Back catalogue: Hip Hop/R&B

Review: A rarely legit example of raw hip house from Chicago's Tyree & Ungkel Huud, who are, well and truly, tired of this BS - by which they mean illegitimate house music of the wannabes' kind. MC Tyree buckles up for a challenging but knocked-out-the-park verse glided over four mixes, from Wade Teo's opener to an acid killer, decrying the falsity of upstart house producers: "get out my house! You been here too long... matter fact, you can kiss my..." With an instrumental mix on the flip too, you can be sure for a fiery start to your next vocal-soaked DJ set.

Review: Although they would go on to become one of New York's most iconic hip-hop crews, the Ultramagnetic MC's were fresh-faced newcomers when they first popped up on Next Plateau Records - an imprint better-known for its proto-house and post-boogie releases - in 1986 with debut single "Ego Trippin". As this first ever seven-inch edition proves, it remains a stone cold classic: a heavy, stripped-back "golden era" gem in which the group's multiple MC's aim to get the party started over an iconic beat and weighty electronic bassline. As with the original version, it comes backed by flipside "Funky Potion", a scratch-happy, similarly constructed number full to bursting with effervescent rhymes, crunchy beats and distinctive bass.

Review: This is the second reissue of godlier standard early rap and hip hop work from The Ultramagnetic MCs that is out this month. "Traveling At The Speed Of Thought" comes from their debut Critical Beatdown album in 1989 and is a real hard hitting tune stuffed with all sorts of punchy breaks that are easily recognisable and have since been heavily sampled by the likes of The Beastie Boys. The Ultramagnetic MC's were pioneers of hip hop in the late '80s and this shows why with its confident lyrical flow, big beats and brash vibes. Mr Bongo, of course, always do it right and that's the truth again here with this vital 7".

Review: The Ultramagnetic MCs, a pioneering hip-hop group from the Bronx, NYC, are celebrated for their innovative sampling, complex rhymes, and surreal lyrical style. Founded by Kool Keith, the group also includes Ced Gee, TR Love and Moe Love, with Tim Dog joining unofficially in 1989. Their track 'A Chorus Line,' initially the B-side of a single, quickly became one of their standout hits, introducing Tim Dog to the scene, while the instrumental from 'A Chorus Line' was later reworked for Tim Dog's controversial debut single, 'F--- Compton,' produced by Ced Gee, which played a significant role in igniting the East Coast/West Coast rivalry of the 1990s. This 7" release features both parts 1 and 2 of 'A Chorus Line,' offering a glimpse into the early days of Ultramagnetic MCs and their influential role in hip-hop history, capturing the raw energy and groundbreaking creativity that defined their legacy.

Review: If you are a true boon-bap obsessive you will know that The U.M.C.'s 'One To Grow On' is a prime cut form that sounds heyday back in 1991. It sounds as good now though all these years later and is still the sort of dusty, infectious vibe that new school producers so often try and ape. You can't beat the OGs though and whether you go for the a-side with the hard bars or the more sunny and carefree flip with its sunny flutes and crisp breaks, then this is a 7" for you.

Review: German hardcore band Urge drops their fiery single 'Brainwashed'. After one year of work on this remix, Canadian rapper Abdominal, known for his work with DJ Format, is heard rhyming over a heavy Mo'Wax-esque beat produced by Smoove, including skilled cuts by Berlin-based turntablist and DJ Robert Smith. Together, they've built a deep-sounding monster of a tune. The 7", which sits in a Japanese Katta round inner sleeve, includes the original song, as well as bonus beats n' breaks for all the DJs.

Review: UZOO brings their raw energy and smart lyricism to new this new single which comes on Ill Adrenaline Records from the US. This project highlights the collective's dynamic sound which blends gritty beats and sharp, thought-provoking lyrics which add up to a refreshing take on hip-hop while staying rooted in the genre's golden era influences. 'Attack' hits hard with heavy, precise drums and gravelly vocals next to a mix of string samples, dark soul synths and eerie melodies that float way up above the drums.

