Instrumental Hip Hop Vinyl 272 Items

We are excited to present Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes’ “What Kinda Music” – an astonishing collaboration between two artists of very different disciplines, and one of the most unique and seamlessly original projects of its ilk to date.

Moving fluidly through sleek electronica, avant-garde jazz, vintage hip hop and so much more, Misch and Dayes take you on a journey that is by turns surprising and spontaneous, heady and head spinning, and nothing less than compelling – a singular vision which fuses the DNA of both musicians with spectacular results, as can be seen in the title track, which comes backed by a gorgeously atmospheric video by XX.

Even though the fundamental bones of this project came together very quickly, its actual provenance stretches back much, much farther back, with the pair not only growing up in the same area of South East London, but Misch actually seeing Dayes play on drums in the school talent show for the first time when he was roughly 8 or 9. They both kept tabs on each other – Misch becoming a fan of Dayes’ act Yussef Kamaal, Dayes clocking his videos in 2014 – but it was only when they met at a launch party for Misch’s debut LP “Geography” in 2018 that the proverbial creative sparks began to fly. “As a musician you’re always looking for contemporaries who can push you and challenge you and make you better”, says Dayes. “I instantly felt that with Tom – he was such a gifted musician, and so prolific”. That summer they decided to go into the studio together, jam a little, and see what happens, with no other expectation placed upon it.

As it turns out, the music came fast and furiously. Two initial tracks were suddenly followed by a handful of others, and the pair found themselves contemplating what to do next. “Pretty soon, we knew that something was gelling”, Dayes says. “It didn’t feel like a one-off collaboration, it felt like a body of work”. What made the pair click, according to Misch and Dayes, were the exact same factors that meant it shouldn’t, by all rights, work. Misch says, “Yussef comes from a more experimental background, and he has a lot of loose, crazy ideas. I know how to write a catchy melody, but with interesting chords and have a good understanding of popular song forms, so I think I streamlined those ideas and made them accessible”. And certainly, in “What Kinda Music” you can sense the DNA of both musicians, but fusing so effortlessly and beautifully that it creates something else entirely, the appropriately named “Lift Off” sending goosebumps with its jazz flecked crescendo, and “Night Rider” hynotising with its deeply mesmeric grooves. “I have a love for harmony and chords”, Misch adds. “Working with someone like Yussef, who has such a gifted sense of rhythm allowed a perfect balance”.

Throughout the record, there is an utterly joyful feel of two musicians at the top of their game sparking off one another, picking up ideas and running with them – zigging where the other zags, ebbing where the other flows, with Misch producing the majority of the record and both having a hand in the overall sound and feel of the record.

“Working with Yussef has actually changed the way I work as a musician”, Misch muses. “He’s pushed me and unlocked a more experimental part of me that I hadn’t really allowed myself to explore before. I think we really did impact each other in a fundamental way”. Dayes is similarly effusive in his praise for Misch. “A musician like him, who’s at the top of his game, he doesn’t need to do this”, he raves. “He can just keep doing the same thing and why not? He’s killing it. The fact that he’s so humble, that he’s so curious about everything and open to collaboration, speaks a lot to him as an artist, because it’s not easy finding musicians who want to collaborate. Something always gets in the way, whether it’s ego or their team or whatever. But with Tom it felt like the intention was purely creative, and that’s what made it exciting”. In fact, Dayes says that the intentions of the record go even deeper than just music. “Both our parents who’d never met each other before, are now best friends as a result of this, they now see each other more than we do! I’d like to think, in some small way, that this album has a similar impact for people too – everything feels so divided these days, it would be nice for people to hear the record and hear two very different musicians coming together and realise it doesn’t have to be that way”.

The album finds the Haitian born, Montreal raised producer delivering on the promise of his early self-released EPs and remixes.

Since the age of fourteen, when he first began to DJ and when his brother introduced him to music production software, his output has been relentless. He explains, “after he showed me the basics, from that day on I couldn’t stop making beats,” pumping out a handful of tracks per day for the next couple of years.

Having released singles like ‘Drive Me Crazy‘ with Vic Mensa and ‘Leave Me Alone‘ with Shay Lia, Kaytranada has since cemented his reputation and his sound; an undeniable swing of the drums comparable to Dilla’s, a signature soulful touch in the melodies, and a healthy dose of funky bass lines.

99.9% features guest turns from Anderson .Paak, Vic Mensa, Little Dragon, Syd, Craig David, Goldlink, Alunageorge, BADBADNOTGOOD and many more.

Fifth pressing, this time via Sekito.

