Dabrye - One/Three

dabrye's 'one / three'

Michigan hip-hop production is the best. I'm not saying that other regional areas don't have their highlights. The south, east and west all maintain a level of consistency that allows for the yearly showcase of excellent beats. Detroit and on a large scale Michigan takes influences from all of those styles though. Rather than fall into a trap of defining itself regional, Detroit has managed to create a production style that dabbles in soul samples, hard hitting beats, and influences from the city's own techno scene. Dilla is the easy name, but when you begin examining Detroit and Michigan producers in general they tend to have a level of consistency not seen in other areas. Black Milk, Decompoze, Waajeed, Mr. Porter, etc. the state has a tendency for showing off beats in tracks.

Dabrye is sort of the more electronic version of the Michigan sound. Much like Flying Lotus or Daedalus in the LA area, Dabrye takes influence from the local hip-hop scene but his music can not necessarily be classified as hip-hop. He definitely creates hip-hop sounding beats and the follow up to 'One/Three' features numerous guest rap spots. This music is more akin to the Brainfeeder movement than the Detroit hip-hop sound. 'One/Three' sounds like a Warp Record version of one of Dilla's beat tapes. The album is very organic and passes you buy in a much shorter time than it actual plays for. If anyone has heard 'Vintage Vol.2' this album pretty much sounds like a more expanded, technical version of that idea. Simple beats with not so simple sounds.

Dabrye - One/Three (2001)

Masta Ace - Disposable Arts

masta ace's 'disposable arts'

Marley Marl's group or collective The Juice Crew was responsible for the emergence of numerous high profile rappers in the mid to late '80s. Perhaps most rememberable is the track 'The Symphony' a posse-cut featuring the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Craig G and Masta Ace. Masta Ace after that release continued to evolve into one of those most technically skilled rappers of all time. Throughout his career Masta Ace's own solo material has focused around concepts. 'A Long Hot Summer' revolved around a rapper and his trials through going on tour and dealing with his manager. 'Disposable Arts' revolves around Masta Ace going to a fictional hip-hop university to escape his former life. While the concept definitely helps propel the album it really doesn't effect the material of the tracks which deal with a variety of topics. Every track is nearly a highlight and the only thing I can see turning some people off is the abundance of skits. Luckily Ace has done a well enough job implementing the actual songs within the skits so the album has a very linear nature. The most interesting part of this record is that Ace is still as good as he was in the '90s and at the same time he has updated his songs and beats in a way that this album makes perfect sense alongside other '01 releases like 'The Blueprint' and 'Stillmatic'. More great New York hip-hop that has certainly gone unnoticed by many.

Masta Ace - Disposable Arts (2001)

Gang Starr - Daily Operation

gang starr's 'daily operation'

Holy shit, this is a great record. I don't really know how long I've had this record. I remember downloading bits of it back in 6th or 7th grade when I first got into A Tribe Called Quest. Just great beats and great lyrics. A lot of people dislike Guru since he has a monotone flow. I think it just increases the way he raps. Everything he says is said with such poise and relaxation that it makes the record truly introspective. Probably my personal highlight of early '90s New York hip-hop at least in terms of producer/rapper duos. 'Stay Tuned' is my favorite. Completely stoned and repetitive while easily being the catchiest cut on the record. Kind of like me with the hip-hop lately.

Gang Starr - Daily Operation (1992)

A Tribe Called Quest - Beats, Rhymes, And Life

A Tribe Called Quest's 'Beats, Rhymes, And Life'

'The Low-End Theory' was really the first hip-hop record I ever got into. I'm sure that is the case with many white hip-hop fans as that album just kind of oozes of reserved yet intelligent lyrics and imaginative yet restrained beats. I think it is an easy candidate for hip-hop record of the '90s and in general can still inspire the same feelings that it did when I was younger these days. My exposure to 'Beats, Rhymes, And Life' came much later in my life. I'm glad for that. When I was getting into 'The Low-End Theory' I grabbed 'Midnight Marauders' and was often disappointed with the lack of continuity throughout that record. While I've certainly warmed up to 'Midnight Marauders' over the years it still strikes me as a somewhat half baked affair. A Tribe Called Quest was attempting to create more sophisticated beats on that record, but their lyrical style had not changed very much at that point. 'Beats, Rhymes, And Life' is in my eyes a far more successful record. The lyrics have grown darker and more diverse whether it be due to the climate of hip-hop in '96 or due to the personal rifts throughout the group. J Dilla makes one of his first appearances here in the form of the Ummah who provide all the beats throughout the record. Q-Tip's cousin Consequence is featured on numerous tracks and in general this totally revitalizes the Tribe sound without coming off cheap or forced. The beats are as cleaned as Pete Rock's and the undeniable x-factor throughout the record is Dilla's passionate affair with bass lines which he clearly began here. Truly a underrated classic amongst hip-hop fans.

