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Nothing But Net presents “Perceptions”, the debut LP from Los Angeles producer/beat maker Jamma-Dee aka Dyami O’Brien. Jamma-Dee has been a figure in the west coast modern funk and boogie scene, both as an accomplished DJ and music producer, having released records under his own name and producing for the likes of Joyce Wrice, Mndsgn and others.

From a musical upbringing in Los Angeles, Dyami’s adolescent obsession with record digging and beatmaking eventually led him to Dam-Funk’s renown Funkmosphere parties where he built friendships with key players in the LA funk scene and began to make a name for himself as a DJ and producer. In the second half of the 2010’s he released a series of EPs on Arcane and hosted the legendary Soul In Paradise show on NTS radio.

His first full-length, “Perceptions” is a long time in the making. Beginning with studio experiments nearly a decade ago, a version of the album found its way to producer and Nothing But Net label boss Onra, who helped guide the project to completion. The album artwork was created by outsider soul music conceptualist and painter, Mingering Mike, whom O’Brien felt compelled to reach out to after discovering his work years earlier. Thematically, the artwork, record, and its title touch on very modern themes: the alienation of life in a world of instant-gratification, an overly-connected society of masks, distorted realities and shifting identities.

Musically, “Perceptions” is the culmination of a life lived under the groove. Featuring a long list of collaborators, including Benedek, Mndsgn, Koreatown Oddity, the legendary Craig T. Cooper and fellow NBN labelmate, Devin Morrison, the double album touches on all of O’Brien’s musical influences. Album opener “Up N Down” sets the scene with it’s syrupy g-funk impressionism, before “Jamma’s Jam” bounces out of the speakers through an auburn-colored sunset haze of lush Rhodes chords and sparkling vibraphones. “It Takes A Freak” and “Datafile Groove” shuffle westward, re-imagining New Jack Swing grooves through a distinctly Californian lens. Elsewhere, the album touches on classic deep house rhythms (“Tic Toc” and “Silly”) and crystalline, downtempo R&B and UK street soul (“Joy”, “Saturday”).“U.R.” features legendary L.A. guitarist Craig T. Cooper laying down a network of stunning, silken guitar lines with absolute class.

Over the course of these 15 tracks, Jamma Dee consolidates, renovates and perpetuates the sound of his influences. “Perceptions” is a masterclass in modern funk and soul production.

Limited edition of 300 copies on 2LP in gatefold sleeve incl. bonus 7" ("C'mon" b/w "Instrumental"). One per customer!

"Down To Earth" marked the debut album by Chicago's very own Grav. Originally released in 1996, the deep-voice MC flows on productions by No I.D., Dug Infinite, Big Q and a young Kanye West. Album guests include Al' Tariq and Lil Ray as well as DJ Nu-Mark on the cuts.

Underground lyrical terrorist, Grav, is among Chi town's most jovial and modest rappers. His personality is a blend of tranquillity and sangfroid, whether he's belting out razor sharp metaphors or head-nodding in time with a hip hop DJ. He grew up in Harlem when hip hop's street poets began taking a firm hold on the minds and hearts of New York's disenfranchised urban youth. He often journeyed to a park within the Lincoln Projects at 135th Street between Fifth and Madison avenues to hear such emerging hip hop artists as Doug E. Fresh beat box or rhyme. Grav remembers a special camaraderie emanating from those park jam sessions. "Everybody just grew up being cool with everybody," he says. "It was like a second family." In 1992, Grav moved to the Midwest to major in computer animation and sound engineering at the Art Institute of Chicago. Once he got to the Windy City, Grav decided to settle in the section of town referred to as Wicker Park. Wicker Park is the Midwest equivalent of Greenwich Village with it's ultra bohemian clubs, art galleries, cafes, bookstores, and theaters. Grav was then introduced to the city's underground hip hop scene through his roommate, Free. Grav spent most of his days with his head buried deep in his university school books to master the heavy scholastic work load. But his nights were spent flexing in freestyle sessions and ripping ciphers to shreds at clubs with an open mic night. He took on the name "Grav" when he teamed up with rapper, Magpie. In 1993, the two of them organized the group Indigenous Theory. Commenting on his unique moniker, Grav says, "My name reflects my down to earthness with people and how they react to me when I perform. I'm not just up there kicking lyrics. There's something in my style that attracts people to me, like the force of Gravity." Eventually Grav went solo when the group broke up in 1994. During this time Grav decided to seriously enter the rap game and lie concentrated on captivating audiences with the machine gun rhythm of his incredible flow and delivery at the legendary B Side Café. Grav rapidly graduated from headliner to host, with shows on Chicago's underground rap circuit. His debut album "Down To Earth" adds to the handful of projects that Grav already has on his plate, like rhyming on countless underground mix tapes and contributing to producer No.ID album (beat maker supreme for Common, Al Tariq, etc.).

Available in a limited run on 2LP+7", CD in jewel case, cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

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”.

Limited edition of 300 copies on CD in jewel case.

"Down To Earth" marked the debut album by Chicago's very own Grav. Originally released in 1996, the deep-voice MC flows on productions by No I.D., Dug Infinite, Big Q and a young Kanye West. Album guests include Al' Tariq and Lil Ray as well as DJ Nu-Mark on the cuts.

Underground lyrical terrorist, Grav, is among Chi town's most jovial and modest rappers. His personality is a blend of tranquillity and sangfroid, whether he's belting out razor sharp metaphors or head-nodding in time with a hip hop DJ. He grew up in Harlem when hip hop's street poets began taking a firm hold on the minds and hearts of New York's disenfranchised urban youth. He often journeyed to a park within the Lincoln Projects at 135th Street between Fifth and Madison avenues to hear such emerging hip hop artists as Doug E. Fresh beat box or rhyme. Grav remembers a special camaraderie emanating from those park jam sessions. "Everybody just grew up being cool with everybody," he says. "It was like a second family." In 1992, Grav moved to the Midwest to major in computer animation and sound engineering at the Art Institute of Chicago. Once he got to the Windy City, Grav decided to settle in the section of town referred to as Wicker Park. Wicker Park is the Midwest equivalent of Greenwich Village with it's ultra bohemian clubs, art galleries, cafes, bookstores, and theaters. Grav was then introduced to the city's underground hip hop scene through his roommate, Free. Grav spent most of his days with his head buried deep in his university school books to master the heavy scholastic work load. But his nights were spent flexing in freestyle sessions and ripping ciphers to shreds at clubs with an open mic night. He took on the name "Grav" when he teamed up with rapper, Magpie. In 1993, the two of them organized the group Indigenous Theory. Commenting on his unique moniker, Grav says, "My name reflects my down to earthness with people and how they react to me when I perform. I'm not just up there kicking lyrics. There's something in my style that attracts people to me, like the force of Gravity." Eventually Grav went solo when the group broke up in 1994. During this time Grav decided to seriously enter the rap game and lie concentrated on captivating audiences with the machine gun rhythm of his incredible flow and delivery at the legendary B Side Café. Grav rapidly graduated from headliner to host, with shows on Chicago's underground rap circuit. His debut album "Down To Earth" adds to the handful of projects that Grav already has on his plate, like rhyming on countless underground mix tapes and contributing to producer No.ID album (beat maker supreme for Common, Al Tariq, etc.).

Available in a limited run on 2LP+7", CD in jewel case, cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

"Down To Earth" marked the debut album by Chicago's very own Grav. Originally released in 1996, the deep-voice MC flows on productions by No I.D., Dug Infinite, Big Q and a young Kanye West. Album guests include Al' Tariq and Lil Ray as well as DJ Nu-Mark on the cuts.

Underground lyrical terrorist, Grav, is among Chi town's most jovial and modest rappers. His personality is a blend of tranquillity and sangfroid, whether he's belting out razor sharp metaphors or head-nodding in time with a hip hop DJ. He grew up in Harlem when hip hop's street poets began taking a firm hold on the minds and hearts of New York's disenfranchised urban youth. He often journeyed to a park within the Lincoln Projects at 135th Street between Fifth and Madison avenues to hear such emerging hip hop artists as Doug E. Fresh beat box or rhyme. Grav remembers a special camaraderie emanating from those park jam sessions. "Everybody just grew up being cool with everybody," he says. "It was like a second family." In 1992, Grav moved to the Midwest to major in computer animation and sound engineering at the Art Institute of Chicago. Once he got to the Windy City, Grav decided to settle in the section of town referred to as Wicker Park. Wicker Park is the Midwest equivalent of Greenwich Village with it's ultra bohemian clubs, art galleries, cafes, bookstores, and theaters. Grav was then introduced to the city's underground hip hop scene through his roommate, Free. Grav spent most of his days with his head buried deep in his university school books to master the heavy scholastic work load. But his nights were spent flexing in freestyle sessions and ripping ciphers to shreds at clubs with an open mic night. He took on the name "Grav" when he teamed up with rapper, Magpie. In 1993, the two of them organized the group Indigenous Theory. Commenting on his unique moniker, Grav says, "My name reflects my down to earthness with people and how they react to me when I perform. I'm not just up there kicking lyrics. There's something in my style that attracts people to me, like the force of Gravity." Eventually Grav went solo when the group broke up in 1994. During this time Grav decided to seriously enter the rap game and lie concentrated on captivating audiences with the machine gun rhythm of his incredible flow and delivery at the legendary B Side Café. Grav rapidly graduated from headliner to host, with shows on Chicago's underground rap circuit. His debut album "Down To Earth" adds to the handful of projects that Grav already has on his plate, like rhyming on countless underground mix tapes and contributing to producer No.ID album (beat maker supreme for Common, Al Tariq, etc.).

Available in a limited run on 2LP+7", CD in jewel case, cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

Straight out the gate, Nas dropped a classic. Since the release of the seminal ‘Illmatic’ album in 1994, critics and fans have been wondering if Nas peaked too early and if anything in his subsequent catalogue could be held up against this masterpiece. To be fair, it’s hard to follow up something this flawless, a project that allied his most insightful, pitch-perfect heartfelt rhymes with the work of the best hip-hop producers on the east coast.

DJ Premier, Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest and Large Professor all take their turns on the album, along with the unsung L.E.S., but it’s Pete Rock in his prime who provides the stunning backdrop for the cinematic ‘The World is Yours’. It’s a perfect nugget of a single, weaving in the brashness of Scarface, the repetition of a snatch of T La Rock’s early Def Jam gem ‘It’s Yours’ and piano courtesy of Ahmad Jamal’s ‘I Love Music’ from his own timeless ‘The Awakening’ album (1970).

Presented for the first time on 7”, the vocals of the album version and the instrumental on the flip provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy and compare the work of two masters at the top of their game. Pete Rock’s seamless weaving of disparate samples into a compelling whole, the then little-known Nas’ statement of intent. With a maturity beyond his tender years, Nas put himself straight at the top of the pile, this Queensbridge chronicle hinting at the ambition and greatness he harboured within himself.

