Review: 'Departures' is one of the most renowned singles by the Japanese band Globe, originally released in 1996. The track achieved significant success and became the group's second number-one hit on Oricon's weekly chart and went on to sell a total of a rather astonishing, especially in comparison to these digital times, 2.2 million copies, making it one of Japan's best-selling singles. Now the tune gets reissued on 7" and is a raw, dense pop-rock tune that comes with a bonus cut on the flip.
Review: There isn't much info out there about Goto but on this evidence he is a well school artist with a love of contemporary R&B and classic hip-hop. He brings both together while rapping in Japanese about who knows what, but the end result reminds us of a classic MC Solar joint. 'Feelin' is all lo fi sounds and heart melting chords that are romantic and heartfelt, then 'My Summer Goes On' gets more crunchy in its beat work. Noodling sax leads bring the warmth, the piano are that bit more playful and once again the result is superb.
Water Jet Escape Team (feat GrandScheme & HimLo) (3:31)
Wanted For Collateral Trade (Big Gamble) (2:15)
Contract Knife Killing (3:06)
Lo'cean'z 11 (feat DJ Exes) (2:51)
Side Road Homicidez (3:02)
Mallz UnderSeige (3:05)
Review: Da Buze Bruvaz are a hardcore rap duo from Philadelphia, consisting of Him-LO and Clever One. Known for their outlandish, non-politically correct, and gritty lyrics, they owe much of this influence to their former memberhip of New York posse The LoLifes, founded by Thirstin Howl III. Gunz Knivez & Nunchuckz carries out what the title implies; Clever One's lyrical skills and Giallo Point's grimy production combine to produce a cinematic, action-packed sound, be that via the sinister mover 'Vizable Ghost Gunz' or the hilarious, film-referencing 'Lo'ceanz 11'. A must-have for fans of hardcore hip hop and boom bap.
Review: 90s pop favourite Gabrielle's Find Your Way was released in 1993 and was the debut studio album that established her as one of the UK's standout r&b and soul artists of the era. Now reissued, it features the hit single 'Dreams,' which topped the UK charts. The album blends smooth soul with pop and dance influences while Gabrielle's distinctively husky voice, emotive delivery, and relatable lyrics about love, heartbreak, and self-empowerment continue to resonate widely. Tracks like 'Going Nowhere' and 'I Wish' are further proof of her skills and help make her a major voice in British pop.
Review: Galcher Lustwerk is one of those artists who has a completely diehard fan base. And for good reason, he is an idiosyncratic producer who collides myriad different sounds. Rap, funk, blues, beatboxing, techno, electro and bass are all fair game to him. His fist ever mixtape was a stream of sonic consciousness that has never before been released on vinyl. But now Ghostly International step up and press it to two 12"s, with both black and coloured green versions as well as a CD version available. It was a fine announcement of his arrival back then and still stands apart today.
Take Flight (feat Big Shug & Freddie Foxxx - Militia part 4) (2:56)
Bless The Mic (2:37)
Review: A new album from Gang Starr is no joke, 16 years on from the last after Guru's passing in 2010. With DJ Premier on the beats, you need not question the quality spilling out of the speakers throughout this powerful return from one of hip-hop's holy grails. The spots showing some of the late Guru's skills act as a bittersweet reminder of his lyrical gift and that voice, but the space he left behind is amply filled out by a hit list of guest spots on the mic. MOP, Q-Tip, Jeru The Damaja, Talib Kweli - as if any of these legends would pass up the chance to lend their bars to this late entry from hip-hop royalty.
Review: Real rap heads will know that in the mid-90s, Memphis was the centre of an intriguing scene. It boasted a ton of great artists who all helped foment a raw, hard-hitting style with direct lyrics that revealed plenty about life on the local streets. Gangsta Blac's Breakin Da Law is a record from that time which gets reissued here and takes you right back to energy of Memphis at that time. With its pounding beats, eerie synths and relentless flows, the tracks capture the gritty realities of street life and rebellion while Gangsta Blac's commanding delivery and vivid storytelling paint a picture of survival and defiance that still resonates while channelling the spirit of the Dirty South and Southern hip-hop's golden era.
Review: You will always have a job second-guessing where The Gaslamp Killer might go next. This time, it is to a new collaborative album with Jason Wool. ANANDA find the pair cooking up 33 minutes of avant-garde experimental jazz underpinned by heavy bass and topped with plenty of sound design madness that calls to mind the likes of Stanley Clark, David Axelrod and Aphex Twin. The synapse firing collage of 'Chaos In The Brain' is a great example of the joys of this record - organic and synthetic, chaotic yet calm. It's a real treat.
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