I’d be the first to admit I’m not the world’s authority on hip hop, but this is the best set of compilations I’ve heard in this musical area for some time. The word ‘area’ is used rather than ‘genre’, as it would be unfair to pin these incredibly original and stimulating tracks down to just the one word, for there is some incredible variety to be found in the course of both compilations. There is music of great power particularly on the first CD, where the rolling beats and synth riff are left to run wild in Shash’U’s ‘Akira’, or gunshots add a chill to the music of Zackey Force Funk’s ‘Birdz’. Meanwhile the softer pulses of MNDSGN’s ‘Golf Shirt’ correspond with the frenzied N8N0 Face cut ‘Fame’. The second set tends to operate at a slower tempo but the intensity remains just as high, the powers of inventiveness striking. Here there is a striking downbeat song from Mophono (‘Old Illusion’), a far out effect of two speeds at once (Jonwayne’s ‘Dropped Calls’) and OM Unit’s ‘Sweatson Klank’, where treble lines shimmer over concrete beats. Without question these are two of the year’s finest compilations, with music that makes you sit up and see things differently, as it contains some startling invention at times. As both volumes seem to be limited to import only you would be well advised to snap them up without delay.
5 out of 5
Reviewed By Ben Hogwood