2023 silver vinyl pressing.

Few hip-hop artists have achieved the same level of critical acclaim and praise that 90s veteran and Queens native Nasir "Nas" Jones has. Across his over 25-year career he has been ranked as one of the greatest rap performers and lyricists by MTV, The Source, and Complex, among other publications, all while selling over 30 million records worldwide, and releasing eight consecutive platinum albums. In particular, his 1994 debut Illmatic is hailed as a paragon of underground hip-hop, a turning point in East Coast rap's development, and one of the all-time greatest debut albums in general.
Though Nas' artistic legacy is without question, it was not always the case; if Nas had flourished during the mid-90s, he had stumbled clumsily while transitioning into the 00's. After achieving universal praise via Illmatic and commercial success with its' follow-up It Was Written, Nas' next few releases were considered inconsistent and lackluster compared to the critical one-two punch they followed. During this time period he had abandoned the socially-conscious and philosophical topics that made him a critical darling in favor of more commercially viable gangsta rap. Though he maintained a chart presence for much of the late-90s, review scores began to dwindle, and his status among the hip-hop community was thrown into question.
This would change in 2001 with the release of Nas' fifth studio full-length, which made the effort to re-establish him as a legitimate artist. Eschewing the pop-friendliness he'd found success with, Nas instead opted to return to the underground style he came up in, with tracks about American politics, ghetto life, and social upheaval. Perhaps sensing this need to return to his roots, he titled the album Stillmatic, a clear and present reference (and sequel of sorts) to Illmatic.
The ploy worked perfectly; Stillmatic was hailed by critics as a stunning comeback, and a brilliant return to form, earning rave reviews from rap outlets such as The Source and HipHopDX as well as from more mainstream publications as The Rolling Stone and The Village Voice. Praise was heaped upon the complexity and introspective nature of Nas' lyrical content, the top-tier production from veterans like Large Professor, DJ Premier, L.E.S., and Trackmasters, and hard-hitting guest appearances from AZ, Mary J. Blige, and Amerie.
Stillmatic would see release on December 18th of 2001, right as Nas was caught in the middle of a highly publicized feud with fellow New York rapper Jay-Z. As such, the record features one of the feud's most intense apexes in the form of its second track "Ether", a ruthless Ron Browz-produced diss track. A response to Jay-Z's own diss "Takeover", "Ether" savaged the Brooklyn-native, accusing him of brown-nosing to get ahead, of plagiarizing earlier rappers such as Notorious B.I.G. and KRS-One, and dismissing his street cred. To this day "Ether" is considered one of the best and most potent diss tracks ever recorded, a major turning point in the Nas/Jay-Z feud, a standout among the already critically acclaimed Stillmatic, and is even credited with boosting Jay-Z's career by proxy.

eevee and Inner Ocean Records have teamed up to press for the first time ever a total collection of her famous beat tapes, volumes 1 to 10. Featuring stunning art designed by Ana Aleksov, the two double LP’s and two tape cassettes fit together in a diptych. Totalling 73 tracks and a 2.5hrs runtime across four records and two cassettes, this release is eevee’s magnum opus. A body of work that spanned years in the making and represents a keystone in the golden era of lofi hip hop. These beat tapes are living proof of why eevee is known worldwide as the “lofi queen” and will go down in history as one of the most prolific and consistent beatmakers of the lofi era.

.cunfa, the young gun, is returning to rx:tx, this time with a release on plastic. The 7" features the two the finest tracks of his latest album Missing The Point.
They are the result of .cunfa's interest in different approaches and styles, with parts that are classic hip-hop and some that reach further into the world of scattered rhythms or subtle melodic echoes.
Pressed on white vinyl. Download code included.

Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band are back with a heavy two sider of West Coast Hip Hop covers that put a new spin on tried and true classics.Side A is their cover of Game and 50 Cent's "How We Do", one of the standouts from Game's 2005 debut album. It was their cover of 50's PIMP that really put Bacao on the map and now they are back to lend their sound to another club hit. Steel pans and horn lines trade off over their signature heavy drums and breathe new life into this classic.The B Side is another show stopper. Bacao takes on Dr Dre & Snoop Dogg's "Nuthin But A G Thang" and give it a proper treatment. Staying close to the original and replaying the iconic synth and bass lines on the pans proves to be incredible. This will be working its way through DJ sets around the globe as soon as it hits the streets.

South London producer and musician Fr1th, presents Mind Blossom - a 13 track album displaying his creative output of over two years. It draws on influences as wide as J Dilla to Ludovico Einaudi. A blend of piano beats based production that spans true lo-fi, chill, ambient, electronic, jazz and Hiphop. Hypnotic head-nodding rhythms from this brilliant debut. Kaleidoscopic • Lush Lo-Fi • Keys Driven • Night Sky Beats

Dive into the timeless realm of ‘All Infinite’, the new album from NC Hip Hop collective Kooley High & ATL-bred Producer Tuamie. Head-knocking drums and superb flows come together to create a lush soundscape filled with tight scratches, vocal soundbites & more. Sit back and take it all in. This album is a sonic journey that explores the boundless nature of energy and the concept of infinity. Kooley High & Tuamie bring forth a fusion of soulful beats and insightful lyrics that are all their own. While beginning as a one-track collaboration, the instant sonic chemistry of Kooley High & Tuamie has blossomed into a full-length album. Each track resonates with the essence of classic Hip-Hop, echoing the roots of the genre while pushing the boundaries of contemporary sound. ‘All Infinite’ is poised to be a testament to the enduring power of music. The dynamic blend of retrospective and prospective lyrics seeks to impact each listener on a personal level. Two passionate creative forces have been united. Kooley High & Tuamie’s mission is clear – to spread good vibrations through the universal language of sound waves. Join them on this musical odyssey where the energy is boundless, and the rhythms are eternal.

Throughout the course of history, hip-hop has evolved and grown into
countless forms of expression, but there's just a few that still manage to bring
that old school flavor to the table. After decades in the game, it's safe to say
that legendary DITC member O.C. and East New York DJ/producer PF Cuttin
(of Blahzay Blahzay fame) have always been constant at delivering classic
material to the masses. The two have finally decided to get together to drop a
collaboration project. O.C. and PF Cuttin Music are bringing you “OPIUM”, a 9
track banger that will bring you back in time to the era of block parties and 40’s,
of stunts, blunts and hip-hop, to remind you what the good old days sounded
like. O.C.’s inimitable flow over PF’s tough beats are a combo no hip-hop head
can ignore.

Holy grail hip-hop alert! Superstar Quamallah's Invisible Man was never released on wax so, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of this astounding record, we present the first ever vinyl edition. A stunning record which gained accolades upon its initial release, such as a prominent feature on Gilles Peterson's renowned Best Of 2009 show, it's one of the most essential jazz rap albums of all time. Cut across double vinyl, it’s exceedingly limited, with just 500 pressed for the world.

Deep jazz rap on that mellow-melodic tip, Invisible Man is an unforgettable album with nothing but dope beats and dope bars. There's a strong chance this album has passed you by but we truly believe it to be a lost hip-hop masterpiece. It supremely captures the essence of a golden age classic without being slavish to the past. No, this ain't some facile throwback rap. It's a fresh and deeply soulful, original album shot through straight from the heart. Perfect to chill to, Invisible Man is profoundly jazz-oriented and captures with simplicity and sincerity the essence of hip-hop circa 1983-1994. It sounds like vibing with your nearest, dearest and oldest friends on a long hot summer night as the tantalising thought that anything is possible fills the air. You know what, we can just call this "magic hour rap" and we think you'll know what we mean. It's just beautiful. Just Listen.

Brooklyn-born, California-based emcee, DJ, and producer Superstar Quamallah was active in the West Coast underground scene throughout the 90s and recorded extensively with such revered names as Defari and Tajai. His parents were some serious artistic heavyweights, too; his father was soul organist Big John Patton, a giant in the jazz world known for his releases on Blue Note whilst his mother was an active designer. However, he remains relatively unknown. Invisible Man, named ostensibly after the classic Ralph Ellison novel, could also refer to how he is viewed by the public at large. With close affiliations to the Hieroglyphics, Dilated Peoples and Likwit crew, his debut EP "Don't Call Me John" arrived in 1999 on ABB Records, after which he took a sabbatical from recording which included graduate school, travelling, teaching at Inglewood High and eventually a professorship of African Studies at Berkeley.

With a laidback flow and deep, relaxing presence on the mic, Superstar Quamallah is equal parts Big Daddy Kane, Rakim and Guru. Invisible Man is refined, soulful, feel-good hip-hop of the old school. Its wise, spiritual and literate sound, combined with the summertime vibes projected by the smooth beats and the nostalgia-inducing samples and vocal scratches, created jazzy boom-bap rap reminiscent of prime De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr.

Irresistibly bouncing opener "You Need Knowledge" loops sparkling pianos, horns and a nagging whistle refrain with scratched vocal refrains from Slick Rick, Mobb Deep and Guru. The super-smooth head-nod classic "88 Soul" also utilises a beautifully swelling piano line and dusty breaks whilst Quamé reminisces about his childhood in NYC. Deeply moving, the silky, sultry "Black Shakespeare" is built around an elegant piano loop and goes hard on the superman lover tip whilst "For My People...It's Spiritual" is transcendental rap in conversation with Rakim and older gods. The "Moment Of Truth"-sampling "Lonely At The Top" is striking for its undiluted boom-bap stylings and the staccato flute-hop of "Just Listen" is riddled with soulful refinement. The deeply-affecting, wistful-yet-triumphant bells and horn-drenched single "California Dreamin'" is top-tier rap of unimpeachable quality. What a flow!

Another highlight is the rich melodic piano-rap of "Purity", a beautiful ode to the foundations of rap and those keeping the culture authentically alive. Beautifully played instruments and spiritual jazz samples elevate the deep thinking present on "Kunta Kente" whilst the darker jazz-tinged battle-rap of "93 Shit" goes super hard both in a lyrical sense and with its no-holds drum punches. The breezy Rhodes and string loops that serve as the sonic backdrop to the slinky jazz rap of "We Got Plots" are just gorgeous as our hero evokes Common's "I Used To Love H.E.R." with a head-spinning tale of crime, deception and double crossing. And some twist! "Do Win-Dis" has a tense crime-funk backing and rolling beats which complement Quamé's flow perfectly before the record is rounded out by the tough yet jazzy brilliance of rap confessional "Hope She Remembers Me". Just sensational.

