I Just want to remind all of you that Illa J, J Dilla’s little brother that is, is releasing his debut album november 4. Illa J will be using his family heritage, beats by Dilla made for Labcabincalifornia, that didn’t make the final cut, and other beats during this period (mid 90’s - late90’s). And with Collaborators like Guilty Simpson and Affion Crockett, this is an album that we all are looking forward to.

Illa J grew up watching his brother making beats and having success with Slum Village etc. and it is clear that the Yancey blood is running through his veins. He dropped his self-titled debut EP in 2007 and Yancey Boys is going to be his second effort. Even though all the tracks on this album are produced by Dilla, this is not a Dilla-tribute album. this album will mark Illa J’s arrival into hip-hop. Check out his myspace and listen to some of the tracks. Buy when it comes out, i can assure you that it won’t be a disappointment.

–Magnus adds a tracklist
1. Timeless
2. We Here
3. R U Listenin’ ? feat. Guilty Simpson
4. Alien Family by Frank Nitty
5. Strugglin
6. Showtime
7. Swagger
8. Mr. Shakes (Skit) aka Affion Crockett
9. DFTF feat. Affion Crockett
10. All Good
11. Sounds Like Love feat. Debi Nova
12. Everytime
13. Illasoul
14. Air Signs

All tracks produced by J Dilla.

Magnus also adds that you should buy this when it gets out and that he (magnus) doesn`t like myspace for several reasons, but understands that it`s a good resource for new music… argh. Review coming too, by Pål or Magnus, ill let you decide.

From Lex Records it was rumored to have been released yesterday, but since not even an album cover has been released yet I conclude that this wasn’t the case. New release date is set (rumored) to the 28th at the moment. But let’s focus on what we do know. We know that J Dilla, DangerMouse, Ghostface & Raekwon are feautred on it. We know that Doom rhymes and produces. Doom is now called Doom without the MF prefix. And it’s from Lex Records, so we can expect an amazing album cover (craft of the lost art, anyone?).

Rumor has it that this will be something new in the ways of being more trip-hop than the hip-(hop), prediction: awesome.

Doom recently did a cover interview in Wax Poetics magazine, you can read an excerpt from it here (a pretty substantial excerpt if you ask me). Or buy the whole issue (pictured) there—> here (not available for purchase right this moment, it’ll probably be up again shortly). The picture (top-right) is the cover of this issue (Wax Poetics issue #31).

Updates will follow. Review will eventually follow.

After a short interlude, he’s back stronger than before. Our thoughts still go out to him and his family.

I don’t really know much about Yppah. He’s from Houston, Texas, He’s a member of a group called The Truth, and he’s signed to Ninja Tune Records. You are beautiful at all times was his debut album and so far there hasn’t been a second one.

Phew. After all that information I’m sure you’d like to rest your head for a while so I’ll let the music do the talking.

While you’re listening I’ll tell you little about the album. Released in 2006, it’s a prime example of an organized mess. While listening to You are beautiful at all times it’s not hard to see how easily all this experimentalism and beauty could’ve been destroyed. It takes a lot of skill to create something that’s so excellent when it’s the easiest thing to cock it all up. Can’t wait for his second album, if he’s making one.

Give Yppah a chance, you’ll love him.

Favorite songs: It’s not the same, Ending with you, Again with the subtitles

 Ahh finally. I havent posted anything in here for a while so let me share with you this: Some true old-school Boot Camp Clik. Smif-n-Wessun is the name of the group behind this oh so insane album. How come no one makes music like this anymore?

The members Tek and Steele made their way to the hip-hop scene in 1993 on fellow bot camp members Black Moon’s album “Enta Da Stage”, and this is their debut album. With production by Da Beatminerz this album has the dirty, dark sound we can find on other boot camp classics like O.G.C’s Da Storm and Heltah Skeltah’s Nocturnal.

Dah Shinin’ has been honored as one of the best East Coast album of all time and was one of the reasons for BCC’s succes in the 90’s. Tek and Steele (not Smif and Wessun) knows the art of back to back rapping and with their mix of Hardcore and funny lyrics (check Wipa Ya Mouf) they go out as one of the best MC’s of New York, in my book atleast. They are also some of the few rappers who master the Jamaican/Creole accent, which only makes them even better.

Not much more to say about this album except that if you want to know what real hip hop sounds like, you should buy this album. (yes, I know the “real hip-hop” thing is unoriginal), 

Also check out “Da Album” by Smif-n-Wessun. Tommy Tee (Norway give it up) has produced some tracks on it.

Favorite Tracks:  Wrekonize, Wipe Ya Mouf, K.I.M., Bucktown, Stand Strong

Ps: listen to sound bwoy burreil while concentrating, and you can hear the baseline talking to you.

Fritz the cat and Heavy traffic were two Ralph Bakshi’s animated adult movies in the early 70s. Fritz the cat was the first animated movie to recieve an x-rating, like so many times mentioned in Wikipedia, and it’s based on a comic series of the same name by R. Crumb. Heavy Traffic is about some jew cartoonist who lives in a crappy neighborhood. I haven’t seen it so I can’t really say anything else than what’s in the imdb plot synopsis for the film.