2024 Repress!

The Silhouettes Project a new platform for up and coming Hip-Hop, Soul and Jazz artists from the UK. It is not a record label or management team, it is a community project. The Silhouettes Project provides an open space - a recording studio and live venue located within the Total Refreshment Centre in Hackney, London - where MCs, singers, musicians and producers can connect and create.The Silhouttes Project was founded by community organisers/artists Asher Korner (aka Kosher) and Jaden Osei-Bonsu (Eerf Evil) in 2019. When they told us about the project and played us some of the music we were instantly hooked and joined the collective as label partner. The art direction is executed by Sergio „SagaUno“ Alferez, an acclaimed designer and illustrator from Medellín, Columbia.Starting in September, we release a new single each Thursday from artists like Kofi Stone, Summers Sons, Enny, KeepVibesNear, Manik MC, Lex Amor, Louis The Hippie, Summer-Pearl, Joe Beard and many more.

Here is the story of the Silhouettes Project as told by its founders Jaden and Asher: „We started The Silhouettes Project in February 2019, to shine a light on the new generation ofunderground Hip-Hop, Jazz, and Soul music in the UK. Community is everything to us, and wewanted to show that with a proper support network, access to professional facilities, and theencouragement of a family of artists, our community could produce something incredible. We felt a joint frustration that the current music scene in the UK only had structures in placeto support talent of a certain genre whilst overlooking a buzzing alternative Hip-Hop culture.We wanted to unify artists who are making ground-breaking music but who are in need of asolid structure to work within - artists who we felt deserved more recognition. This led us tothe name ‘The Silhouettes Project’, as we wanted to shine a light on those artists in theshadows. The journey started by embarking on a collaborative album project which allowed us to bringtogether more than 30 artists on a single tape and to create a network of incredibly talentedartists of the same calibre. The album took more than a year, working almost every day at theRoot 73 studio, a community space in Hackney. We knew from the first few sessions that wewere on to something, and the energy around the project kept it moving. As artists ourselves we understood that the creative process can be challenging and sometimesisolating, especially when there is no clear support network to fall back on. This led us to bringour efforts into the physical realm by organising a series of free live music events for all ofthese artists to come to, showcase their work alongside our house band, and connect witheach other. These events take place at The Total Refreshment Centre in Dalston, anunderground studio complex and warehouse space, which gave the events an intimatecommunity feeling and the people a sense of belonging. There is a desperate need for spaces in which people can come together and develop theircreative potential, especially with the consistent withdrawal of funding from the arts sector inthe UK and with the constant threat of gentrification which has seen the closure of countlesscommunity and grassroots creative organisations. As we grew as a brand and organisation, webegan to fully understand the importance of what we were doing. From the studio sessions tothe events, we saw the impact on people’s outlooks on their own careers, we saw them growin confidence in performing and collaborating and even taking their own initiative to utilise thenetwork provided for them. We heard their feedback, we felt the excitement in theatmospheres at our events and studio sessions, and we saw the community grow every timewe brought it together.“

Finally back on wax. Great album feat. Sach of The Nonce, Yesh, Count Bass D, Ladybug Mecca & other fine MCs!

After the 2019 release of their debut album "Dark Smoke", the Danish trio Athletic Progression has gone from strength to strength in Denmark. Multiple sold out shows in DK and abroad, as well two Danish Jazz Award nominations - and even one for Danish musician of the year! - later, the group is now ready to release their next album, an instrumental opus years in the making. Highly recommended for fans of Thundercat, J Dilla, Comet is Coming and the likes.

Edition of 150 Copies.

This modern classic, while previously available only in a plain sleeve, is given the proper treatment of a full color jacket.

Here's another Huubaat nugget that we are very excited about to release. "Momentum" includes a collection of previously unreleased or digtial-only available works incl. the collaboration effort with Flako. The vinyl comes with a lovely soft-touch sleeve.

"Beatnicks Tape": All tracks produced by Hubert Daviz in April/May 2008. The original release "Beatnicks Tape #01" included 13 tracks. These tracks have been released for free download in summer 2008 on the Cologne based record label Up My Alley. The work on this beat tape started as an attempt of getting familiar with one's first own equipment. Original text from the back cover: "lots of vinyl, 1 MPC2500, 1 Microkorg, hands on."

"Damage Is Done": All tracks produced by Flako & Hubert Daviz between December 2007 & June 2008. Unreleased beat tape from the joint collaboration with Flako (going by the name of "Damage Is Done"). The original version was completed by Flako on June 21, 2008 and included 8 tracks. "Woop, Wooop.."

Indie Exclusive * Rock Konducta is the fifth installment in Madlib’s Beat Konducta series. Previous entries include: Beat Konducta : Movie Scenes, Beat Konducta: in India, Beat Konducta: Dil Cosby and Dil Withers Suites and Beat Konducta in Africa. Rock Konducta grabs its source material from various worldwide rock scenes from the 60s through the 80s, from American psychedelia to Germany’s krautrock to acid-soaked Spanish prog to synthy, early-80s oddities. Tied together by Madlib’s unique sensibility, these scenes coalesce into a new whole. Who knew that rock music sounded like this? Well, there’s one obvious answer to that question.