A Tribe Called Quest - Beats, Rhymes, And Life (1996)

J Dilla - Jay Stay Paid

To a casual fan of hip-hop the name J-Dilla may not mean a lot. If you’re more interested in Anticon or Wu-Tang than the genre as a whole 'Jay Stay Paid' may not be a big deal. Change that. Like every genre hip-hop's gems are found underneath the rough and Dilla’s work puts him in the position of being the most influential and progressive producer in the last twenty years. His story is just as long and detailed as his career but to address that is a discredit to what 'Jay Stay Paid' represents. Jay Dee may be gone but his music continues to impress and expand itself to new audiences. Most of the tracks on this record are seemingly works in progress. The guest list fits perfectly with artists like DOOM, Havoc (Mobb Depp), and Black Thought all stepping into help create a darker and more diverse record.

jdilla

Jay Dee’s strength has always been his ability to create musically complex beats that work on both a basic and layered level. For example electronic artists like Flying Lotus continually sing the praises of Dilla for his constant attention to detail and musicality. His work with fellow Detroit group Frank-N-Dank saw him exploring usage of minimal effects and layers to create more to the point material. Dilla pretty much finessed this sound with 'Donuts'. 'Jay Stay Paid' attempts to explore that evolution though it is posthumous material. 'King', 'Mythsysizer', and 'In The Night/While You Slept (I Crept)' all focus on creating lush soundscapes in a hip-hop setting. ‘9th Caller’ mixes vintage guitar strokes over a pulsing beat. Dilla’s penchant for self styled strip club jams comes out in ‘CaDILLAc. ‘Spacecowboy vs. Bobble Head’ transitions itself through various sounds and finally closes out with a soulful finale. Jay Dee adapts equal parts of the Wu-Tang and New York sound into the more bass heavy Detroit style on ‘24K Rap’. Raekwon and Havoc both also appear on '24K Rap' which even adds to the strength of it. Other key vocal additions on the record are Blu on 'Smoke' and Black Thought on 'Reality TV'. While the majority of ‘Jay Stay Paid’ is instrumental this is clearly a hip-hop record and the addition of such high quality lyricists is welcomed. Mixing everything from Asian sounding melodies with soundclips of waves 'Coming Back' acts as a true definition of why Dilla will always remain the greatest of all time.

Is 'Jay Stay Paid' the most alarmingly original record of 2009? No, this is a collection of recycled material and sounds as such. Though subtle factors like J Dilla’s hero Pete Rock cutting the album and Illa J's appearance help it retain the artist’s respect. Similar to UGK's '4 Life' earlier this year Dilla's friends, family, and admirers have created a(nother) great tribute to one of hip-hop's great.

Flying Lotus - July Heat

flying lotus' 'july heat'

i don't really know where this record comes from. i'm assuming it is flying lotus' pre-'1983' work but that could be totally off. i'm posting this between odd work schedules, numerous birthdays, and spousal arguments. that is my lame sentence of this review. anyways, if you're into any of flylo's stuff this a must and if you want something really laidback and hip-hop inspired also give it a spin. 'Cry For Help' is the real hit here. expect something on post-punk being posted in the next week or so. Wipers, Y Pants, Young Marble Giants all kinds of shit.


Flying Lotus - July Heat (2005)

Black Milk - Tronic

Current trends in hip-hop supposedly point towards the South currently dominating the genre. Lil' Wayne replacing Eminem as the rapper most adored by white fans. T.I. releasing an album with six successful singles that hardly became redundant. Signs are certainly motioning towards the South being in some type of acclaimed "golden age" at the moment. While the assessment has grounds, the opposite opinion also has its validity. Able to be mentioned in the same breath as Eminem, Lil’ Wayne has gorged himself on success and will likely never see the same amount of popularity that he does today. T.I., while releasing a solid record this year, has at the same time given into his pop indulgencies and seems to be transforming into a legitimate Nelly. Pimp C's passing in late 2007 also puts a huge hole into the constantly consistent Southern rappers that have been performing since the early '90s (i.e. Devin the Dude, Scarface, etc.). One could paint the picture that Southern rap is in reality grasping at the straws of its former popularity and has fully lowered itself on the sword of marketability. What does this have to do with Black Milk's 'Tronic'? Direct relations aren't really what can be drawn from this assessment of the current rap game, but what we can understand is that Detroit, with the help of Black Milk and other individuals, has positioned itself to be the next huge rap scene. Black Milk's two most appreciated acts over the past two years has been his work on Phaorahe Monch's 'Desire' and Elzhi's 'The Preface,' both of which were bookmarked by a variety of other work as well as Milk's solo LP 'Popular Demand.' 'Tronic' certainly stacks up against those two releases and his first solo record as a fully realized version of Black Milk's vision. While 'Tronic' may not be the hip-hop classic that its early internet buzz has illustrated it to be, the album has revealed itself to be yet another great rap record featuring the association of one of the best producers currently in the genre.