Review: Throughout is a new and exciting label out of Kyoto that impresses once more here with a brilliantly cool new collaboration between Jungle Brothers' Sensational and the producer Unbuilt. The former has laid down endless amounts of interesting sounds over the years and Poiesis now joins those hallowed ranks. It is aptly described as "a paranoid party-starter cast against a menacing greyscale backdrop of impressive dystopian grandeur." The production from Sensational is on point and a mix of basted and dubbed out while the bars remind of early underground rap greats - like Def Jux rewired through a more contemporary sound.

Review: Veteran French hip-hop producer Ugly Mac Beer ventures into synth-punk with this new album. A passion project conceived in his teens, this record embodies three decades of musical ambition and collides post-punk, electro-punk, darkwave and new wave with US hip-hop and rap rock. Influences like Beastie Boys, The Cure, Kraftwerk and Sleaford Mods resonate throughout and collaborations with Princess Superstar-whose hit 'Perfect' recently resurged on TikTok-French rapper Mynameisleonidas, Frustration's vocalist and longtime ally The Real Fake MC, Broken Ill is a bold trip. Ugly Mac Beer reinvents himself here by delivering a daring UK-inspired rap rock gem that defies convention.

Review: Harkening back to some of the best and earliest hip-hop to grace the earth, 'Ced Gee and Kool Keith' from a reunited Ultramagnetic MCs is a paramount example of the rap game's early ideal of gregariousness and ostentation. A throwback to when it was baggy tracksuits and giant clocks; these two primordial rappers work through new funk samples, car bonnet-bumping thumps and dizzying lyricism on an EP that errs more on the playful side than the 'gangsta'.

Review: US3's debut album Hand On The Torch was a landmark record when it dropped back in 1993. At a time when the world was getting to grips with sample culture, Blue Note reached out to the London-based crew and gave them access to the archives. With such a rich pool of source material, they got busy strapping iconic breaks and licks from one of the great jazz stables to crisp beats. There's a lot of ground covered, with hip-hop jams sidling up alongside funky beatdowns and plenty more besides. It's a stone cold classic given the reissue treatment, bringing the likes of 'Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)' back to life for a new generation.

Review: Usher's fourth studio album Confessions, released on 23 March 2004 via Arista Records, solidified his position as a leading voice in r&b. The album blends smooth ballads with up-tempo tracks, drawing on dance pop, hip-hop, and crunk influences, with themes of infidelity and heartbreak sparking speculation about Usher's personal life, producer Jermaine Dupri later clarifying much of the material was based on his own experiences. Confessions went on to become one of Usher's defining works, balancing intimate storytelling with chart-topping hits.

Review: Hydeout Productions continue their full comprehensive recataloguing of Nujabes' work, not only those of his immediate productions, but also the works of the lives of others whom he'd touched through collaboration. Saxophonist Uyama Hiroto was a frequent collaborator of Nujabes', appearing as early on in the latter's storied career as 1996's Modal Soul; it may be said that this mere fact was enough to launch Hiroto's career in his own right, and his debut record A Son Of The Sun is a testament to this fact, evidencing Hiroto's preoccupation with themes of freedom and heliophilia. This debut has Nujabes' unmistakable mix thumbprints all over it, but the headspace is decidedly polished and yet more expansive, and is all produced by Hiroto despite the association and similarity; his saxophone shines best and most brightly non-hip-hop cuts such as 'Climbed Mountain'.

Review: It's been seven years since Freeform Jazz was released as a new frontier for Uyama Hiroto. Now hearing Japanese label Roph return to the jazz and hip-hop artist receive a second round of recognition, we get a thorough reminder of the directions in which jazz can be taken when not mired neither sophistry nor overcomplexity; the liners on this one remind us, likewise, of the reversals and flip-sides of every substance on Earth, that "If there is no movement, there is no stillness, and on the flip side, if there is no stillness, there is no movement." Hiroto's last record, Freeform Jazz, was his obverse side to Breath Of Love; one is duskier than the other, but the works are inseparable - so make sure you listen to the former too. Here though, we hear Hiroto synergise with participating artists Substantial and J Soul, both based in Virginia, as well as Marter and Reinaria; all the artists reign supreme over one wax side each, casting a healthful vocal light over Hiroto's otherwise impeccable recordings, as though they were each happily-ever-after kingdoms anointed in sound.