Originally released in 2020 on the leading lo-fi hip-hop label Chillhop Music, ‘On the Rhodes’ is best-known work from Austrian Lo-Fi beat-maker "Mr Kaffer". The recent lo-fi classic is now available on splatter colored vinyl for the first time!

Beat Konducta in Africa is a 37-track instrumental hip-hop album produced & mixed with Madlib, featuring J. Rocc. This album bases itself on the obscure vinyl gems from the afro-beat, funk, psych-rock, garage-rock & soul movements of African countries as diverse as Zambia, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Botswana and Ivory Coast

Madlib follows 420 Chalice All Stars: All Jamaican Sounds with the fifth installment in his Madlib Medicine Show, History of the Loop Digga: 1990-2000. Back in the 90s, "beat tapes," as a Hip Hop producer's demo-reel is now quaintly referred to, were literally that: cassette tapes of beats that a producer made either for himself, his friends, or for potential collaborators. As you can imagine, Madlib made a bunch of ‘em in the days between his early productions for the Alkaholiks (circa ’92) and the release of his Quasimoto album (2000) – after which he took a couple of years off of the beats to focus on making jazz music with his fictional five piece, Yesterdays New Quintet. Bluntlib in the house!

Strictly limited edition of 300 copies.

A creative union of 90s hiphop production techniques, live instrumentation, turntablism and spoken word poetry. Performed by Dan Broak, Herbal Bert and Lion El Hämpton at Odd Funk Records studio under the dope quality control surveillance of the notorious production-duo The Blassics.

“The spiritual successor to The Gospel According To Budgie mixtapes and The Good Book albums with Alchemist. Holy Ghost Zone picks up right where they left blending 90's Gospel with a 2018 bounce.”

Cypress Hill is widely respected and considered to be amongst the main
progenitors of West Coast rap and Hip Hop in the early 1990s.
With mega-hits like “Insane in the Brain”, “I Wanna Get High” or “Tequila
Sunrise” they crossed-over to mainstream breaking all records for a rap
band up until that time. Cypress Hill were the first Latino-American hiphop
group to have RIAA Certified platinum and multi-platinum albums.
As musicians they became famous for the crazy sounds produced by DJ
Muggs and Bobo and the stoner sympathetic lyrics of B-Real and Sen
Dog. They redefined and shattered the boundaries of hip-hop, crafting
gutter-dirty tracks that fused deep bass lines with blissful, stoned-out
melodies and aggressive hard rock riffs, creating a unique imprint.
.
This is an esential and powerful weapon for all the Hip Hop creators and
DJ´s.

Bluestaeb's evolution from a beatmaker to a producer is his sophmore album “Everything is Always a Process”.

He is one of the key figures of a new generation of up and coming HipHop beatmakers, who have emancipated from genre thinking and instead merge old school aesthetics with a new school attitude and organic instrumentation.

Everything Is Always A Process re-iterates Bluestaeb's overall approach to life (and thinking), but also has direct reference to the making of the album itself, which began with moving from Berlin to Paris in 2015 in the search of new influences and a new creative environment.
Created between 2015 and early 2018, EIAAP embodies the process of this transition - as well as collaboration with instrumentalists and vocalists from all over the world and recording in different studios in Paris, London & Berlin.

"Meeting all those musicians and trying out new ways of producing by using real analogue synths, Rhodes, drums and percussion etc. made it possible to overcome the creative boundaries of a home studio with just a midi keyboard" / Bluestaeb

Influenced by Madlib's "Shades Of Blue" and trained in African drum techniques such as Djembé and Daruka, Bluestaeb had been crafting his own beats since his teenage years and gradually found his sound identity through experimenting with HipHop and Jazz – first to be heard by a broader music community in 2013, when he released his debut album "1991 Extraterrestrial" (Radio Juicy). Since then the prolific young artist has released numerous solo and collaboration projects ("B.L.U.E. Friday" in 2015 and „Sidekicks“ with S. Fidelity in 2016). In 2016, he produced collaborative album "LIT - Lost In Translation“ with rapper JuJu Rogers, a keen manifesto against racism, xenophobia and the rise of anti-heroes such as Donald Trump.
Today, Bluestaeb lives and works in Paris and Berlin and is set to release his third solo album “Everything Is Always a Process”, a smooth Neo Soul-induced epic featuring artists such as Noah Slee, Harleighblu and Melodiesinfonie.