Upon its original release, Quamallah himself declared: "My favorite time period for Hip Hop music was definitely between 1983 and 1994 with 1988 and 1993 being two years that standout as extremely impressive years musically and culturally. The fashion, slang, movies, TV shows and vibe during those years was incredible. While totally submerged in the feelings and music of that entire time period, I went to work on Invisible Man and I am excited for people to hear the result! It is an album that I would want to hear from some of my favorite artists of the past and present today. This is not a RETRO trip for me; this is me at my best lyrically and spiritually using the accessories of the 80s and 90s to fuel me. I am a 88 soul as the song states!"

This album goes deep. It goes all in. When Invisible Man first came out it had a real hold on us here at Be With HQ. We couldn't stop listening to it. We'd venture to say it's one of the top 25 rap records of the 2000s. In the years since its release, it has remained a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. We sincerely hope this first time double LP release will go some way to correct this. It's been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston and pressed at Record Industry. Finally available on the format it should always have been on, it must never be rendered invisible again.

Ish's first 45 single features two brilliant and banging tracks by a young producer duo hailing from Zürich: Jazzo & Melodiesinfonie. After releasing a bunch of mesmerizing and unconventionally fresh beats (or songs if you will) on different digital platforms, it was about time for these two inspired beat heads and record enthusiasts to have their music pressed on vinyl. For the beat-ish series they remixed or rather re-did two of their favorite tracks from their impressive back catalog and spiced them up a notch for the proper punch factor. Striking and stuttering-ly thumping drums, delicately crafted synth melodies, a flair for surprising breaks and melodic changes and gently interlaced singing form an invigorating and unique sound they can call their own. They do though seamlessly join the so called 'beat' scene with figureheads like Flying Lotus, Samiyam, Nosaj Thing, Dibiase a.o.
This is stunning work from two young and already hyped producers we will hear more about in the future!

Limited edition of 500 hand numbered copies, hand silk screen printed in three colors with the red color being infused with deluxe Swiss Kirsch (liquor) from Zug and the black color with a local cheap beer.

OXP - a duo combined of Parisian beatsmith Onra, and Pomrad, a composer and multi- instrumentalist from Belgium, give you a class of ’93, West Coast nugget of hip-hop gold – ‘California’ ft Mr Getto Jam himself for this vinyl only, Ramrock Red Records 7 inch release. Four fingers up, two twisted in the middle, in your low rider with the top down. Head nodding to the track on Trend City Radio with the homies, cruising along a palm lined boulevard in the eternal, shimmering sunshine of the West Coast. It’s Hip Hop Summer for life, conceptualized around the vintage synths and drum machines that marked the Golden Era. Already supported on Belgium National Radio, Swiss National Radio, Radio Krimi, Mi-Soul Radio, StompFM, CrackersFM, Soho Radio and more.

In their 25-plus years as a duo, Atmosphere's rapper Slug and producer Ant have built a legacy that is embedded in the fabric of underground hip-hop. Rising in the ranks of Minneapolis, their debut album, Overcast! was released in 1997. Presented as a flurry of vignettes, and paired with an unending touring schedule, the album was a springboard from which the group was able to become a fixture in the midwest music scene. It wasn't long before their songwriting evolved from telling inventive third-person tales to delivering introspective first-person eviscerations, and by the early 2000's Slug would jokingly birth the phrase "emo rap" in an interview before publications began running with the genre tag to describe them and others. In the decades since their debut, Atmosphere has maintained a course of rigorous output, releasing over two dozen studio albums, EP's and collaborative side projects in as many years. The venerated duo have built a legacy out of bringing honesty, humility and vulnerability to the forefront of their music. Slug has proven masterful at storytelling and writing compelling narratives, leaving a trail of his own influence while paying homage to the rappers and songwriters that helped shape him. Meanwhile, Ant has skillfully molded the soundtracks with inspiration from soul, funk, rock, reggae, and the wizardry of hip-hop's pioneering DJ's and producers, creating his own trademark sounds and providing the pulse for songs about life, love, stress and setbacks. At its essence, Atmosphere has been a musical shepherd, guiding generations of listeners through this thing called life. Their newest album, 2023's So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously, captures perhaps some of Atmosphere's most personal work to date. The odyssey opens with a gentler approach than recent works, with the lead-off track "Okay" seemingly focused on comforting and reassuring the listener. As Slug raps over one of the most twinkling productions Ant has ever released, the song lays the groundwork for an album-length exercise in fumbling consciousness. Yet, as gently as the album begins, there's an unmistakable sense of unease from the outset that continues to evolve throughout the project, as Slug and Ant weave the listener through indistinct themes of insomnia and woe. From the subtle panic at the heart of songs like "Dotted Lines" to the overt anxiety of songs like "In My Head," the unease across tracks is unmistakable. Yet, as the tears might begin to well, they find resolve again through songs like "Still Life," whose hopeful outlook undercuts the tensity of the album. All the while, the rhythms on So Many Other Realities are some of the most inventive of Atmosphere's career. Ant's playful percussion on "In My Head" acts as a nice counterweight to the roiling writing, while the drum patterns on "Holding My Breath" and "Bigger Pictures" allow Slug to play with his flow to emphasize the anxiety driving the record. Where previous records in this most recent act of Atmosphere's career have been focused on emphasizing the parts of life that carry the most meaning_family, brotherhood, purpose_So Many Other Realities is an almost unnerving excavation of paranoia inspired by the general malaise of a pandemic weary society full of civil unrest. The tension in these songs is palpable, but the album's mere presence is a testament to the hope that has to underpin even the most stressed out epiphanies. The greatest risk Atmosphere has continued to take across their career is that of being vulnerable and unafraid. The world has inconceivably changed since Slug and Ant entered into the underground hip-hop scene, but despite the seismic shifts in music and culture, they've held strong to a foundation rooted in sly innovation and truth. The duo's relentless release & touring schedules only tell a piece of the story, but spending time with their records_whether you're a new fan or a longstanding listener_reveals a pair of friends who love to create and live for unabashed self-expression. Their bare reflections on life and the mundane traumas and joys that make living worthwhile are a gift, and that is Atmosphere's legacy in and of itself. If the music stopped tomorrow, the duo would go down as two quiet titans who changed the course of everyman rap forever.

Adelaide producer & DJ Inkswel introduces his new project ‘The Snaglepuss’ with ‘Chasing Infinity,’ a concept LP with a star-studded guest list that takes us on a stylistic journey from hiphop and g-funk to up tempo broken beat, boogie and house. With guests including Talib Kweli, Amp Fiddler, Steve Spacek and Kylie Auldist the album describes a cosmic quest for a new galactic home, searching for a better place and stopping on every dancefloor on the way.

Inkswel (aka Jules Habib) has spent much of the last two decades in the Northern Hemisphere DJing every party and club from Rhythm Section in London to Output in New York and released music on BBE, Atjazz, Sonar Kollektiv, Tokyo Dawn and Motor City Wine. He’s produced tracks for artists like Pugz

Atoms & Georgia Anne Muldrow and remixed artists including Amp Fiddler and Dez Andrez. On the Snaglepuss material, he’s taken a more collaborative approach and much of this record was co-created with bassist Stephen Lane, Sloth on horns, UK broken beat royalty Kaidi Tatham and Inkswel’s wife and musical partner Erin Buku. Inkswel and the team’s genre bending productions draw influence from P Funk, 80s Pop, Boogie Funk, Classic 90s Hip hop and Contemporary Soul stitching it all together into a seamless multicoloured package.

The album kicks off with a nod to Inkswel’s musical roots, golden era hiphop. ‘Let It Grow’ features the legendary Talib Kweli, supported by Erin Buku and Baba Israel. Next up, staying in the hiphop lane, is ‘Everything’ feat. Dudley Perkins, followed by the spacey stylings of ‘Mystical Magic’ featuring Lee “Scratch” Perry and Elf Tranzporter and ‘Butterflies’ featuring Steve Spacek. From there the album turns up the tempo and the heat with the bouncy rollerdisco jam ‘New Day’ featuring Melbourne legends Kylie Auldist and N’fa Jones and the title track which features UK Soul luminary Oliver Night on vocals. Amp Fiddler jumps on organ and vocal duties on ‘How I Feel’ and Kaidi Tatham steps up on keys for ‘Cosmic Love Affair’ featuring the princely vibe of Erik Rico and contributes again to the instrumental cut ‘Intergalactic Bboy Anthem’. The album is rounded out by remixes from UK legend Mr Scruff, Detroit don DJ Dez Andrez and Adelaide’s Funkwig.

The Content Label presents an evocative album titled Mirror World by Budapest based beat-maker Kovacs the Hun. Born Nándor Kürtössy in northern Hungary, Kovacs is known for his groundbreaking album Five Finger Discount under the name Savages, and his involvement with the musical project Savages y Suefo. Mirror World features a sonic palette of hip hop, jazz, and eerie soundtracks mixed colorfully with experimental treatments and traditional musical influences. Mirror World reflects all of Kovacs’ fascinations — sounds and genres coming together on a collective surface. At times, Mirror World resembles chamber jazz — or, perhaps, ‘free jazz’ — with brushed drums, lurking horns, and cunning keys providing the backbone. Flavored drops of percussion, turntable scratches, or rhythm hints at contemporary roots, but Kovacs presents something that is outside-of-time. He stretches out on the instrumental tracks, displaying moods that move freely from ominous to reassuring. Guest artists add to this bubbling concoction. World-renowned Saxophonist András Wahorn adds instrumentation to the creeping strut of “Manimals” and “Glimpse of Hope”; The Audible One drops quotable verses on “Phoney”; guitarist Márton Süto plays spacious guitar on the worldly “The Countdown”; and the Minnesota based poets & activists, Guante and See More Perspective inject social commentary into “Long March.” Kovacs’ Mirror World is a distinctive statement, not sounding quite like anything else. The album’s ten tracks, impeccably produced and musically proficient, are an adventure in listening. Embark now on a sonic journey. The project is executive produced by Dday One and features original artwork and design by Dckne.

Favorite Recordings presents an exclusive collaboration between French producer Bruno ‘Patchworks’ Hovart (Voilaaa, Mr President, Taggy Matcher, …) and Australian NYC-based rapper and poet Nelson Dialect. The two artists met two years ago after Nelson’s gig in Lyon and, of course, they discussed and seriously planned to collaborate one day, both having an everliving love for early nineties hip hop. Then came the quarantine and Covid-19 with Patchworks locked in Lyon, Nelson Dialect in NYC: it seemed to be the right time to do it. A few months later and they finally drop Blue Benz, the result of their long distance collaboration, coming as a beautiful 7inch filled with proper Jazz & Soul Hip Hop vibes. On A side, « Blue Benz » reminds indeed the best feelings of the nineties hip-hop with its infectious slapped bass rhythm and subtle Rhodes chords, all fiiting perfectly with Nelson Dialect’s serious flow! On B Side, « Jazzy Blue Benz » offers an alternate take on the same groove, focusing more on the electric guitar gentle slides with a more percussive beat and horns arrangements with a proper NYC jazz feeling. From Adelaide, Australia, Nelson Dialect now lives in New York working with Bronx label Red Apples 45 started by AG of Ditc and Ray West. Making music since he was 16, he has received critical acclaim for his work with producer Must Volkoff and their most recent album Magnetism. Before moving to New York, Nelson toured extensively in Australia supporting some of the biggest international Hip Hop acts including Mobb Deep, Lupe Fiasco, Ghostface Killah, GZA, RZA, Pharoahe Monch and DJ Premier among many more. He just released a new album Opal Mind with French producer NuTone.

