Hip Hop / R&B Recommendations August 2012

Review: Zaar is the other name for a little someone called Axel Boman, who is usually more acquainted with the looped-out deep house tricks, but his arrival on Hypercolour is more than highly awaited! "The Clock Strikes Back" fuses Timbaland's notorious hip-hop lyrics with a sweltering bassline capable of all things great. "Notorious Disco" sees Zaar create a strange but wonderful R&B vibe, and "Silly Ho" is actually the more discoid of the two - injecting Biggie's lyrics into the funky pile of drums and melodies. Lastly, "Bones Thug N The Jaguar" is a pretty clear homage to one famous hip-hop group - forming an unexpected dancehall tune from an artist who obviously has many tricks up his sleeve.

Review: Ever since making his mark as part of Cypress Hill affiliates The Whooliganz at the tail end of the 1990s, Alan "The Alchemist" Maman has been on a fast track to underground hip-hop superstardom. Here, he takes a break from working with the likes of Ghostface Killah and Mobb Deep to lay down his umpteenth solo set. With a distinctly psychedelic feel and beats that flit from jazzy and casual to quirky and wonky, it's an entertaining set. Loosely based around a cold war theme, Russian Roulette jumps between memorable vocal cuts (the cast of supporting rappers is immense), cheeky skits, decidedly fuzzy instrumental wig-outs and even a rock opera style suite of tracks. As a result, it sounds like Paul's Boutique after a boot load of acid.