Instrumental version now available. AMERIGO GAZAWAY, the man behind BIZARRE TRIBE, YASIIN GAYE & FELA SOUL, brings to life an imagined studio session between Chicago's crowned prince of hip hop COMMON and Motown soul legend STEVIE WONDER. Double vinyl in full picture sleeve, limited to 500 copies.

"Teklife presents Afterlife, the first release on the new Teklife Records label. The album is a celebration of the life and music of the late, great DJ Rashad and features 15 previously unreleased tracks, each a collaboration between DJ Rashad and friends from the Teklife crew and beyond. A limited edition double vinyl will accompany the digital release.

Afterlife is testament to an incredible breadth of influences and love of music with soul, hip-hop, house, techno and many more all brought together at 160bpm. Rashad's presence is felt throughout in the boundless energy and creativity which run through the album, whilst each collaborator brings their personal touch to the compositions.

With such a prolific body of work as both a solo artist and in collaboration with other musicians, it would be impossible to present a definitive collection of DJ Rashad's music and many many classics will remain unreleased for ever.

Afterlife is our tribute to our friend and our inspiration. Rest In Peace DJ Rashad.

A percentage of the profits from the album will be donated to Rashad’s family.

Bluestaeb hooks up with Jakarta for the all new "Rodaquilar" album. Produced, recorded and mixed by Blue, features Blameful Isles on one track.

Classic Nas instrumentals combined on a 2LP, including tracks from his very first LP "Illmatic" as well as bunch of classic cuts like "Affirmative Action", "Hate Me Now" or "Nas Is Like".

Knx, aka Knxwledge, is a beat maker raised in central New Jersey and Philadelphia, now dialing-it-in at home in Los Angeles. "Anthology" is the essential instrumentals curation from the forty some-odd Knx Bandcamp releases 2009-2013.

1988 is the follow up to Knxwledge’s official debut album Hud Dreems (Stones Throw, 2015). The same year Hud Dreems was released Knx worked with Kendrick Lamar on To Pimp a Butterfly, earning the producer his first Grammy. A duo with Anderson .Paak called NxWorries was formed around the same time. Their single “Suede” became a viral hit, vaulting the singer to R&B stardom, and their album Yes Lawd! followed through on that song’s immense promise. Knx and Paak have quietly continued collaborating, and some of the new work is heard on 1988.

A prolific artist in the extreme sense of the word, Knxwledge continues to redefine instrumental hip-hop almost in real-time with a stream of beat tapes numbering in the hundreds on Bandcamp, and video remixes on Instagram.

This prolific output began early. 1988 takes its name from the fact that much of the new record was created that very year, when Knx was an infant. As the story is told, little baby Knx was left alone by his mother for just a few moments and crawled to a family member’s vintage Sp–12 sampler. When his mother returned he had already produced his first beats and nearly mastered the machine. These tracks, all produced before nap time while rocking a Nike diaper, were stored over the years on floppy discs, then brought to his studio in recent months where they were finished up, mixed, and mastered.

In 2018, Meitei shook the ambient world with the release of his debut album “Kwaidan”, a transposition of Japanese folklore into intricate compositions, capturing what he would coin as the “lost Japanese mood”. The album almost instantly received critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork, where it was included in their Best Experimental Albums of 2018, Bandcamp, calling it “different than some of the ambient music that has been coming from Japan in recent years”, The Wire and more. Outside of press, he has also received nods from the likes of Rosalía and has collaborated with contemporaries Anthony Naples, DJ Python, Tourist, Chitose Hajime and more.

Cementing his name in the ambient and experimental world, Meitei has since continued to cultivate devoted fans globally, with monumental follow-up albums as part of his unique musical canon – Komachi, Kofu I and Kofu II, showcasing his immense musicianship in building a unique sonic world of his own.

5 years later and a collaboration between 2 Singaporean labels – Kitchen. Label (Kofu I & II) Evening Chants (Kwaidan), the anniversary sees the highly anticipated special 5th Anniversary Edition of Kwaidan with 2 unreleased bonus tracks. This will come in the long out-of-print vinyl format, with obi strip, 8-panel insert, new colour variant and the first ever CD version.

Mastered by Taylor Deupree, Kwaidan’s 5th Anniversary Edition will be released with 2 bonus tracks on a smoke haze variant LP, CD and digital formats, released via Kitchen. Label and Evening Chants.

NOW PRESSED ON 180 GRAM VINYL!