“This is me at my most imaginative, freakiest, and yet still most grounded and introspective,” says Japanese American rapper/actor Lyrics Born not only about his new album Vision Board, but also his “self” and his existence. “I feel like a new man! I’m healthier physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.” The lead single and video “Diamond Door” is a pop/rap banger that lands you with an infectious barb and keeps you hooked for days, and is a thinly-veiled tribute to a particular style of female appreciation, but it can also be taken as a welcome mat to the new era of Lyrics Born. The accompanying video which shows Lyrics Born in his current physical form - svelte, stylish and with a confident swagger - reinforces this next chapter in his life. 60 pounds lighter, he lost the weight during the pandemic when he knew he needed to make a change. “Touring was becoming harder, and I was having all these weird health problems, but nothing that anybody could put their finger on,” he explains “My anxiety was high. I was not sleeping well. I was on the verge of really bad health.” And this improvement brought more confidence which shows in his new album. Vision Board is a focused affair that found him stretching his creativity farther and challenging himself to write in a way he’s never written before. Recorded primarily in New Orleans and produced by Rob Mercurio of Galactic (who also produced 2015’s Real People and 2018’s Quite a Life), it posited him in a new environment that helped his creative juices flow even more fluidly. “There’s nothing like recording in the Crescent City. It just gets in your blood, and the results are always funky and wild.” “This is about as psychedelic as I’ve ever been,” LB says. “I’m so proud of this album. I’m in a different space. The world is in a different space, and I wanted to celebrate that, loosen up and really create some imagery and share some emotion that I never have. I was listening to a lot of Shuggie Otis; a lot of obscure psychedelic soul and later Temptations,” he explained. “This is like if Alice in Wonderland was Japanese.” Vision Board was also inspired by another Bay Area rap luminary, although one who’s no longer with us - Gift of Gab. The dexterous Blackalicious MC and fellow Quannum Projects alum had a profound effect on Lyrics Born’s life, both creatively and philosophically. “I asked myself on some of these songs: ‘How would Gab approach them?’” he said. “I’d play with certain cadences, certain styles; I tried to stretch stylistically, lyrically and vocally on every single song. None of the patterns are the same.” Lyrics Born’s vulnerability shines through on the nine-track effort, something he’s not ashamed to admit (nor should he be). At one point during the pandemic, he was losing one friend, peer or family member every other week - from Zumbi of Zion I to Gift of Gab to Digital Underground’s Shock G. While many of the songs are deeply introspective, he had to “write some fun shit,” too. Celebratory horns, uptempo rhythms and fiery bars pepper the project from start to finish, and truly encapsulate Lyrics Born’s evolution of not just a groundbreaking Asian-American MC but also a human being. As the only Asian-American MC to release 10 studio albums, the first Asian-American to play major music festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza and the first Asian-American to release a greatest hits compilation, Lyrics Born has been breaking barriers his entire life - and he’s not going to stop anytime soon. From the bombastic and tribal “I’m the Best Rapper in the World” with its self-winking boastfulness to the playful scat of “Bang Bang Bang” that slinks like an outtake from West Side Story, to the smooth and seductive “Who's The Best? (Dear Young LB)," to the psychedelic and swoony ”Alligator Boots” with it dreamy “Walk on the Wildside”-esque reverby sway, Vision Board sees Lyrics Born tackling different tones, textures and genres without fear and making them completely his own. It's an eclectic body of work that boasts more synths, more psychedelia and is generally more abstract.

This spring, acclaimed abstract hip-hop producer and cofounder of Anticon Records, Odd Nosdam, will release MIRRORS - a new LP via Alien Transistor. Composed entirely of found sounds, most of them sourced from rare and private press vinyl, MIRRORS’s instrumental beats and sound collages pulse with a sense of exploration and rediscovery that has been Nosdam’s calling card since the turn of this past century. Its every track presents a treasure trove of unique aural gems, each nestled in atmospheric textures that swirl like a cloud of dust just blown off of some once-overlooked heirloom.

Designed specifically for vinyl, the record’s A and B sides play out like a pair of cohesive psychedelic dreams. Yet even a skilled psychoanalyst would struggle to categorize these reveries as either pure seraphic bliss or full-on nightmare. By sneaking strategic bursts of beauty into MIRROR’s more sinister beats (“MIRRORS I”) and by lacing its largely angelic compositions with foreboding tones (“THE BURN”), Odd Nosdam has crafted a record that is not only engrossingly nuanced, but that captures a highly specified, often hypnogogic, mental state with breathtaking accuracy: cognitive dissonance.

The sensation of experiencing an emotion that runs in direct opposition to one’s circumstantial narrative - a sense of melancholy when things are ostensibly fine, a smile as the world seems to crumble - may once have been predominately the stuff of dreams. But in our current age of ebullient social media fac¸ades, and at a sociopolitical moment when joy feels like an aberrant blip in an up-scrolling sea of horror, MIRRORS provides an unsettlingly apt soundtrack to the waking experience of the modern era.

Oneric interpretations aside, at its core MIRRORS is simply a stunning and dynamic beat tape. As he has for two decades - whether in crafting instrumentals for avant-rap legends cLOUDDEAD and art-rapper Serengeti, soundtracking skate videos for Element Skateboards, or adding to his prolific catalog of solo recordings - Odd Nosdam uses his special knack for marrying monolithic, lumbering drum arrangements with novel melodic flourishes to create a breed of experimental hip-hop music entirely his own. An evocative record that seamlessly blends transcendence with menace, MIRRORS is a captivating addition to the producer’s body of work and one that will continue to leave listeners awed by his creativity, versatility, and his singular vision.

“When we decided to do an album, we didn’t want to do just a beats and rhyme album, but something more conceptual. The
times we’re living in gave me the idea of tackling the idea of what’s a sinner and what’s a saint.”
— Rasheed Chappell on his new album with producer Buckwild, Sinners & Saints
On their ambitious collaboration, New York rap heavyweights Rasheed Chappell & Buckwild have perfectly captured the stress and
tension, but also faint sense of the hope, of what it means to be a sinner or a saint. In just 11 tracks, Sinners & Saints plays like an
audio documentary series filled with expertly crafted beats and rhymes.
When the two sat down to work together, Rasheed says that they only knew that they “wanted to address the now, the past, and the
potential future.” And upon receiving the first batch of beats from Buck—the D.I.T.C. producer with decades of acclaimed work to
his name—the NY emcee used a majority of them and knew immediately what they were doing.
“My goal was simple: don’t try to recreate anything they have done, just create something that no one else can do, which is to be
me,” Rasheed says. Buck echoed that sentiment when he talked about the record in a documentary, in which he expressed his
excitement to work with not just a talented rapper, but a skilled artist. “Being an artist is just as important as putting two words
together to rhyme,” Buck explained.
That high level of artistry, from everyone involved, is what makes Sinners & Saints so impactful. Not just anyone could pull off
a track as stirring as “The Blue Hood,” in which Rasheed plays the role of a racist, corrupt police officer over Buck’s
harrowing production. The same goes for “Rock Bottom” where he and Ransom sound off about life’s low points, and “Bredren,” a
speaker-knocking middle-finger in musical form featuring Planet Asia.
There’s just so much to love about what these two have created with Sinners & Saints, a project that sounds like if 2020 was a
hip-hop album. And if things do truly get better as we move into 2021, there’s no better anthem than “Black Owned,” a powerful
anthem for Rasheed, Buck, and everyone listening.

When hip-hop fans mention the Living Legends Crew - the 8 member collective from California that kicked open the doors for rap music that highlighted the everyday man - they often think of two members: Murs and The Grouch. While the two built a name for themselves within the crew, and as solo artists, they never collaborated on an official project with each other, until now.

The relationship between the two could be likened to college roommates who once shared living spaces together in their formative years, who went on to become successful in their own paths but remained rooted to their beginnings. After years of collaborating with other Living Legends crew members (The Grouch & Eligh, Three Melancholy Gypsies), and people outside of the crew (Atmosphere, Strange Music, Slightly Stoopid), the two decided to make a full project together - Thees Handz. They have both had success in the live space as well; Murs was the first rapper to have his own festival, Paid Dues, and The Grouch with his annual tour, How The Grouch Stole Christmas. While ruminating on who to tour with for the 12th and final year of the Grouch's Christmas Tour, a light bulb went off and The Grouch reached out to his brother, Murs. After discussing joining him on tour the two also decided to give their fans something they never knew they wanted - a joint album from Murs & The Grouch. Clocking in at 10 tracks - a reference to the title, by way of the number of fingers on two hands - the project is effective in it's succinctness. With tracks that run the gamut from braggadocious to introspective, Thees Handz will touch the listener one or another. The production is handled by The Grouch, Ant of Atmosphere, Eligh, DJ Fresh, DJ Rek, and Brady Watt. The album features Reverie, Rabbitt, Brady Watt, with scratches by DJ Abilities.

The Content Label presents a dynamic new split EP from Lex (de Kalhex) and Dday One, titled “Parallel Presence”. The EP’s title reveals some clues: ‘parallel’ refers to something similar to another, while ‘presence’ imagines a thing that exists but is not seen. These two producers, as kindred spirits, strive to work on this deeper level. Parallel Presence is an expressive step forward, presenting intricate beats, thoughtful samples, and otherworldly vibes colluding towards a mesmerizing whole.

Los Angeles based producer Dday One bookends the EP with “Key Signature” and “Moving Force”, displaying his undisputed acumen for rhythm construction and skillful arrangement. The opening track, in particular, is a beat-head’s manna, featuring a serpentine bass line, staccato vocals, and heavy piano riffs, all synchronized at a headnodic tempo. Alex Besikian aka Lex (de Kalhex) is a visual artist, producer, and MC, known as the co-founder of Paris’s Akromégalie Records and 1/3 of seminal French hip hop group Kalhex. His cuts “Brilliant Circles” – with its night owl drum beat, tinkling electric keys, and gentle horn line – and “Solstice” – featuring ringing tones, bluesy guitar riffs, velvet saxophone, and some serious rhythm play – uncannily compliment Dday One’s contributions, cementing “Parallel Presence” as an EP best ingested from front to back.

