standard of backing vocals bring the album's aspirations into full achievement creating a whole sound, leaving no part of the structure without detailed quality. There is a good balance of main vocalist to features, however a longer album including more friends of the collective may have diluted the dense and ultra strong substance that Invisible Inc. is written in.

They may have cracked the paradigm shift currently sweeping between commercial and underground, in the process they have definitely broken the mould.

Reviewed by J-Bodes

Solitary Confinement - Rhyme Asylum

here's a reason Rhyme Asylum are at the pinnacle of their game and it's not because they're completely bonkers. They have been honing their craft since the debut album and Solitary Confinement really shows off their devastating skills to maximum effect. It's back to the classic mid 90’s boombap sound of DITC with a futuristic twist.
The album opens with the title track, setting the stage for production and lyricism of the highest quality. Writing a review, the temptation here is to just transcribe the bars so you can see what I am talking about. It's constant, relentless clever pun punchlines and ill wordplay:

“put my money where my mouth is and raise my face value/your talk is cheap doped up on thorazine - spit one time for your mind like the thought police”

And on the track 'Event Horizon' featuring Crooked-I:

“I'm a fire breathing Siamese dragon from a lost dynasty that travelled to this mic in a time machine/locked in cross fire of sniper beams - catch 22 bullets and throw 11 back at twice the speed”

The beat is a string laden soul sampling banger.

However, its the 'story telling' style which most emcees find hardest and these emcees are obviously naturals at it, a fantastically rare thing in this age of a million mediocre rappers. This is not a happy tale though ('Broken Window'), as it describes the kind of world once inhabited in real life by the victims of Donald Ewen Cameron and his MK Ultra experiments or the Jack Nicholson character in Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.

This is an extremely dark album which will take you a while to digest, but once you get acquainted with the more introspective and soulful tracks like 'I Know' and or the crazy Beatnuts sounding 'Straight Jacket Immortals' you will become an instant RA fanatic. To cut a long story short, Possessed, Psiklone and Skirmish are some of the only UK emcees heavy enough to get Ill Bill on a track.

Fuck it, just go buy the album, or if you're gonna be a culture destroying cheap skate and try and steal it then at least show this group some love on myspace and catch them when they tour.

Ideary Me EP - Just Muz

You will not know this boy. Fact. This eighteen year old MC from Leicester has had far less exposure on the circuit than he possibly deserves. Just Muz was brought to our attention by his appearance on the 2009 Headspace Mixtape alongside UK stalwarts Ty, Lowkey & Mystro to name but a few... The song 'Soulful Stuff' showcased a confident flow, clever concept (anyone remember Common's I Used To Love H.E.R?) and the branch of lyricism that the scene really needs right now. We were sent this digital release (a six track project over Ty's instrumentals) hoping it would deliver in the same vein...

It does. 'Don't Cry' proves to be a strong opener, marking Just Muz to be the "confident rapper who is lacking self esteem" before delving into deft wordplay with impressive cadence for someone so young. It is the lyrics that impress though, introspective and atypical with that kind of underdog mentality thats preferable to the boasting. The subject matter a little jumpy, jolts from girl troubles, fatherless homes, the death of a friend... and yes it sounds like someone trying too hard to say "I'm not like the others!" but Muz stays genuine throughout so can be forgiven.

This theme of individuality continues onto "Me". This really is a strong track that expresses a desire not to follow the crowd, whether this concerns Hip Hop or life in general. The impressive aspect is that there is a clear message, namely your "soul is not a pretty piece of plastecine" but Just Muz doesn't sound preachy or egotistical, rather it sounds like conversational advice. His voice and flow suit Ty's beat and there's even some comedy in that Muz "packs lunch" rather than pistols which is commendable of course. The one problem here is the Obama sample, it just seems a little superfluous.

"Emotions" is the third track, another standout. The lyricism really is representative of someone who sounds like they shouldn't be just 18.. it's heavy! The song's self declared purpose is the importance of expressing emotion, in the meantime Muz describes a journey of losing self control and struggle. It's not over indulgent in this and again it's creditable to the boy's personality that he can both narrate his own difficulties without being piteous and speak to others his age without being patronising. This track is full of quotables and will probably need a couple of listens to unravel some of the intricacies, the hook courtesy of Ty is supplemented by Muz's own vocals and blends nicely, all in all the strongest track this far...

An accolade now lost to "I'm Leaving". The power of this one is up there with the original, focusing once more on the death of loved ones. The idea seems very much to be 'live for the moment' and the vocals carry some emotional weight, delivered in a throaty, desperate tone. The second verse surpasses the first, seeing Muz describing a failed relationship with his father that he wishes to recover before it's too late. Again, for a young man this is surreal... the subject matter more resembles the work of an MC with twice the life experience and again there are messages involved.