Cold Busted has navigated the smooth seas to unearth Sailing, the new album from Moroccan guitarist and beat-flinger saib. The Casablanca-based producer has steered his sound into warmer waters. Mixing tempered hip hop beats with jazzy vibes and a lounge sensibility, saib. touches on a style that's both chill and opulent. The album's opener, "Archipelago," sets the scene with gentle piano, swirling strings, and beachside sounds that would make Martin Denny proud. "Tropics" pushes the agenda further, featuring delightful vibraphone lines, stand-up bass, and boom bap beats, providing the perfect soundtrack for poolside cocktails. The sleepy crooning of "Blue Memories," the future-retro sing-a-long of "Mermaid Dreams," and the guitar/vibes interplay of "Pastel" provide other highlights. Sailing's twelve songs show saib. as an artist capable of bringing a sunny climate to any listening environment.

Oddisee's finest instrumental album to date. A Hiphop, Electro-Soul classic.

More digging in the gospel section...

Possibly less obscure but definitely deeper. Made up of tracks that were started in Wyoming for Kanye/Sunday Service and then finished in LA and transposed to this project…

Includes 7 tracks exclusive to the vinyl release.

1988 is the follow up to Knxwledge’s official debut album Hud Dreems (Stones Throw, 2015). The same year Hud Dreems was released Knx worked with Kendrick Lamar on To Pimp a Butterfly, earning the producer his first Grammy. A duo with Anderson .Paak called NxWorries was formed around the same time. Their single “Suede” became a viral hit, vaulting the singer to R&B stardom, and their album Yes Lawd! followed through on that song’s immense promise. Knx and Paak have quietly continued collaborating, and some of the new work is heard on 1988.

A prolific artist in the extreme sense of the word, Knxwledge continues to redefine instrumental hip-hop almost in real-time with a stream of beat tapes numbering in the hundreds on Bandcamp, and video remixes on Instagram.

This prolific output began early. 1988 takes its name from the fact that much of the new record was created that very year, when Knx was an infant. As the story is told, little baby Knx was left alone by his mother for just a few moments and crawled to a family member’s vintage Sp–12 sampler. When his mother returned he had already produced his first beats and nearly mastered the machine. These tracks, all produced before nap time while rocking a Nike diaper, were stored over the years on floppy discs, then brought to his studio in recent months where they were finished up, mixed, and mastered.

Here's my new EP called unexpected I already had chosen the title but unfortunately my dad died unexpected so this is for you dad, I hope you found peace I love you - Eevee.

Without sampling any breaks or loops, Funky DL has created the perfect audio tribute to arguably the greatest group in Hip-Hop history by remaking the beautiful sounds of A Tribe Called Quest's 1993 classic album "Midnight Marauders". The original album is considered a staple in the linear of Hip-Hop history and is the album that lead Funky DL to pursue his own two-decade career in the world of rap music. DL's new tribute serves as a beautifully presented homage for A Tribe Called Quest and Funky DL fans alike.

Radio Juicy presents Private Barrel Selection, the new album by Max I Million and Nocatchphraze. These two talented producers worked together internationally to bring us this collab, as Max I Million hails from Stockholm, Sweden, and Nocatchphraze is based out of Houston, Texas. The album has been in the process over the past couple years, but the two were able to find time to finalize it during lockdown.

Private Barrel Selection is an album that draws from many different influences, including funk, hip hop, disco, old school boom-bap and R&B. You can feel the unique touch of the two producers, making the album wide in perspective while still being a very focused and unique piece of work. Vintage vibes are present throughout the entire release, giving us the feeling that this one is an instant classic.

Private Barrel Selection seeks to evoke the feeling of a good time, enjoying a glass of aged whisky in a comfy chair while listening to a record player. The double entendre here is also that each of these tracks were matured and groomed to perfection, resulting in music of the finest caliber.

On 11 October 2010, Brainfeeder released the debut album by a 23 year old ex-skater, painter and music producer from Chino Hills called Teebs (real name Mtendere Mandowa). The title 'Ardour' means great enthusiasm, love or passion and was a fitting descriptor for his inherently warm, lushly textured beats. It’s an undisputed classic in the Brainfeeder canon and more widely considered an essential chapter in the ever-evolving puzzle of the global “beat scene”.

Brainfeeder and Teebs are celebrating the 10th anniversary with a limited special edition reissue of this landmark record. Pressed on deep pink 2LP and housed in a beautiful gatefold sleeve with artwork by Teebs himself, the new edition features six previously unreleased bonus tracks.

With roots at the ‘My Hollow Drum’ collective, Dublab and Low End Theory, Teebs has been a staple in Los Angeles music. “My creative family in LA is so important,” he explains. “It’s a part of who I am when I step outside and how others in LA view me. I love the feeling of community and trying to understand how I can be useful in it.”