Visual and audio art also come together in the project’s cover design, which was a collaborative effort of the two producers. The Content Label aims to bring together distinct forms of expression, with sound, thought, and visual art combining through the imprint’s releases. “Parallel Presence” is just the latest evidence.

You know that feeling when an incredible actor pops up in a surprise cameo in a movie and your jaw hits the floor? Or when you are listening to a brand new song without looking at the credits and you hear your favorite rapper check the mic - about to start their verse? Multiply that excitement by 10 and you’ve got the new album by AJ Suede and steel tipped dove.

Reoccurring Characters transports the listener into the sonic universe of two of the most undeniable forces in current rap music. Fresh from a world tour AJ Suede is penning rich, clever and poignant lyrics, performing them with his truly engrossing flow and pure rap skill flexing. Linking up with steel tipped dove to map out a chaotic smooth instrumental framework to inhabit, these two transport you to a whole new dimension.

A few other prodigious characters hopped in the hovercraft, including Premrock, Fatboi Sharif, Duncecap & Curly Castro - each delivering their own stunning display of word flow mastery. Playing Reoccurring Characters will place you in Suede and dove’s nomadic phonic world, always looking for new and rare places to go.

“When we decided to do an album, we didn’t want to do just a beats and rhyme album, but something more conceptual. The times we’re living in gave me the idea of tackling the idea of what’s a sinner and what’s a saint.” — Rasheed Chappell on his new album with producer Buckwild, Sinners & Saints On their ambitious collaboration, New York rap heavyweights Rasheed Chappell & Buckwild have perfectly captured the stress and tension, but also faint sense of the hope, of what it means to be a sinner or a saint. In just 11 tracks, Sinners & Saints plays like an audio documentary series filled with expertly crafted beats and rhymes. When the two sat down to work together, Rasheed says that they only knew that they “wanted to address the now, the past, and the potential future.” And upon receiving the first batch of beats from Buck—the D.I.T.C. producer with decades of acclaimed work to his name—the NY emcee used a majority of them and knew immediately what they were doing. “My goal was simple: don’t try to recreate anything they have done, just create something that no one else can do, which is to be me,” Rasheed says. Buck echoed that sentiment when he talked about the record in a documentary, in which he expressed his excitement to work with not just a talented rapper, but a skilled artist. “Being an artist is just as important as putting two words together to rhyme,” Buck explained. That high level of artistry, from everyone involved, is what makes Sinners & Saints so impactful. Not just anyone could pull off a track as stirring as “The Blue Hood,” in which Rasheed plays the role of a racist, corrupt police officer over Buck’s harrowing production. The same goes for “Rock Bottom” where he and Ransom sound off about life’s low points, and “Bredren,” a speaker-knocking middle-finger in musical form featuring Planet Asia. There’s just so much to love about what these two have created with Sinners & Saints, a project that sounds like if 2020 was a hip-hop album. And if things do truly get better as we move into 2021, there’s no better anthem than “Black Owned,” a powerful anthem for Rasheed, Buck, and everyone listening.

Blu & Nottz are pleased to offer a special edition repress of their acclaimed 2018 collab LP, Gods in the Spirit, Titans in the Flesh, in a limited clear/light blue color-in-color configuration with yellow and white splatter. This epic two-part saga combines the previously released EPs into one full length LP. There is a care and attention to detail to this project that goes well beyond a standard reissue that clumps the previous projects together. Gits, Titf is a complete upgrade from the ground up with stunning new artwork by Dan Lish, re-mixed and remastered audio, and a reimagined tracklist featuring an ethereal new closing track (“Yesterday” feat. Sene & Elisa Meri). All of these fine touches really make the project a treasure for diehard fans, newcomers, and collectors alike. “Being some of my greatest material to date and the strongest lyrical follow-up I’ve constructed since ‘Below The Heavens,’” says Blu, “I feel more than honored to have both EPs officially commemorated as an LP to stand out amongst a band of classic full lengths produced by Nottz, like Asher Roth, Kardinal Offishall, Rapper Big Pooh and so on.” For Nottz, it’s all about showcasing the hypothetical hiphop beast dwelling beneath the surface of the previously released EPs. “With both EPs now combined, it’s a wrap—the kraken has officially been released with reckless abandon,” says Nottz.

High Focus Records is proud to present ‘A Question Of Time’, a brand new collaborative album from Hip Hop’s most prolific duo:
Verb T & Pitch 92.
Not only did the pair deliver one of the most solid Hip Hop albums at the tail end of 2017 with ‘Good Evening’, but they went on to
provide the score for Romesh Ranganthan’s Sky One Smash TV show ‘The Reluctant Landlord’ thrusting their signature sound into
prime time TV territory. Verb T is a highly respected veteran of the scene with over 14 LPs to his name spanning every era of the genre
so far, as well as being part of trailblazing super group The Four Owls. His partner in crime Pitch 92, is following suit & is churning out
incredible projects at an startling rate including last year’s ‘Lost In Space EP’ and February critically acclaimed ‘3rd Culture’ album - as
heard at length on Marry Anne hobbs’ BBC Radio 6 Music Show, not to mention being Manchester’s ‘go-to’ producer, producing
entire projects for the likes of [ KSR ], DRS, The Mouse Outfit and many more.
It is clear that these two artists are truly on a roll, this ’boost’ is unmistakable when listening to their brand new offering ‘A Question Of
Time’ - which resumes where the duo left off with ‘Good Evening’ but with a palpable & revitalised burst of energy which literally picks
the listener up by the scruff of the neck and hurls them into the future.
At 13 tracks, clocking just over 38 minutes, ‘A Question Of Time’ is a full on immersive experience. Much like the nature of time, its
hard to quantify how the pair have packed so many concepts, rhythms and rhymes into such a small space. Whether nostalgic or
looking forward, Verb T, guides the listener on an epic journey over the ever changing moods and atmosphere’s provided by Pitch 92
which vary from urgent ‘the clock is ticking’ type pressure to the ‘time slows down’ mellow vibes he has become known for,
appropriately described as ‘Pete Rock Perfection’ by The Wire.

Introducing "Beats on Boat Vol. 2" - the highly anticipated compilation album featuring some of the most talented
and respected names in the lofi hiphop scene With tracks from the likes of FloFilz, Made in M, digitalluc, and
Klaus Layer, to name a few. This project promises to deliver a unique blend of chill beats and groovy rhythms that
will transport listeners to a world of laid-back vibes.
Released through ear-sight, tracks from "Beats on Boat Vol. 2" will be released every two weeks starting from
May 31st and will be accompanied by a live set, filmed on Berlins river Spree.
One of the standout features of this album is how each artist brings their own unique style to the table. From
FloFilz's jazzy beats to Made in M's dreamy soundscapes, listeners can expect a diverse range of sounds and
textures that will keep them hooked like fish on a rod.

Another thing that sets "Beats on Boat Vol. 2" apart from other compilations is the focus on both lofi hiphop and
lofi house. While these two genres may seem vastly different at first glance, they actually share a lot of common
ground - both are built on a foundation of warm textures, and infectious grooves.
A must-listen for anyone who loves lofi music, chill beats, or just wants to experience something truly unique.
With this roster of top-tier artists, the focus on both lofi hiphop and lofi house, and its live beat sets on a boat in
Berlin, this compilation is sure to make waves. Hop aboard and tune in!
Mastered by digitalluc
Cover design by Otto Stobbe

7 artists 14 tracks, 2 genres
Accompanies live beat sets filmed on boat on river spree in berlin
Creme of the crop of the lofi beat scene taking part

Live jazzy orchestral interpretations of the Jay Dee aka J Dilla produced Slum Village classic Fantastic Vol 2!
The contributions of the late Detroit producer James DeWitt Yancey -better known to the world as J Dilla- to the world of hip-hop can't be overstated, and nowhere is his legacy more apparent than his work as a member of Slum Village. A founding member of the trio, (alongside rappers T3 and Baatin) Dilla provided the group's distinctly esoteric, free-wheeling sound, built around winding basslines, quirky drumbeats, subtle low-end frequencies, and classic jazz & soul samples. Against the backdrop of Dilla's rich production, T3 and Baatin's free-flowing style of rhyming would also earn wide critical praise, leading to comparisons as the successors to A Tribe Called Quest. All these elements would come together in a truly prodigious fashion in the early 00s, when Dilla and Slum Village would release their second studio album Fan-Tas-Tic Volume 2. The group had already made critically acclaimed waves with Volume 1, but few could have predicted at the time of its release that Dilla's production, which combined portions of alternative, gangsta, and soul hip-hop, meshed with T3 and Baatin's deft lyrical flows, would become such a far-reaching influence. Artists like D'Angelo and Erykah Badu have name-checked Fan-Tas-Tic Volume 2 as a key influences, while The Roots' drummer ?uestlove declared that they hands down "...birthed the neo-soul movement."
Enter the Abstract Orchestra. Helmed by composer and saxophonist Rob Mitchell, this 18-piece ensemble has become renowned for their distinct sound, which reinterprets some of the most famous hip-hop productions of all time (right on down to the sample material) into a unique blend of big band jazz and live hip-hop. The group has toured alongside the likes of John Legend, Amy Winehouse, and Adele among others, and have provided live backup for Mos Def, and many more. They previously have released orchestral versions of revered hip-hop record Madvillian and a tribute to Dilla to critical acclaim as well.
On this, the 20th anniversary of Fan-Tas-Tic Volume 2's release, the Abstract Orchestra are proud to pay tribute to this highly innovative hip-hop classic. Across two volumes of vinyl and a 2-CD set of studio recordings, the big band applies their own jazzy spin to Dilla's classic productions, with occasional assistance from the surviving members of Slum Village themselves. The end result is Fantastic 2020, a hybrid blend of smooth, funky brass rhythms with boom-bap sensibilities that is just the kind of tribute that an often unsung, but highly influential group like Slum Village deserves, and is a more than welcome addition to any Dilla
completist's library.

The Japan / Cold Busted connection tightens with the release of Timeless, a collaborative album from two rising figures from the Land of the Rising Sun. Buzzing in from Chiba, Bugseed has been making a name for himself in hip hop circles with finely constructed beats and clever sample riffs, inspiring a multitude of releases filtering across the globe. The Nagasaki-based DJ Motora is owner of Team Ken Records and 'genreless' DJ since 1997. Together they've concocted Timeless, a densely constructed 12 track album that's filled with gritty hip hop beats and evocative city-dwelling soundscapes. The album opens dramatically with "Vibrant," spookily laying down lost-on-the-way electric piano and a tense string line before the most crucial of beats kicks in. "Ideal" grabs another flavor with its off-kilter jazz club ambiance and snapping, minimal rhythm. More ragged beats come into play on "Hefty," accompanied by rolling stand-up bass and dreamily tinkling keys. "Cultivation" delves deep into the abstract, stereo effects and crunching percussion push and pull, giving the cut a unique rumbling and tumbling feel. Those are just some highlights — overall, this album transcends the usual 'beat record' with productions that seem to reminisce with a futuristic flair. In other words, these vibes are Timeless.