The soudtrack(s) consist mostly of funky jazz, but some blues songs are also included, plus some russian sounding jewish song (the synagogue - if you know what it is, please leave a comment). Bo Didley, Billie Holiday and The Isley brothers all make an apeearance, and throughout the album there’s a feeling like this is like a best of collection of blues and jazz of the 60s (even though most of the songs are original compositions). Who hasn’t heard black talk by Charles Earland, and still calls him/herself a jazz fanatic? Nobody, that’s who. Unfortunately there are a couple of duds lost in the crowd that are standing in the way of making this one of the bigger classics of jazz, but if you can look past those couple of tracks then you’ll definately get more than your money’s worth…

Favorite tracks: Black talk, Duke’s theme, Mamblues, Scarborough street fair

The year is 1972, Brazil is under military dictatorship. Strict rules are imposed on the creativity of the music released in the country….yet somehow, some way, Arthur Verocai comes along and puts out an awe inspiring album that would not be out of place in todays market. Born in 1945 in Rio de Janeiro, Arthur Cortes Verocai learnt to play the guitar and piano from some Brazilian guys. Despite one of his songs being included on Leny Andrade’s album “We Are There” in 1966, Arthur was producing music for television shows until 1969, when he embarked on his professional musical career “I always wanted to compose soundtracks in great style, as in the cinema, but this wasn’t possible with television work”. 

The album is entirely produced by Arthur, but was unfortunately forgotten about almost as soon as it was released, it really deserves wider recognition. I can’t think of an easy way to describe it, so I wont try just yet, I’ll let Arthur have a go first, “I created rhythmic cells in the acoustic guitar with the harmonic lines. I added bass and the non-conventional drums and the percussion with very smooth orchestration in blocks, plus the delicate touch of the strings”, and I think he was only talking about one song there.

This album is a journey to put it at the least. It begins with some soul/funk, then it throws some more soul in your face, and then all of a sudden your hit with the funkiest track on the album, “Presente Grego”. Apparently influeced by American funk/jazz at the time, it really is incredibly funky, yet with a twist of Brazilian groove that makes you want to get on a plane to Rio and do some funky shit. Anyway, back to the journey, after the funk, you get some more soul, combined with what I can only describe as soulful groove, and the album finishes off with a blast of jazzy salsa funk with the song “Karina”. An explosion of trumpets, saxophones, Brazlian rhythm and some outstanding drumming. One of the artists invited to perform on “Karina” was Edson Maciel, however he needed frequent breaks to be “inspired” by Cachaça. 

Despite being such a great album, it was never really taken too seriously by Arthur or the artists involved with it, and I think that’s what makes it so easy to listen to and appreciate. When music is created in that relaxed environment you can create whatever FEELS right to you (as demonstrated by so many successful jazz artists). “I used to listen to Blood Sweat and Tears, Chicago, Stan Kenton, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Web, Frank Zappa, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans and Miles Davis, Milton Nascimento, Bossa Nova, among others. In Brazil we had many musical influences, and by that time there wasn’t a hegemonic one in the market. In this way my album reflected a search and musical experimentation. I was in an adventurous mood on this album and that led me to explore new melodic, harmonic and rhythmic paths”. 

Just a heads up, the vocals on this album are performed entirely in Portuguese, not that I’m complaining about it, it really adds to the feel and ambition of the album for me. Oh and also I don’t think you can find this on iTunes, I dunno, just have a look around.

Favourite tracks: Pelas Sombras, Silvia, Presente Grego, Dedicado a Ela, Karina

Let me say that I wouldn’t review this if it wasn’t a badass album, I probably wouldn’t review it if it didn’t have the badass cover either because that’s what dragged me to it. I previewed a few tracks on it and it was interesting, so I bought it.

Mr. Scruff is the name of the british DJ and artist behind it. As a rookie on british music, I have never heard about him or anyone he’s worked with before and that’s a rare situation for me. Totally random that I checked this out, and it all because I find NatalieDee amusing… *watching visitors leave and never coming back*. Everyone has their vices, stfu. I would probably not review this one if it wasn’t brand new either, because I would most likely not write a recommendation on this, but in this case I can write a review.

Resemblance, resemblance… I’d say a mix between James Pants, Dabrye and DJ Shadow in some cases, though technically speaking, those are light years ahead of Mr. Scruff. But he still manages to entertain me by being ever so original. Example; the freshest soul feel ever from the song ‘Hold On’, Michael Jackson like, really. You know that static deep bass Dabrye and J Dilla also does in some cases, Mr. Scruff does them like a pro. But then I thought, damn, pretty much anyone can do this with enough time on their hands. Putting together alot of cool sounds, it’s been done before and some. But the last song, ‘Stockport Carnival’ reminded me. This guy, let’s call him Andy since that’s his real name, uses elements from several forms of jazz and latino music. Originality, thy name is Mr. Scruff.

Even though rookie sounding, he manages to keep it original, new and dope. Consider. Listen to the previews, if you like them and you have some money not invested in anything these days, go for it.
I wonder who draw the cover, probably a 4 year-old, no offense Natalie.

Favorite songs: Test the Sound, Hairy Bumpercress, Hold On, Give Up to Get.

Favorite cupcakes: Chocolate Chip..
Fav…. nevermind.