Things lighten up on the fifth track, the Fool. Kicking off the first verse with a more complex tongue twisting flow that slowly becomes more stilted it is perhaps weaker lyrically than what we've seen so far, simply because the focus is here is on the delivery. However, following a well placed Rocky sample the second verse returns to form with its inspiring positivity interspersed with Muz's own recollections, musically this track is the amongst the richest on the EP. The lighthearted approach works well for the closing verse with a declaration that "life's like Mac D's, I'm not loving it!!" that makes you forget the sorrows of the previous track. Ty's gospel chorus is preserved here to good effect and the overall experience is well worth repeat listens.

"After Thoughts" serves as the EP's outro and is more an example of Just Muz's spoken word background than an actual song. if there is any criticism it is that the main themes are still being served up here.. be yourself, be positive etc (you get the picture) but on the other hand you still get Muz's self inspection and in this case he states that he is the "most imperfect of us all". This attitude although probably unhealthy for him is refreshing to the Hip Hop scene because it marks the return of honest music. It is an excellent closer to the EP, his voice when speaking is gentler and the better for it.

There is also a hidden track which is worth a mention, untitled but a real banger!! In a sense this song does not fit the concept of the Idea, hence it's exclusion because it displays a more jokey and in places cocky (see a contradiction here with the earlier songs?) artist. Nevertheless you can't help but admire phrases such as "blowing up like the Lockerby Bomber Case/I've got more lines than Dot Cottons face!' The song fades out and your left to reflect on what is for us, one of the more interesting releases this year.

In conclusion, Just Muz is an artist to watch for the future and really deserves some recognition for this project which isn't perfect but is very strong indeed. When considering the messages for the youth, the range of flows and strong lyricism it is a solid EP for Hip Hop fans and music lovers alike. There's no denying he seems like a genuinely nice guy with the right outlook on life and we suggest you keep an eye on the teen who calls himself "the fool". He couldn't be more wrong.

Back To The Sagas - Klashnekoff

With a celebrated music career that has spanned over a decade yet gleaned only a handful of releases, UK rapper Klashnekoff (a.k.a. Darren Kandler) is a figure that commands both love and frustration in equal measure.

His elusiveness and steadfast refusal to participate in industry politics has undoubtedly prevented him from wider success. However, in an age where bland, do-anything-for-the-fame urban acts dominate the media, his outspoken character and honest music is admirable.

After a three year hiatus fraught with clique divisions and label worries, Klashnekoff is back with his third album ‘Back to the Sagas.’ Working closely with rap producer Smasher, ‘Back to the Sagas’ is a weighty effort that aims to recapture the raucous, Rasta-infused essence of his debut, 2004’s ‘The Sagas of Klashnekoff’.

Indeed, the Hackney-based MC wastes no time in establishing a conceptual link between the two. Album opener ‘Church (intro)’ immerses the listener once again in a Babylonian world of struggle and tussle as Klash sets out his nihilist agenda, punctuating rousing electric guitar and synth riffs in that trademark multi-syllabic yap.

Title track ‘Back to the Sagas’ continues the candid lyrical theme and, in some detail, describes conflicts with management and Kyza’s surprise departure from Terra Firma. The rolling snare drums and orchestral stabs lend a military theme to the production, evident in varying degrees on ‘Get it Too’, ‘Repping Hard’ and the excellent ‘Soon Come’.

Not only does the dramatic instrumentation provide real depth to the music, rekindling the warm, analogue feel of his debut, it bolsters Klash’s combative tone and revolutionary sentiments. Nowhere is this more prevalent than on ‘Keep It Moving’ whereby the buoyant, summery beat gives real motion to a flurry of gritty observational prose.

Soviet sing-along ‘Klash Anthem’ offers some respite from the serious tone, adding a vein of boisterous humour to proceedings, even if its playback appeal may dwindle over time. The same can also be said about CB4-sampling ‘Music Game’; an 8-bit analysis of the music industry that, whilst cheery, seems at odds with the rest of the album.

Protest song ‘Raw’ brings ‘Back to the Sagas’ to a neat conclusion, and serves a poignant reminder of what Klashnekoff is capable of when in his niche. Whilst ‘Lionheart’, in its attempt to capture a clubbier, more accessible sound obscured the MC, ‘Back to the Sagas’ foregrounds his lyrical talent with layered, soulful and arguably more traditional Boom-Bap production.

Yes, some of the features and speech samples are superfluous, but these are significant of an artist that wants to say something through music, not merely spit for the sake of industry props or fleeting internet praise. ‘Back to the Sagas’ is a reaffirmation of Klashnekoff’s talents and although the ‘Sagas’ bar may not have been raised this time round, it has certainly been nudged.