Following 'Ardour' (2010), Teebs released 'Collections' (2011), 'Estara' (2014) and, after a 5 year hiatus, his most recent album 'Anicca' in 2019, with the help of a host of musical friends including Panda Bear (Animal Collective), Sudan Archives, Ringgo Ancheta aka MNDSGN, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and Anna Wise. Universally acclaimed, Pitchfork gave 'Anicca' a glowing 7.8 review hailing Mandowa’s “effortless, shape-shifting tracks that make time stand still.” Meanwhile, FADER described the record as “deeply atmospheric... cool-headed and uncanny.”

Limited edition of 300 copies!

Over the last two decades, 20syl has crafted a unique, hip-hop infused, electro musical universe. He inherited a rich musical knowledge and a genuine understanding of analog and vintage sounds form years of classic beat making. He first got his start with Hocus Pocus, a band he founded in 1995. As the mastermind behind the band’s five LPs, including their Gold Record Place 54, 20syl has proved himself to be a visionary artist. A member of C2C - a turntablist quartet with whom he has won 4 DMC world titles – he took the genre mainstream with the groundbreaking album Tetra (2012). This successful opus was rewarded with 4 French Grammys and a Double Platinium Record.

In 2014, 20syl launched his solo career while still working with a few hand picked underground artists such as Grems, Raashan Ahmad and Blitz the Ambassador. In the recent years the prolific producer has taken his trademark overseas with popular remixes of ScHoolboy Q, Rihanna, and King Krule – setting up a booming environment for the 2014 release of his anticipated first solo EP, Motifs.

Co-founder of On And On Records, 20Syl has imposed himself as a flagship of the expanding new scene. Passionate about visual arts, 20Syl designs his artwork and direct his music videos.

A free electron, he seduces the public with his sharp identity and his ability to turn his own original creations into major musical trends.

Reprint of this classic hip-hop / beats EP by 20Syl, beatmaker maestro, former member of Hocus Pocus & C2C.

Technically, Syrup are a hip-hop group with unmistakable leanings towards soul and jazz. The group consists of an MC (Turt), a pianist/singer (C.Tappin) and a beatmaker (Twit One). Their music is rooted in the tradition of collectives like Native Tongues and Soulquarians, and they have come up with a pretty appropriate term to describe their sound, which is “cool bap”. But if we put formalities aside and look at the bigger picture, Syrup are also a perfect example of how music can connect people beyond national borders, language and tradition. And furthermore, how Afro-American culture has influenced not only the musical taste but the views and opinion-making of generations of young people worldwide. The sheer existence of Syrup is also a big fat “Fuck Brexit!” which makes the group even more likeable. The story of Syrup begins in 2015 when Twit One is booked to play a dj gig in Bristol. Twit One is a producer, DJ, radio host, record friend and former bass-player from Cologne (where he also co-owns the Groove Attack Record Store). He is a member of a small group of pioneering producers, who during the 2010s laid the foundation for the European beat-scene as we know it today. Inspired by the likes of Dilla and Madlib these guys made it look cool to not be the rapper. And they recorded some pretty dope music, too, which we had the honour to release via Melting Pot Music as the “Hi-Hat Club” series (a title that Twit came up with). During that night in Bristol, Twit got acquainted with two young men by the name of Turt and C.Tappin. Two childhood friends who had moved from London to Bristol for their studies and had been avid fans of Twit's music for some time. “Back in Cologne, Twit told me about these MCs from Bristol with whom he might record some tracks” Olski remembers, “Needless to say that I never heard about them again until summer 2017 when the annual Radio Love Love boat party was about to happen and Turt and Tappin were actually coming over for the first time, to party and to rock the mic. A couple of months later we released “Hay Luv” a new Twit album that featured Turt and Tappin on two songs. On their next visit, the two were accompanied by Turt's brother Slim, a very talented beatmaker and one half of Summers Sons. We spent some quality time while mastering the ‘Undertones’ EP (including remixes by Twit One, FloFilz and Cap Kendricks) and shooting the album cover at the Groove Attack record store basement. Since then we released two more album by Summers Sons (“Uhuru” - a joint project with Tappin and “The Rain”), C.Tappin's debut EP “Ashes To Ashes” (with remixes by Reginald Omas Mamode IV, Hulk Hodn & Slim) and a Koop beat tape by Slim. During the same time, Twit recorded two albums: “Dispo To Dispo” as Flatpocket (a project with Lazy Jones) and “Two”, the long awaited follow up to the very first Hi-Hat Club album as Testiculo Y Uno (with Hulk Hodn).” In 2018, Turt and Tappin moved back to London (the Lightworks headquarter is now located in Streatham). They toured with Children of Zeus and shared stages with artists like Melodiesinfonie and FloFilz. But it wasn't until Brexit before the long talked about super group finally became a reality. At the final recording sessions in September 2019 we already knew that the next Eurostar ride would be a different one. Now with Covid-19 we have no clue when all three members of the group will be in the same room again – let alone rock a stage together. But fortunately, we were sitting on a big pile of great singles that we released over the summer months. The album “Rosy Lee” will follow in late September.

