Reminds me of that kind of glorious late 90s/early 2000s RnB a la Lucy Pearl. It’s an absolute belter of a song. Brits too. Who’da thunk it?
Hackman – Forgotten Notes
This track is a bit special…
First Serve (De La Soul)
So brothers, I present to you a hip hop concept album. Now before you get it in your head, Kanye’s 808’s wasn’t concept, it was experimental; two VERY different things.
I must admit when I read about this album I left it alone. I don’t generally like concept albums because they rarely stick to the concept.. they become experimental, or are a compilation with in between links (Handsome Boy Modeling School). More – so a hip hop concept album? The thing is that actually many artists have done concept albums; first to mind for me is Scarface – The Diary. More recently there is no better example than Plan B – Striktland Banks which pushed the concept to the max. So it can happen, some good and bad.
I digress; let’s talk about ‘First Serve’. I like this for so many reasons. You’re not going to be blown away, this is De La through and through. This isn’t a good thing, it’s a great thing.
The best way to do this for me is point form. I like this album because….
– Plug One and Two do what they maybe did on one or two songs an album traditionally; made party joints and told a story at the same time (think ‘It Aint All Good’)
– They stick to their story the whole way through and actualy show and interesting beginning, middle and end.
– The album makes me dance, has catchy lyrics but still gets you into the story.
The reason that this isn’t a De La album is that it’s the brain chils of another producer. I like that fact. I’m glad they’ve done this album but not as De La Soul. Enough can’t be spoken about having an alias. They have got to do this with this album.
When listening, give it a couple listens, some tracks are more and club radio than others. All are very catchy. The interlude’s are important to the story (some very funny) and keep it all consistant.
I’m so looking forward to more De La Soul hip hop, but I do hope First Serve get a guest spot on a track or two.
It took me a few months to buy but I’m happy that this album is in my life and I hope you feel the same.
Enjoy brothers!
Soul Khan
I seem to be putting a fair bit of Hip Hop on here as of late, but it seems to be in a bit of a purple patch.
Brothers, may I introduce you to Soul Khan. Basically he’s pretty bad ass. There’s tons of fantastic tracks kicking about the internet that have been a big part of my life over the lastr 6 months. I have been tempted many times to post one on here, but maybe I was just waiting for the right one…. I think this might just be it:
Let’s make it personal…..
On the wedding day of brother Joseph I give him this and look forward to seeing him tie the knot!
Grimes
Are we allowed to post about this, or is it Brother David’s kick off? Feel free to tell me to sling it and I’ll delete.
First impression, I’m really not sure. It’s pretty way out in terms of pop, even electronic pop. In fact it seems almost like an album of intersting electronic stuff where she’s a guest vocalist. The vocals are drowned in fx so much and sit back in the mix a lot so it’s difficult to to really work out what’s being said or what the sentiment is, so it’s not really connecting with me on the first listen. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some really cool sounds in there, and there’s a lot to love. I think it definitely feels like an album that needs some investment in time in order to appreciate it, but I thought I’d post this up either way, as first impressions are interesting when you look back. I’d go as far to say that I’m often surprised how much some I’ve abolsutely hated at first have gone on to be some real favourites (off the top of my head Hot Chip’s The Warning… yeah I know!).
Anyway, intriguing choice Brother David. I have read a few things about Grimes before I’d heard her music and I’ll be honest when I say some of it really grated. The whole “ooh, I’m so creative, and I express myself through my music, but I’m crazy and i’ve done lots of drugs and I make my own clothes… etc etc”. YAWN. So I’m fighting my own preconceptions here too.
I look forward to getting to know it better, and to see what everyone else thinks.
Blunderbuss
I like this. A lot. Instant first impression, and while I’m a fan of White Stripes, and know some of their stuff, I don’t really own it and have any allegiance to it. But this is much more – so far – than some of the brash unreconstructed stuff they did that I knew, so it’s refreshing. This is the single, but it’s not really the best thing on there either.
In short though:
1) I like
2) I wish I’d chosen this for my month!
A Night At The Opera
This was the album I’d have given you if I’d had May.
They’re a band with one guy at the centre, but really there’s lots of stuff on there. Guitars, piano, synth, electronic bits, interesting cut up vocals, and quite an epic feel to it. And unashamedly so, which I really like. No “oh, this sounds a bit much.” It’s just big sound, but there’s emotion and feeling there as well.I saw them live for a brief time last year and am gutted I missed them last week. Work, bloody work.
Their album was out last week and I’m really enjoying it so far. They also have good beards.
DISCLAIMER: A mate of mine looks after them, but I’d heard this track and an EP before I’d even realised, and still loved it. So there.
Lower Dens
I’ve been waiting for the album for some time. This track was put out there a few months ago and I loved it. I am not looking for any sharing of that love here, I don’t think this will be a fave of us all but this is not far from a blue print for what I like. Its a single. Its 5 mins. 0-1min is an atmospheric build of dare I say it ‘soundscape’. As much as Brother David loves a tune, I love a layer and then 10 more, I love a texture, an atmosphere. All words that make you sound like a muso wanker … and I don’t care.
High Speed Dubbing
This isn’t usually my sort of thing, or at least not what I’d got after. But Aus is one of the most interesting labels around, certainly since I started writing, and Will (Saul)’s got some proper A&R skills. I’ve been into Simple since the beginning, but not everything they put out on the sister label was my cuppa before, but this is a fantastic remix of a fantastic original EP from Midland. Just really love the percussion, and it just builds and builds, never loses momentum.
There’s another mix from Motor City Drum Ensemble as well. There’s so much good house music I’ve listening to at the moment (Kate Simko EP on Leftroom is sensational), but this stands out.
Enjoy, digest, comment.
thisisnothappening.net 