Rhymesayers US Schallplatten & CDs

Review: Aesop Rock x Blockhead's Garbology album was a huge success and so it makes sense that the label now follows it up with a new issue of the instrumentals. It's a tidy package across four sides of coloured vinyl in a nice spot-varnished sleeve. Musically it is a brilliantly mixed bag that takes in myriad niche sounds and styles. The opener is a deep soul cut with pensive chords while 'Jazz Hands' (Instrumental) suspends you in swirling synths and spring-day optimism and 'Wolf Piss' (Instrumental) has heavier, darker beats and more menacing string sounds.

Review: Legendary producer Ant, who you will most likely know for his work with Atmosphere, showcases his talent once more here with Collection of Sounds: Vol. 4. This release highlights his years of dedication to his craft and is a great mix of fresh ideas with his signature style. While previous volumes explored hip-hop, funk and reggae, Vol. 4 introduces rock-inspired elements such as wailing guitars, though it still maintains a firm foundation in hip-hop. Tracks like 'Hearing In Dark Colors' and 'Created With a Heavy Brush' display his mastery of diverse styles while 'Day After 2010' offers an unexpected vibe that helps confirm Ant's status in the scene.

Review: This renowned hip-hop producer (and also half of Atmosphere) is a founding member of Rhymesayers Entertainment. His decades-spanning career includes work with MF DOOM, Brother Ali, Murs and more after he was raised in a military family with a deep love for records. Ant's eclectic influences shine in Collection of Sounds, a four-volume instrumental series that his instalment three here and has been carefully curated from his vast archive. It mixes up intimate, haunting tracks with expansive, venue-filling beats. Some compositions invite vocalists yet remain deeply personal and overall, rather than reinventing things, Ant reconfigures his past while staying true to his artistic roots.

Review: First released in 1999, Operation: Doomsday is widely considered one of the most influential albums in hip hop history. The debut studio album from the enigmatic, metal-mask-wearing British-American East Coast rapper, Operation: Doomsday is significant in that it marks the artist's first move into solo work, following previous releases as part of the group KMD. Featuring Doom's signature intricate wordplay, cartoon samples, lo-fi production values, 80s soul vocals, smooth jazz loops, and vintage drum breaks, this album draws on the weight of the artist's personal tragedies with frank lyrics and piercing rhymes. This is the release that makes it undeniably clear why MF Doom has regularly been lauded as the crucial player of underground and alternative hip hop in the 2000s.