It's been four years since Sweatbox Dynasty, the fourth solo LP from Pennsylvanian experimentalist Tobacco. In that time, Tom Fec's project has toured with Nine Inch Nails, provided the theme song to HBO series Silicon Valley, and teamed with Aesop Rock for a collaborative album as Malibu Ken. He now returns to Ghostly International for Hot Wet & Sassy, a full-length album oozing with his most playful and approachable songs to date, which, conversely, express notions of antilove, self-hate, and disappointment in others. Pop impulses have always surged beneath the surface of his sound - blown-out bass, analog synths, drum machines, and Fec's unmistakable analog gurgle and hiss - here they've bubbled to the top. "I feel like it's the most I've been able to refine what I'm doing," says Fec. "For the past decade I've had this motherfxcker on my shoulder that makes me pick away at structure and melody. Purposely covering up moments because I can. That really came to a peak on Sweatbox. So I wanted the opposite this time. Write the songs without ripping them in half. I went from 'what would the Butthole Surfers do?' to 'what would Cyndi Lauper do?'" And what would Trent Reznor do? Fec found his answer straight from the source. Their collaborative track, "Babysitter," fuses their voices into one deranged presence: "I'm the new babysitter," they alert, before pivoting into a menacingly saccharine bridge. The track tumbles on a tom fill, then a punishing synth line rips into a cacophony of drums and feedback like a lawnmower gnawing through the living room carpet. "This was new for me, but I wanted to write a song that was everything I am and have been, and then like one notch further. Trent was the notch further," adds Fec. The collaboration is a work of alchemy seamlessly blending Tobacco's trademarks with Reznor's industrial rust and sonic gore. Downcast, sincere, woozy, "Jinmenken" might be the closest Fec has come to a ballad. "Maybe you can find me down the line," his vocoded delivery bounces along the beat. "It's me trying to write a Jets song," says Fec. Album opener "Centaur Skin" presents the stylistic concoction that has been the Tobacco MO from the beginning, crossing dreamy melodic shimmer with the sinister tones and slime. This has become easier to digest, but also far more potent. A motorik beat steadies the track's galloping arpeggio, acting as a springboard for Fec's dark ruminations as well as an uncharacteristically crystalline synth solo. "It's my feel good self hate anthem. Don't worry, I'm good. It was fun to write." Tobacco hasn't been reinvented, but it has been refined and distilled. Brighter, sharper, and far more dangerous because of it. Hot Wet & Sassy is practically staring at the sun without shades and feeling those corneas roast. Everything looks good as your vision fades. The pop-forward structures exert their undeniable hooks with baneful precision, pulling listeners into their clutches; once there, sugary melody rewards submission.

Strictly limited edition of 300 copies on black vinyl. Kutmah's "Isolation Tapes" contains a sweet selection of tracks from his Bandcamp tapes Volume 1-4 made while on lockdown in Berlin. The project is named after one of his favourite Joy Division songs and shows the variety of musical influences of Kutmah. Tip!

The vinyl edition is limited to 300 copies and comes in a sealed heavy old-fashioned cardboard sleeve. A free download code plus a BJINT logo sticker round up the packaging.

Next up on Beat Jazz International is "Jazzpercesek" by Budapest-based producer Savages with features by Dil Maddy, Sakura, Charles Brown and Michael Simmons aka The Professor. The vinyl edition includes two bonus tracks which are not available digitally.

4 drum heavy, dystopian instrumentals on a limited edition 45 in picture sleeve

As a multidisciplinary artist, Evidence is able to effortlessly express his creativity in many forms. From his early success, rapping in the seminal independent hip-hop group, Dilated Peoples, before excelling as a solo artist, to earning praise as an esteemed photographer, to becoming a Grammy-award winning producer, it’s clear that Evidence has an ability to achieve greatness in his creative endeavors. No matter what discipline he chooses to explore, all of his compositions are lauded as both cutting edge and familiar.

Following the vein of his earlier beat-tape series (Yellow Tape Instrumentals, Green Tape, Red Tape, etc.), Evidence continues his production legacy with a brand new series to raise the bar. Squirrel Tape Instrumentals Vol. 1 is a 26-track collection of unreleased instrumentals, packed full of emotive melodies woven into hard-hitting drum breaks. Each beat transports the listener to a hypnotic state of nostalgia, perfect for study sessions or writing your own hits.

As a special treat, the vinyl has been pressed on three different, limited colors of vinyl, and packaged at random, so opening the record is just the first of many pleasant surprises in store for you. Also available on three different colors of cassette tape to rock your box.