black milk

Keeping with the theme of production, we should first bring up J. Dilla. Dilla is probably the most appreciated hip-hop artist from Detroit and Black Milk, being one of his students, wears the Detroit sound on his sleeve. While 'Popular Demand' and other Black Milk work certainly seemed to full embrace Dilla's sound, 'Tronic' is Milk attempting to reach out for something different. Heavy on the synthetics, 'Tronic' comes off as almost a sophisticated take on Kanye West. The album kicks off with the epic 'Long Story Short' which features Black Milk recounting his stance from unknown MC to the savior of Detroit hip-hop. After the more sentimental intro though, 'Tronic' becomes a very different album revolving on intensely dense beats that feel like a catchier version of Def Jux material. Tracks like 'Overdose' clearly show an electronica influence, relying on a crescendoing beat to build even more intensity into the producer's rhymes. 'Tronic' succeeds in offering a variety of different hip-hop environments, from the extremely poppy 'Without U' to the Phaorahe Monch, Sean Price, and DJ Premier assisted 'The Matrix.' While Black Milk certainly suffers from the same negatives most producers-turned-MCs do, he is able to keep the listener's attention and certainly give the impression that he can actually hold his own on a track with three of the most inventive artists in the hip-hop field.

black milk's 'tronic'

Perhaps I haven't fully explained the sophistication of 'Tronic.' The album is a cohesive connection between underground and mainstream rap, featuring guests from Royce Da 5'9 to Colin Munroe. Black Milk once again proves he is probably second only to Madlib in terms of producing beats that actually sound like hip-hop should in 2008. All in all, I would be very surprised if any hip-hop album reaches this level of precision this year. Black Milk has simply made a completely unique statement in what is typically a pretty stale genre, and with 'Tronic' he has confirmed his status as one of the best. As ‘Losing Out’ attests, Detroit is hungry, and perhaps the Midwest will finally break out with the success of artists as inventive and interesting as Black Milk.


Black Milk - 'Tronic' (2008)

Flying Lotus - Los Angeles

For those who are familiar with Flying Lotus’ specific style of electronica, 'Los Angeles' can be marked simply as Steve Ellison's Warp record. Ellison has slowly been moving himself among the L.A. hip hop scene attempting to craft something that sounds like the meeting point of Aphex Twin and Madlib. Daedalus and Gaslamp Killer can also be seen as clear relations to FlyLo as they should considering all three artists are common performers in the L.A. music scene. '1983' represented a more clearer view of Ellison's take on instrumental hip-hop, 'Reset' was marked by the decision to move Flying Lotus into a more beat heavy existence, and with 'Los Angeles' we begin to see the artist reveling in the perceived intelligence of his label peers like Prefuse 73 and Autechre.

flying lotus

Opener 'Brainfeeder' shows clearly that this is going to be a different type of Flying Lotus record. Absolutely no percussion is used through the songs entire minute and a half length which seems daring for a producer who is known for his superbly crafted rhythms. The track is highlighted by the swirl of dynamic synths that help the second track 'Breath.Something/Stellar Star' slowly and perfectly shift in as a follow up. Noticeable about the first two tracks also is how deeply FlyLo has seemed to delve into his atmosphere. He is pressing for a more psychedelic feel and 'Breath' demonstrates this with synths that sound like wandering Theremins. 'Melt!' mixes chants with a very tribal drum feel and encompasses the influence it seems Bollywood has had on Ellison and 'Golden Diva' leaves an unremarkable impression of Boards of Canada. As the record reaches the midpoint it starts reaching for more rhythm based pieces. 'Riot' is a heavy bass aided track that uses steel drums and hand claps to create a massive low end. The song slowly evolves until the bass bridges into a seemingly random pattern as the drums around it come to a steadier beat. The track then leaves the more upbeat rhythm and concludes with a drifting synth barrage. 'GNG BNG' comes off as mix between the pioneering sounds of early New York DJs and Beat Konducta's recent forays. 'Parisian Goldfish' finishes off the trio of dance heavy tracks as FlyLo's most club based composition yet. As a whole the variety of sounds found on the record are what 'Los Angeles' success stems from with tracks as relaxing as 'Sexslaveship' before what seems like improvised vocals on 'Testament'. . 'Los Angeles' finishes off with a variety of vocal performances included a meet up with one of Ellison's early collaborators. ‘Los Angeles’ ends on a positive note with the simply beautiful 'Auntie's Lock/Infinitum' which is made even more luscious with a vocal performance from Laura Darlington. The track drifts the otherwise cluttered sonic palate into a serene and simple finish and I could not see the record ending any other way.