Soul Jazz Records’ new Boombox 2 is a new selection of early rap music from the period 1979-83, with barely a household name in sight. Featured here are some the earliest hip-hop records that came out of New York City following the enormous commercial success of the first ever rap record, ‘Rapper’s Delight’ by the Sugarhill Gang, in September 1979. Artists and producers alike tried to jump aboard the new commercial possibilities of hip-hop. By the end of the year there were 30 hip-hop singles, all released by independent New York labels. The following year there were over 100 more, and so on.
Boombox 2 tells the story of how hip-hop went from its evolutionary roots in the Bronx through DJs Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa through to its second phase where veteran music producers – Paul Winley, Peter Brown, Joe Robinson and others – all based in Harlem, began to put rap on vinyl for the first time.
Harlem is also where the separate worlds of disco and hip-hop met through the styles and influence of earlier ‘uptown’ DJs - DJ Hollywood and Eddie Cheba. In similar fashion these veteran Harlem-based producers instinctively tapped into a long lineage of African-American rhythm and blues, soul and disco.
Boombox 2 is a triple-vinyl set (+ download code) LP and double CD pack that features extensive text, exclusive interviews and stunning photography by Jamel Shabazz, Martha Cooper and others.

Coming through with that street knowledge. Two stone cold ‘90s hip hop classics take either side of this 45, Warren G - Regulate featuring Nate Dogg on one and Luniz - I Got 5 On It on the other. Immortal rhythms and rhymes that took the world by storm.

Musical maverick Mark de Clive-Lowe returns to his roots with a new electro-acoustic record ‘Dreamweavers’, displaying his talent as a pianist and composer in partnership with creative collaborators bass player Andrea Lombardini and drummer Tommaso Cappellato. The two Italians have been a consistent presence on Mark de Clive-Lowe’s European tours for several years now, and it was during a road trip from Italy to Switzerland that Lombardini and Cappellato envisioned producing an MdCL album themselves. ‘Dreamweavers’ reflects on and celebrates the sounds that de Clive-Lowe grew up loving and finding inspiration in – from Sakamoto’s meditative melancholy and Ahmad Jamal’s soulful playfulness, to the rhythms of broken beat, boom bap and global rhythms. With the Italian rhythm section in empathetic support from start to finish both in their playing and producing, de Clive-Lowe embraces new found freedoms on ‘Dreamweavers’.

Deca’s streak of entrancing releases continues with Smoking Gun, an album that deftly blends psychedelic, raw production with sharp insights and clever lyricism. But it’s also much more than that. Smoking Gun is a sonic representation of an artist grappling with living in America, a country with a network of broken systems that leaves Deca questioning when and if it may turn around. To say this all makes for a compelling listen would be a vast understatement, because the New York City-based rapper/producer knows the key to presenting this material. He does it in a way that’s both refreshing and new, but never isolating or simply too oddball. There’s a left-field quality to his work, but Deca knows exactly what he’s doing. To prove that point, he enlisted fellow outside-the-box thinkers like Blu and Homeboy Sandman to appear on some of the album’s standout cuts. “Shelter,” which features Blu, is a jazzy, dusty piece of thoughtful hip-hop with crazy flows and lyrics to match. It’s so good you’ll wish these two would record an entire project together, and the same goes for Boy Sand’s appearance on “Dawn Wind.” Backed by Deca’s own low-key funky production, both he and Homeboy Sandman go verse for verse, each offering their own take on how to liberate yourself from the machine that aims to surveil and control both our outer world and inner peace. Other tracks embody a similar energy, including the justifiably cynical “St. America (feat. DJ Stan Solo)” and stunning “Tuning.” The latter track may just be the most impressive piece on Smoking Gun, thanks in part to the mind-melting beat-switch. It’s a thrilling musical journey that furthers Deca’s narrative about mankind’s ethical plight, and the problems we collectively face.

"Lo-Fingers of Jazz Bap" is the second solo album we've released this year by Ukrainian beatmaker Raiges Cano, which was created by classical methods of sampling delicious Jazz and Funk compositions, all this is harmoniously intertwined with rich bass parts and analog synthesis, while, as before, the rhythm continues to keep explosive Boom Bap drums.

When you hear the phrase, “everything’s fine,” we immediately understand it as emotional shorthand. In daily life, we depend on those perfunctory clichés (hope all is well, good to hear from you, etc.) to spare ourselves from the psychological unpacking that the truth requires. For that, there’s art. For that, there’s Everything’s Fine from Jean Grae and Quelle Chris, a jagged, acerbic odyssey that brilliantly riffs on this dystopian zeitgeist.
The thing is, anyone without a lobotomy and a toxic red hat understands that things are definitely not fine. The crush of modern anxiety, the late capitalist scramble to survive, and the brain warp rot of social media has left most of us half crazy.
“We have a dickhead for a president, and before our eyes, racial, religious, and sexual identity rights are moving backwards,” says New York’s (by way of Detroit) Quelle Chris. “Money is still a thing (I’m waiting for Star Trek life to start). There’s war, your kids may be sick, but if someone randomly asks ""how's it going?"" most people will say ""fine.""
Released on Mello Music Group, this album replaces that reflexive cliché with honest and eloquent tangents. It’s specific and subtle in its execution, achieving equilibrium between lackadaisical detours to smell the flowers and the frantic acknowledgement that there’s an inferno raging outside.
If the great political albums are often grim polemics, Everything’s Fine achieves its goals partially through withering satire. See the opening skit, a Prince Paul-style game show in which three contestants (including a futuristic robot) numbly croak that everyone’s fine despite flying high on every imaginable drug, crying themselves to sleep at night and being unemployed for a decade and a half despite having a Master’s in Fine Arts. I promise it’s much funnier than it reads off a screen.
“We’re both perfectionists in different ways,” Jean Grae describes their working relationship. “We both see huge pictures and concepts. So while listening, pay attention to the subtleties, the nuances, the dissonance and the harmony. The conversations and pieces of ourselves in the words, the flows, the beats. All of the open spaces. .Be uncomfortable and be okay with that. Be layered and be okay with that. Be angry and be okay.”
It’s rare to find a record where two rappers are so seamlessly intertwined. Yes, that’s partially a by-product of the teamwork that goes into being in any normal relationship where you wake, sleep, and dream together. But the album also bears the hallmarks of two singular creative geniuses trading bars, collaborating on beats, and combining fun with internal therapy and external observations. It features indelible cameos from Denmark Vessey, Grammy Award winner Anna Wise, Your Old Droog and Big Tone, as well as comics Ashok “Dap” Kondabolu, Michael Che, Nick Offerman, and Hannibal Burress.
In the streaming era, we tend to naturally overlook albums that require multiple listens. This is a record that will grab you on first listen, but it’s greatness only reveals itself through its careful construction, slick wordplay, and esoteric allusions.
On “Zero,” Jean artfully references Rachmaninoff and The Donner Party in the first two bars. With “Scoop A Dirt,” she name-drops the Babadook alongside the truth bomb that Friends was little more than a whitewashed rip off off Living Single. Meanwhile, Quelle balances boasts about bags of cash the size of Chris Christie with poignant existential laments. Somewhere in between, Jean will stealthily slip in jewels like, “it took me until my 30s just to put my finger on it, once you accept the knowledge/solace doesn’t follow/honest.”
It’s a record with only a couple antecedents: De La Soul is Dead, Organized Konfusion’s Stress: The Extinction Agenda, Blackstar, and maybe Cannibal Ox’s Cold Vein. Yet it doesn't sound remotely like any of them. It’s spontaneous and free, yet refined and meticulous. Even if everything is abject, it’s a reminder that music can transcend.
“This album is full of our minds. Our hearts. Our love for production, and words. flow and a lot of musicality,” Jeans says. “We don’t approach topics, issues, writing, or making beats in the same way. I’m harsh, blunt, quick, technical, I arrange classically and play more than I sample. I make joints with 80 tracks. I’m layers upon layers upon layers. Quelle is patient, he’s kinder. More loose and minimalistic. He makes sounds work together that shouldn’t fucking work. How? I have no idea. These are dreams within dreams.”

Comes limited to 2000 copies with hand numbered OBI strip. The contemporary realm of hip hop music can be seen as polarized between two sides; mainstream versus underground, industry versus independent, at a base level boiled down to catchy sounds & infective hooks over higher quality lyrical content. These elements don't need to be mutually exclusive, but these days its rare to find an act that can please all sides of the discussion. Clipse are one of the few groups that successfully and consistently caters to both sides of raps splintered psyche, simultaneously serving the scene with upbeat bangers that get the club poppin’ & subwoofers rattlin‘ while crafting clever quotable compositions deserving of repeated headphone submersions. Though their preceding official albums Lord Willin (2002) & Hell Hath No Fury (2006) made bigger splashes commercially, 2009’s Til The Casket Drops is surely no slouch, a gem which deserves to be revisited with fresh ears. Til The Casket Drops was a departure from the duo of Malice & Pusha T’s previous works in that it was their first LP not completely produced by The Neptunes. However, the celebrated team who brought us “Grinding” & “Mr. Me Too” still helmed 8 of the albums 13 tracks, thus dominating the soundscapes and aesthetic of the album anyway. With the remaining beats handled by Hitmen Sean C & LV (Jay-Z, Big Pun, Ghostface) and Aftermaths DJ Khalil (Kendrick Lamar, Aloe Blacc, Eminem) clearly Clipse stock hadn't lowered in the game. While boasting notable vocal features from Kanye West, Pharrell, Camron, Keri Hilson, Yo Gotti & their Re-Up Gang affiliate Ab-Liva, Casket Drops leaves ample space for the core emcee duo of Pusha & Malice to shine in the spotlight, with verses revolving around each other succinctly in-synch and bonded by an exceptional creative rhythm only biological brothers could share.

Made in two versions - classic black and limited multicolor vinyl. Limitied Surprise Edition was pressed in 200 copies and has got an OBI.

After a six year hiatus Twardowski returns with his fourth album on U Know Me Records. The newest outing is a retrofuturistic trip to the author's two biggest influences: instrumental hip-hop and… video games. The new album eschews Twardowski's previous synth-heavy style in favor of multiple layers of chopped and mended together samples, topped off by cuts from U Know Me's own jazz guitarist/turntablist Żyńy. The album invokes video games with the track titles, the LP's title being a homage to coin-ops and via the overall sound: wonky, heavily shuffled, almost-out-of-sync rhythms sounding almost as if the tracks were done sampler in one hand gamepad in the other, over a lengthy, laid back gaming/sequencing session. Maybe if a gamepad was a sampler and instrumental hip-hop was a game, "One Coin Clear" could have been its soundtrack.