Just like the front teeth of a squirrel, Ev’s growth is never-ending.

Originally released on Dusted Wax Kingdom in 2010, Late Night Headphones Vol. 1 is the first part of a three part series from multi-genre producer Esbe. Esbe is based in Los Angeles, and through releases on Dusted Wax Kingdom, Cult Classic, and Cold Busted (which issued his acclaimed album Bloomsday), he’s proven his sublime beat-making acumen. Esbe’s forte is atmospheric instrumental production, incorporating cut-up jazz and soul samples mixed into an intricate and tasty sonic stew.

“Heart’s Treasure” sets the tone with lost-in-time jazz snatches and bluesy vocals beaming in like a distant transmission, anchored by head-nod beats. This sound is developed through “Overflow,” evoking a playful summertime vibe as casual melodies and crunchy drums are layered through the tune’s progress. “Chant For Love” presents a tougher beat, offset by gentle guitar chords and a delightfully dreamy vocal hook. And “Dark Shade Of Blue” shows a futuristic side to Esbe’s production, utilizing pulsing pads and voice hits to soundtrack a lonely spacewalk.

These are just a few highlights from the 18 track Late Night Headphones Vol. 1. The entire album is exquisite, and with this re-release signaling the album’s first appearance on physical formats — including double vinyl, cassette, and CD — there will be a whole new slew of fans discovering Esbe’s sonic palette.

Limited edition of 400 handnumbered copies! Dumbo Station is a dope nu-jazz ensemble out of Roma, Italy!

The producer’s own mixes – recently rediscovered – of his seminal EP, expanded with bonus tracks and now available in a special instrumental edition.

When Ruff Draft saw its initial release in 2003, J Dilla possessed production skills on par with anyone in hip-hop – technically and creatively. “At the top of his game,” says longtime friend and collaborator, Karriem Riggins. After years of building while modestly deferring to others of both greater and lesser notoriety, Dilla finally completed the first solo endeavor on his own label, entirely on his own terms. The significance of such an autonomous success often gets overlooked, and partly accounts for why Ruff Draft is one of the lesser-referenced entries in Dilla’s oeuvre. “It’s a mysterious little project,” says his mother, Maureen Yancey. “But out of his entire career, that was the happiest time.”
Prior to recording the EP, Dilla found himself at a crossroads. Estranged from his label, MCA, and separated from the mother of his youngest daughter, frustration abounded both personally and professionally. Dilla spent parts of 2002 and 2003 working on an album for MCA that featured his rapping over contributions from other producers with whom he had connected and whose music he respected. At the time, he was known primarily for his beats, yet reviled for his MCing by most anyone not from his hometown of Detroit. The project was to be an intentional freak of the industry.
The project would go on to spur his collaborative album with Madlib, Jaylib, and would first showcase the template that he would take to his greatest heights with 2006’s Donuts. The Stones Throw reissue of Ruff Draft from 2008 featured remixes of the songs from the album, done without Dilla’s involvement. This version of the album takes Dilla’s recently discovered mixes of the album and restores his vision for the project.

“The womb is The Stargate of Humanity” says Ras G, relating to the concept of his latest proper full-length – an astral ode to woman. “Stargate Music is a record that I livicated to the Womb-man…to the Vagina, The Stargate from which beings emanate life on this planet. I gathered these sound pieces and presented it as a reflection of the life cycle of beings on this planet.”

G has always been more to us than an influential L.A. beatmaker, but rather the luminary with an infectiously heartfelt zero-fucks-given philosophy towards raw experimentation in the Los Angeles underground producer scene since the early 2000s.

“From The Primordial Water Formation we flow thru The Stargate….and one’s great journey reconnecting and returning to the sweet nectar that is The Stargate….and this is the soundtrack to the journey.”
-Ras G

Money $ex Records is the collaborative venture between Max Graef, Glenn Astro & Delfonic. The Berlin-based label’s exploits showcase a crooked blend of influence and originality, with releases from the likes of Christopher Rau, Knowsum, Gerry Franke, IMYRMIND, Alex Seidel, Hodini and Kickflip Mike, as well as its founders.

The label’s focus is on artist releases. LPs as well as EPs, exploring everything from Electronic Funk to Psychedelic Jazz and Contemporary Dance Music thrown in for good measure.

Speakthru, his first album on Jakarta Records, is a testament to the connective power of music. Transcending musical boundaries, Flo managed to bring together a wide range of MCs to feature on his tracks such as LA's own Blu and Co$$ up to Norway's Ivan Ave and London's Barney Artist, including a half-dozen of powerful instrumentals sprinkled in between.

Out of print El-Aylien Volume 1 & 2 cassettes on Leaving Records now resurfacing on wax!