flying lotus' 'los angeles'

Flying Lotus has once again proved that he is an artist that can consistently reinvent himself and make his new sound just as effective as it was before. While I wouldn't say this record succeeds in providing the same level of consistent quality I think '1983' did, it is pretty hard to criticize 'Los Angeles' as anything other than a great record. Ellison's developments as always have entertained me enough that I'm willing to remain excited for his next release. Until then ‘Los Angeles’ remains as one of the best examples of “instrumental hip-hop” in 2008.


Flying Lotus - 'Los Angeles' (2008)

Top Ten of 2007: Pharoahe Monch - Desire

Music theory has provided a blanket code for mass orchestrations for hundreds of years. From Brahms to something as primitive as The Who theoretical composition is essentially a guide line to modern music. Except perhaps in one specific area, hip-hop. Dialect and lyrical intellect are the most basic backing of rap music and thus this difference creates a vast counterpoint between rap and other modern musics. To support this otherwise unbacked claim, one only need look toward acclaimed lyricist and rapper Pharoahe Monch. Through his own miraculously well respected and financially profitable career he has been involved in a plethora of various projects. From the vastly unknown Organized Konfusion to his own solo endeavors which include tracks with a variety of movies and two very well received albums. His second release 'Desire' takes cues from all of his previous releases making perhaps his greatest achievement yet.

pharoahe monch

Critics of hip-hop often draw on the genres stagnance as their main point of criticism. Typical verse/chorus structure that draws on numerous clichés of blunts, booze, and bitches. 'Desire' is covering more ground than any other 2007 release besides Time of Orchid's beautiful 'Namesake Caution'. Public Enemy covers, densely soulful vocal pieces featuring Monch himself singing and theatrical epics on par with R. Kelly's 'Trapped in the Closet'. All of these pieces come together to create one fluid movement of music that represents what a great rap album is suppose to do: reflect an individual's personal interests in a consciously aware manner. Highlights are essentially every track; "What It Is?" is a visceral 'fuck you' to Monch's critics and an amazing display of his bizarre vocal technique. "Hold On" is an excellent R&B inflected track featuring one of 2008's rising stars, Erykah Badu. All of the bases are covered on this record in regards to structure and sound. 'Desire' is all anyone could ask from a modern rap album.

pharoahe monch's 'desire'

Although, 'Desire' is an amazing record the story of Monch and his recording career is admirable in its own right. Organized Konfusion was a monster of a group that probably is in the top three rap groups of the early '90s. 'Internal Affairs' and the Godzilla sampling controversy were an interesting time and with 'Desire' it seems Monch has finally found a level of popularity that is large, but not consistent with people out of the know. Artistically, it seems as if he has finally reached a place where he belongs. An impressive feat for a rap artist that is basically known around the world for telling girls to 'rub on them titties'.

Pharoahe Monch - 'Desire' (2007)

Top Ten of 2007: Oh No - Dr No's Oxperiment

J Dilla's somewhat posthumous release 'Donuts' was basically a critically adored record. to be completely honest, i wasn't very much of a fan. sure, i do enjoy my share of instrumental hip hop, Flying Lotus, DJ Shadow, and the record this post concerns are all in heavy rotation in my playlists, but 'Donuts' seemed lacking. J Dilla is also probably mostly known for his work with Madlib and associations with the artists on Stones Throw and in those avenues i really enjoy alot of his work, but 'Donuts' seemed like a bunch of half finished ideas thrown together to form some kind of 'beats no one wanted' collection. i guess it is strange that i appreciate 'Dr. No's Oxperiment' so much since essentially it just follows in the same structural footsteps as 'Donuts'. or maybe it isn't strange, since Oh No draws on a vast collection of european rock music, instead of twiddling away with hip hop cliches that have been around since 1991.