“This is me at my most imaginative, freakiest, and yet still most grounded and introspective,” says Japanese American rapper/actor Lyrics Born not only about his new album Vision Board, but also his “self” and his existence. “I feel like a new man! I’m healthier physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.” The lead single and video “Diamond Door” is a pop/rap banger that lands you with an infectious barb and keeps you hooked for days, and is a thinly-veiled tribute to a particular style of female appreciation, but it can also be taken as a welcome mat to the new era of Lyrics Born. The accompanying video which shows Lyrics Born in his current physical form - svelte, stylish and with a confident swagger - reinforces this next chapter in his life. 60 pounds lighter, he lost the weight during the pandemic when he knew he needed to make a change. “Touring was becoming harder, and I was having all these weird health problems, but nothing that anybody could put their finger on,” he explains “My anxiety was high. I was not sleeping well. I was on the verge of really bad health.” And this improvement brought more confidence which shows in his new album. Vision Board is a focused affair that found him stretching his creativity farther and challenging himself to write in a way he’s never written before. Recorded primarily in New Orleans and produced by Rob Mercurio of Galactic (who also produced 2015’s Real People and 2018’s Quite a Life), it posited him in a new environment that helped his creative juices flow even more fluidly. “There’s nothing like recording in the Crescent City. It just gets in your blood, and the results are always funky and wild.” “This is about as psychedelic as I’ve ever been,” LB says. “I’m so proud of this album. I’m in a different space. The world is in a different space, and I wanted to celebrate that, loosen up and really create some imagery and share some emotion that I never have. I was listening to a lot of Shuggie Otis; a lot of obscure psychedelic soul and later Temptations,” he explained. “This is like if Alice in Wonderland was Japanese.” Vision Board was also inspired by another Bay Area rap luminary, although one who’s no longer with us - Gift of Gab. The dexterous Blackalicious MC and fellow Quannum Projects alum had a profound effect on Lyrics Born’s life, both creatively and philosophically. “I asked myself on some of these songs: ‘How would Gab approach them?’” he said. “I’d play with certain cadences, certain styles; I tried to stretch stylistically, lyrically and vocally on every single song. None of the patterns are the same.” Lyrics Born’s vulnerability shines through on the nine-track effort, something he’s not ashamed to admit (nor should he be). At one point during the pandemic, he was losing one friend, peer or family member every other week - from Zumbi of Zion I to Gift of Gab to Digital Underground’s Shock G. While many of the songs are deeply introspective, he had to “write some fun shit,” too. Celebratory horns, uptempo rhythms and fiery bars pepper the project from start to finish, and truly encapsulate Lyrics Born’s evolution of not just a groundbreaking Asian-American MC but also a human being. As the only Asian-American MC to release 10 studio albums, the first Asian-American to play major music festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza and the first Asian-American to release a greatest hits compilation, Lyrics Born has been breaking barriers his entire life - and he’s not going to stop anytime soon. From the bombastic and tribal “I’m the Best Rapper in the World” with its self-winking boastfulness to the playful scat of “Bang Bang Bang” that slinks like an outtake from West Side Story, to the smooth and seductive “Who's The Best? (Dear Young LB)," to the psychedelic and swoony ”Alligator Boots” with it dreamy “Walk on the Wildside”-esque reverby sway, Vision Board sees Lyrics Born tackling different tones, textures and genres without fear and making them completely his own. It's an eclectic body of work that boasts more synths, more psychedelia and is generally more abstract.

This purple edition is limited to 200 copies.

Deca’s streak of entrancing releases continues with Smoking Gun, an album that deftly blends psychedelic, raw production with sharp insights and clever lyricism. But it’s thus much more than that. Smoking Gun is a sonic representation of an artist grappling with living in America, a country with a network of broken systems that leaves Deca questioning when and if it may turn around. To say this all makes for a compelling listen would be a vast understatement, because the New York City-based rapper/producer knows the key to presenting this material. He does it in a way that’s both refreshing and new, but never isolating or simply too oddball. There’s a left-field quality to his work, but Deca knows exactly what he’s doing. To prove that point, he enlisted fellow outside-the-box thinkers like Blu and Homeboy Sandman to appear on some of the album’s standout cuts. “Shelter,” which features Blu, is a jazzy, dusty piece of thoughtful hip-hop with crazy flows and lyrics to match. It’s so good you’ll wish these two would record an entire project together, and the same goes for Boy Sand’s appearance on “Dawn Wind.” Backed by Deca’s own low-key funky production, both he and Homeboy Sandman go verse for verse, each offering their own take on how to liberate yourself from the machine that aims to surveil and control both our outer world and inner peace. Other tracks embody a similar energy, including the justifiably cynical “St. America (feat. DJ Stan Solo)” and stunning “Tuning.” The latter track may just be the most impressive piece on Smoking Gun, thanks in part to the mind-melting beat-switch. It’s a thrilling musical journey that furthers Deca’s narrative about mankind’s ethical plight, and the problems we collectively face.

DJ Tudo e sua Gente de Todo Lugar’s 7th album, breed from Brazilian field recordings and made between 2007 and 2019 in trips around the world - Brazil and 11 other countries. It is a project that should have come out in 2013, but the “Pancada Motor - Manifesto da festa” came out ahead, having as a sequel the two volumes of Gaia Music series. By early 2019, the album was finalized. Pancada Motor is a term derived from the Alagoas traditions like the Samba de Matuto, Cambinda, Baianá and Caboclinha, about their cultural make or their rhythms. Here this name has been expanded to other cultures and rhythms of Brazil. Transformation and Cure are urgent needs for humanity and our relation with the planet, we need to transform our relationship with each other and Mother Earth for our healing as a whole. Artists from many countries and different cultures contributed to this work. It is hard to place an order of greatness and importance but certainly the traditional Brazilian groups were the initial inspiration: Matutinhas do Pontal de Coruripe, Cambinda Palmeirense de Porto de Pedras, Maracatu Nação e Rural de Recife, Caceteira do Seu Rindu de São Cristóvão, Terno de Congo 13 de Maio de Goiânia, Reisado São Miguel de Juazeiro de Norte, Carimbó Raízes de Coremar de Salinas and Queen Dona Neta from Maracatu Cruzeiro do Forte do Recife. Equally fundamental is the contribution of Sérgio Ricardo, legend of MPB (Brazilian Popular Music), and Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux that features the track “Terra para todos (Land for all)”. From Belgium, Rolland Van Campenhout, Steven de Bruyn, Bart Maris, Tuur Florizoone and David Bovée. Alan Bryden and Stuart Brown, BigTad and duo Twelfth day Esther and Catriona from Scotland. From Paris, guitarist Stefane Goldman who has participated in several DJ Tudo’s albums. From London, the percussionist Crispin Robinson, Lopa Kotari and Mariana Pinho. From Rio de Janeiro, the keyboardists Sacha Amback and Marcos Lobato. Lu Dlamini from South Africa. American drummer Marque Gilmore, who was recorded in Stockholm, Sweden. From Istanbul the Zas Player Murat Ertel. Rajasthan musicians met unexpectedly at a casual ride in a hotel elevator in Durban, South Africa. Brasília singer Ana Soares. From Ljubljana, Slovenia, accordionist Uros and Beth. From São Paulo, my brothers and sisters in arms: Gente de Todo Lugar - drummer Gustavo Souza, percussionist and singer Rafaella Nepomuceno, guitarist Rafael Martinez, saxophonists Marcelo Monteiro and Filipe Nader and trumpeter Amílcar Rodrigues. Planetary voices in the track “Nietzsche era triste ....” recorded in several countries. Thank you so much for the music and the affection that you put in this work, the result is nine songs and nine seasons linked to life. Knowing and respecting cultures is an eternal path of transformation, that this work reaches each one as a transforming element, especially in this almost inexplicable moment that we live on the planet.

DMC 2014 WORLD DJ CHAMPIONSHIP DVD with 16 stunning performances from
the 2014 National DMC Champions.

Also featuring a special guest performance by Japan’s KENTARO (2002 DMC
World Champion) together with an exclusive DVD only interview with the
new Champion - Mr.Switch, the previous three time winner of the DMC
Battle for World Supremacy who became the first Brit since Plus One in
2001 to bring the World title back to the UK.
The interview is conducted by Cutmaster Swift (1989 DMC World Champion)
who took the DMC rig to Mr. Switch’s home town Birmingham to watch him
repeat his winning set in multi-angle format with Switch discussing his
influences and provides tips for wannabe World Champions.
The 2014 runner-up was America’s I-Dee with Canada’s Vekked taking third
place.
The DMC Championships staged at London’s Forum were once again supported
by RANE who provided a gold plated Rane Mixer to the winner seen here in
Mr.Switch’s exclusive interview. Pioneer DJ provided additional prizes
including their newly developed turntables which have been well received
within the DJ industry and seen as a long overdue product since the
legendary Technics SL1200’s.
DMC posted the winning performance by Mr.Switch on dmcworld.tv (via
youtube) where it has attracted over 150,000 views already. The sound
quality of this clip included a live audience microphone whilst the
newly released dvd version feeds audio directly from the console.

Competing DJs:-

DJ Codax (South Africa)

DJ Evilcut (Indonesia)

DJ Mode (Greece)

DJ Rune (Spain)

Spelly Spell (New Zealand)

B.Two (Australia)

DJ Five (Czech Republic)

Erick Jay (Brazil)

DJ Bicchio (Italy)

DJ Credit (Denmark)

Groove Sparkz (France)

DJ Vekked (Canada)

Mr. Switch (UK)

Hi-C (Japan)

I-DEE (Online Champion 2014 USA)

Ritchie Ruftone (Runner Up)

Limited to 157 copies on white vinyl. Only at HHV.

Homeboy Sandman drops a new album that is entirely produced by Quelle Chris.

Homeboy Sandman’s new album Don’t Feed The Monster, is a collaboration with producer/MC Quelle Chris. It’s also his most vulnerable & poignant work to date. Having grown up in Queens, New York, hip-hop was part of everything in life. This deep-rooted connection to the culture is evident when listening to his style of rhyming- bold, classic & deeply respectful. On Don’t Feed The Monster, he pulls back any pretense to show his most honest truth - a process that he needed both artistically and spiritually. “I was having a hard time and this record saved me thank Quelle and thank God and shout to Gabor Maté,” he said about the new album.

Album producer (and guest vocalist) Quelle Chris has been one of the most talked about and celebrated hip-hop artists on the planet these last few years. Both producing & rapping, Quelle has released critically acclaimed albums like Guns, Innocent Country 2, and Everything’s Fine with his collaborator & wife Jean Grae. “There's a certain mystic/magical power in words, sounds, rhythms, etc. It's rare to come across a brother/artist like Sandman,” he says when asked about his new album with Homeboy Sandman.

The new album Don’t Feed The Monster is a marvel of how an artist can dig deeper still, even years into his craft. The chemistry between the producer & MC has unlocked something within Sandman, surfacing memories, textures & details in a more vivid way than ever before. “(We) wanted to project growth and not regression. Being careful not to feed the monster,” Quelle says about the mission of the album. One would be right to assume that bringing two elite talents together would yield an incredible album. But, when imagining what this album brings in its entirety, Quelle says it best: “raw, pure, organic magic."

Made in two versions - classic black and limited multicolor vinyl. Limitied Surprise Edition was pressed in 200 copies and has got an OBI.

After a six year hiatus Twardowski returns with his fourth album on U Know Me Records. The newest outing is a retrofuturistic trip to the author's two biggest influences: instrumental hip-hop and… video games. The new album eschews Twardowski's previous synth-heavy style in favor of multiple layers of chopped and mended together samples, topped off by cuts from U Know Me's own jazz guitarist/turntablist Żyńy. The album invokes video games with the track titles, the LP's title being a homage to coin-ops and via the overall sound: wonky, heavily shuffled, almost-out-of-sync rhythms sounding almost as if the tracks were done sampler in one hand gamepad in the other, over a lengthy, laid back gaming/sequencing session. Maybe if a gamepad was a sampler and instrumental hip-hop was a game, "One Coin Clear" could have been its soundtrack.

eevee and Inner Ocean Records have teamed up to press for the first time ever a total collection of her famous beat tapes, volumes 1 to 10. Featuring stunning art designed by Ana Aleksov, the two double LP’s and two tape cassettes fit together in a diptych. Totalling 73 tracks and a 2.5hrs runtime across four records and two cassettes, this release is eevee’s magnum opus. A body of work that spanned years in the making and represents a keystone in the golden era of lofi hip hop. These beat tapes are living proof of why eevee is known worldwide as the “lofi queen” and will go down in history as one of the most prolific and consistent beatmakers of the lofi era.

eevee and Inner Ocean Records have teamed up to press for the first time ever a total collection of her famous beat tapes, volumes 1 to 10. Featuring stunning art designed by Ana Aleksov, the two double LP’s and two tape cassettes fit together in a diptych. Totalling 73 tracks and a 2.5hrs runtime across four records and two cassettes, this release is eevee’s magnum opus. A body of work that spanned years in the making and represents a keystone in the golden era of lofi hip hop. These beat tapes are living proof of why eevee is known worldwide as the “lofi queen” and will go down in history as one of the most prolific and consistent beatmakers of the lofi era.

Xardinal Coffee is a debut album that is a strikingly contemporary record of slick hip hop, rich textures, idiosyncratic grooves and electronic-tinged wonky R&B. It’s an album that feels intricate and busy but also manages to retain a sense of space and looseness, allowing hypnotic rhythms to unfurl with grace. Exum, aka Antone Chavez Exum Jr. credits the 'genius' of his two producers, Erik Samkopf and Dex Barstad, who he works closely with. Samkopf being the producer responsible for Xardinal Coffee respectively. 'Sam and I don’t really like doing anything that doesn’t have an ückean effect. We’re not from here you know, we’re just getting adjusted’, says Exum of the album’s eclectic sonic palate. 'We love to push the envelope on what is considered quirky, but try not to think about it too much. If me and another are walking down a street, whose going to be first to try something spectacular? Them. My walk will speak.’

However, any sense of weirdness is also married with an infectious and accessible quality. Tracks such as Arrest the Dancer - 'a David Bowie/Lady Gaga-type beat we got from YouTube by a producer named Raixsa' - comes alive with an irresistible funk strut, almost recalling Prince in the swaggering bounce of it. On top of this, Exum’s vocals offer versatility and flexibility, moving from caramel smooth croons to tight rap flows and to enthusiastic bursts of singing.

A sense of texture is palpable throughout too. Portabella Mushroom was recorded on a rare magic mushrooms trip and retains a lysergic and psychedelic quality, sucking the listener up into its swirling atmospheres. Whereas the sparse, minimal and slightly eerie beats of Wolves Eat Wolves was recorded in pitch black and the song takes on that kind of crepuscular vibe, which interspersed with the song’s dark lyrical content - touching upon sex trafficking - further cements this. ‘I take no form’, the artist says, and his formless nature speaks to his willingness to constantly recreate himself as an artist.

A love of words is also clear in Exum’s delivery, with them being carefully placed and sequenced amidst the ambitious soundscapes of the record. 'Writing is precious to me', he says. 'The vulnerability to bleed on paper. While playing with words, styling the same outfit for the 7th day in a row.'

Initially Exum looked up producer Erik Samkopf to work with when he’d had a temporary falling out with his previous producer Barstad. In love with Samkopf’s work with Pen Gutt, Exum took a punt and flew from his hometown of Richmond, Virginia to Oslo, Norway to work with him. As Exum and Barstad patched things up, Exum and Samkopf were building chemistry, creating something truly unique. 'Dex and Sam never cease to amaze me', he says. 'They’re versed and creative beyond measure, they both have an immense amount of musicality, and most of all, their love for music is sweaty.’

However adding to the legend, Exum took a little detour on his musical journey, spending years as a professional footballer in the NFL, for teams such as the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings. Now leaving that chapter of his life behind, Exum has returned to the true love held dear to him ever since he can remember: music.

Exum is not simply trying his hand at music though; he is crafting every part of his artistic journey, from carefully selected contributors (such as string composer Christian Balvig) and overseas producers, to shaping his own brilliant music videos with directors such as Allison Bunce and Rosabel Ferber. Both of whom occupy creative space in his art world, which goes by the name of ücke. He has effectively created his own musical ecosystem. 'You’ve got to create your own world and live highly in that first', he says. 'Making it inevitable for other worlds to not be touched by what’s vibrating through you. In my world I’m already a massively iconic artist.'

Homeboy Sandman drops a new album that is entirely produced by Quelle Chris.

Homeboy Sandman’s new album Don’t Feed The Monster, is a collaboration with producer/MC Quelle Chris. It’s also his most vulnerable & poignant work to date. Having grown up in Queens, New York, hip-hop was part of everything in life. This deep-rooted connection to the culture is evident when listening to his style of rhyming- bold, classic & deeply respectful. On Don’t Feed The Monster, he pulls back any pretense to show his most honest truth - a process that he needed both artistically and spiritually. “I was having a hard time and this record saved me thank Quelle and thank God and shout to Gabor Maté,” he said about the new album.

Album producer (and guest vocalist) Quelle Chris has been one of the most talked about and celebrated hip-hop artists on the planet these last few years. Both producing & rapping, Quelle has released critically acclaimed albums like Guns, Innocent Country 2, and Everything’s Fine with his collaborator & wife Jean Grae. “There's a certain mystic/magical power in words, sounds, rhythms, etc. It's rare to come across a brother/artist like Sandman,” he says when asked about his new album with Homeboy Sandman.

The new album Don’t Feed The Monster is a marvel of how an artist can dig deeper still, even years into his craft. The chemistry between the producer & MC has unlocked something within Sandman, surfacing memories, textures & details in a more vivid way than ever before. “(We) wanted to project growth and not regression. Being careful not to feed the monster,” Quelle says about the mission of the album. One would be right to assume that bringing two elite talents together would yield an incredible album. But, when imagining what this album brings in its entirety, Quelle says it best: “raw, pure, organic magic."

Limited edition of 150 copies. Every bundle is unique as every single print is unique that's included. Like the pages of a flipbook, each of the 900 made prints is unique. Only very few for retail, so if you want the whole package with the fine prints by Markus Oberndorfer, be quick. Comes in white cut-out sleeve with sticker. The REVISIT Soundtrack was initiated by Markus Oberndorfer as part of his media art project REVISITED which features 360 video, media installation, photography, collage, and an artist book. Six befriended musicians were invited to provide three tracks each and given the assignment to send contributions representing their interpretations of the 360 videos recorded of the Sunset Strip in 2016 as part of REVISITED.

REVISIT OST is part of the installations virtual experience in form of radio broadcasts and subject of digital release and three limited physical releases on split 12“ vinyl. The vinyl is available in two versions à 150 copies: 1. Rhythm-Section (sound) and Rhythm- & Sequence-Frame-Section (sound & visual concept).

DROOM-01: Parental, Sirlensalot
DROOM-02: Devaloop, Lex (de Kalhex)
DROOM-03: Kompact, Dday One)

With over ten years’ experience in the music game, including three full length albums and a slew of EPs, Sweatson Klank – formerly known as Take – is one of L.A’s longest standing producers working at the periphery of hip hop and electronic music, a man who had a direct hand in shaping L.A’s beat scene in the 00s through the Sketchbook night alongside Kutmah. Whether or not you’ve heard his music before you’ll n have felt the impact of his work. After a two-year hiatus Sweatson Klank returns with the Elevate Me EP on Project Mooncircle, five tracks that further cement him as one of the nicest and most articulate producers in the game today. Elevate Me is both a departure from Sweatson’s previous output and a continuation of what has made him a unique voice in L.A’s thriving instrumental hip hop and electronic scene.

From the opener Always You the bar is set high with music that could only come from someone with musical savoir faire born of experience and hard work. The music is intricate and playful, the rhythms are hard to resist and the melodies perfectly match the uplifting mood, qualities that are carried throughout the EP.

Own almost feels like a band is playing yet it’s all coming from one man’s mind. The track references both Sweatson’s hip hop lineage and a deep understanding of the emotional potentials of electronic dance music. The tempo might surprise you at first but once you let the music take you in you’ll be pressing play again in no time.

I Can’t Explain is an ode to Sweatson’s love of hip hop, of the beat. The crunchy breaks will make your head nod before you’ve even realised it while the melodies and samples evoke images of sunny, lazy L.A days.

All of these ideas are further explored on My Love Is Here where certain tropes of popular dance music are put to use in a way that is rarely heard today. Instead of being the all-consuming focus of the song, the bass is used to reinforce the rhythmic foundations and combined with a beautifully emotive vocal sample that can seem jarring at first yet makes perfect sense. There is a subtlety to the music that really shines through on repeated listens.

In Between closes proceedings, winding things down with a smoother mood that’s still full of musical intricacies. Combining melancholic vocal samples with uplifting melodies and intricate rhythms, Sweatson manages to push through emotions that seem to burst out of the music, rendering any discussion of genre or style irrelevant.

Elevate Me is genuine, honest music born of emotions and offered to the listener with no disguise. It’s subtle and beautiful and it lets Sweatson Klank’s experience shine through in a way that will no doubt appeal to both old and new listeners. Jump aboard and let yourself be taken on a ride.

12" EP clear vinyl - Limited edition