oh no

the album can basically be summed up in the first cut, 'Heavy' a swirling combination of a steady riff on a guitar and some middle eastern vocals. at first this will make any seasoned hip-hop head call bullshit since in fact Madlib (Oh No's brother) released his Bollywood devotion Beat Konducta Vol. 3 and 4 this year. call it brotherly rivalry or whatever, but Oh No is clearly a step ahead when it comes to dealing with this type of mixing of contemporary hip-hop with middle eastern influences and rock music. to build upon that, in my opinion Oh No is probably the most successful hip-hop producer to mix the two medium of rock and hip-hop in such a seamless way. every track on 'Dr. No's Oxperiment' is a combination of a few basic things like most sample based music, but Oh No makes you believe that it isn't, and there in fact lies the success.

oh no's 'dr no's oxperiment'

while this album doesn't get alot of play when i'm not inebriated or around other people, sometimes albums are simple good for those types of circumstances. this certainly is no 'Sixty Metonymies', it isn't sparse or complex in that type of sense. this is feel good music and music to move to, there are no lyrics so obviously the enlightenment of a record like 'Desire' isn't here. but, this is difficult music to compose and how Oh No has managed to do it impresses me the most. a great record and probably one of those records in my collection that will get endless play when i'm creating playlists for when i'm around other people.

(removed due to artist's wishes)

graf orlock show, i'm the douche in the v-neck

seattle was quite the experience. i attended a Graf Orlock show who i don't really enjoy, but i'd heard things about openers Ghostlimb and Dangers. lets just say those two groups didn't disappoint one bit and deserve much much much more respect and awareness than they seem to be given. Ghostlimb is sort of a cross between Ampere and His Hero is Gone if that even makes any sense, Nick uploaded one of their records a couple days back so check that out. Dangers was lyrically intelligent hardcore in the vein of a group like say Modern Life is War. as for records i picked up and was into i got the first Richard Youngs record and found a more developed love for the Sole and the Skyrider Band release. a fun trip which involved alot more than what is listed here.

ghostface killah - ironman

i guess you could say that i enjoy a decent amount of bleakness in my music. from John Frusciante to Andrew Hill all of my favorite composers have been involved music that even at its most accessible still was stuck in a realm of darkness. i guess the definition of hip-hop completely goes against that whole mindset since hip-hop and rap are essentially an updated version of funk. still, i find myself relating to records across the board and dwelling in their menacing and almost sinister quality. El-P's "Fantastic Damage" comes to mind and interestingly enough the artist this post is based on collaborated with El-P on a track for a Prefuse 73. Ghostface Killah is certainly known for wearing a variety of masks, but as with all of his other clan members his best involves a certain producer and seven MCs. The Wu-Tang Clan is in my opinion the most flawless rap group to release a record and in many ways there members do little to disprove that fact with their classic solo records. perhaps the most ambiguous of these solo releases is Ghostface's own "Ironman". basically, the record is a mash up of the synth heavy choruses found on GZA's "Liquid Swords" and the mafia infused darkness of Raekwon's "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx".

dennis coles aka tony starks aka ghostface killah

"Wildflower" is obviously the moment of mastery on this record. a verbal slap to a past flame of Ghostface Killah's the song reminisces about previous encounters ranging from sipping yoo-hoo to breaking furniture while fucking. basically, this is emotional distraught Ghostface which is completely odd considering the years before this release all you had heard from the members of the Wu was essentially about how strong and bad ass they were. "Wildflower" is certainly not sensitive but in a way it is, at least on Ghostface's part. that some girl could effect the same person that has dropped lines like " don't laugh / bag the cash / grab the hash / don't forget his stash / grab the tear gas /and place it in his face fast " in the same way that every man has by a girl, made Ghostface human. is this the reason for Ghost's looming success as a solo artist and his solid credibility since the release of "Ironman"? i can't really say. what i do know is that a man that can express his sadness over losing a girl who he was "the first nigga that had you watchin flicks by DeNiro" in the same way as Ghost does on "Wildflower" must be sincere in a way few are.

ghostface killah's "ironman"

"Ironman" is in a sense Ghostface's coming out party. his love of soul, his intense metaphorical lyrical content, and his personal stories are all shown on this album as they would be on every one that flows it. but something is different on "Ironman". sure, you could blame it on RZA's traditional technique being basically all over it, but i think it is something more. after "Cuban Linx" Ghostface's conceptual edge seemed to be full exposed and so he may have unintentionally made the most "human" Wu-Tang album in attempt to have his debut be different from Raekwon's. where RZA and GZA are obviously poets in their delivery of their stories and beliefs, Ghostface is an every man talking about what every man wants. guns, pussy, and drugs. how can you not dig that?


ghostface killah - ironman (1996)