After the recent taste of new Four Ours material featured on the 2014 Fliptrix LP 'Polyhymnia', we have been craving more and luckily didn't have to wait long. Silent Flight is out now and is the first track to be released from the upcoming album Natural Order. Check out the video below.
Great visuals from Ezpz and as expected, the Owls delivered the goods. The beat is immediately recognizable as a Leaf Dog production, which is definitely a good thing and the guys manage to re-spark the unremitting argument within my own mind and between friends as to which of the Owls is the best emcee. The answer seems to depend on who we're listening to at that moment in time. The single comes with an exclusive B side 'Old Earth' and instrumentals for both. Grab it from the link below.
First off, Happy New Year. 2015 will see a couple of new bloggers joining our team and we look forward to working with them shortly. In 2014 we had some great UK Hip Hop drop from the High Focus team and others and it looks like this year will be heading in the same direction. The UKHH scene seems to be at an all time high and with a Four Owls album promised for early in the year I think it is safe to say, I am excited!
It's a new year and already we have a new member of the ever expanding High Focus rosta. Onoe Capone makes his debut in style with a visual impressive video directed by Taztron Delix and Onoe himself accompanied by another banging beat from Chemo. This is how you showcase your new talent. Space Bitches is available now from the link bellow and is the first track to drop from his upcoming release on High Focus Records Voices FromPlanet Cattle.
Next we have Gorilla Growers taken from the debut Smellington Piff album Notice of Eviction, available now on R.L.D Records. This track features Leaf Dog who also produced the beat, BVA and Son Doobie of Funkdoobiest. You can find all the other videos from the album and details of a remix competition at the R.L.D website. You can also buy the album from the website.
Body Gold is the second video to drop from Born Lupers EP by The Mouse Outfit & Mattic. The Ep wasreleased on December 30th and is available from the Bandcamp link bellow. A great way to wet your appetite for the rumored 2015 Mouse Outfit album.
This one is for the Grime heads, Fully Fledged VIP By Problem Child. This banger features Dabbla, Buggsy, Illaman, DRS, Rawkid, Dubbledge, Onoe Caponoe, Marger, Lunar C, Foreign Beggars & Black Josh. WOW. You can pre-order the track on vinyl from the link bellow including the instrumental on the B side.
Reflections is easily my favorite UKHH track of 2014. It is taken from Polyhymnia by Fliptrix and features all off the Four Owls in action. The laid back beat was produced by Chemo and is a perfect example of why The Owls are at the top of the UKHH game right now. If you don't have the album check out our full review and buy it.
Not long after releasing the Fresh Flesh ep, Jam Baxter is back with a full solo album produced by Chemo, So We Ate Them Whole. This release tells the story of Baxters highs and lows on his surreal journey through the past year. Most of you will be familiar with Jams previous work from groups like Contact Play and Dead Players and previous albums such as Rinse Out Friday and Gruesome Features. Jam Baxter manages to achieve the impossible by elevating his already high standard even further showing how even the best can still evolve. Using a distinct style of lyricism, cleverly layered like watching a film for the second or third time and finding details within details that may have been missed the first time around, generally enhancing and enriching the overall experience. Throughout all of Jam Baxters'work, this use of clever language and story telling has been a main factor into the appeal towards audiences and artists who enjoy a putting a little more thought into the listening process.
This is an album that demands your attention. Not due to it being inflated or hard to follow, but because there is literally so much depth to his writing and deliverance that it has to be absorbed fully by the listener; and our interpretations will never do this incredible release justice.... but we will try.
Wings Cost Extra opens the album with atmospheric sounds building slowly into a very DJ Shadow-esque drum beat, nice work from Chemo on production to start this epic and versatile release. Jam injects his vivid vocab as he articulates his journey through a grim landscape.
"Disembodied heads in dusty corners,headless bodies inject liquor directly into their organs.
The never ending crux of a very strange performance, the beauty's in the gutters, this entire world is flawless."
Track 2, Caravan switches the vibe almost instantly with a broken, snare heavy drum track, allowing a more aggressive Jam Baxter to flow and unleash his raw energy all over the track. A nice contrast between the chilled flute samples and Baxters' rowdier deliverance is cinematic and if your not already hooked by this point, then there is clearly something wrong.
Bringing the vibe down to a more ambient, personal level, Incoming starts with creepy guitar samples and even creepier low-fi vocals (maybe?), enhancing a feeling of a nightmare-state; using his descriptive tongue to almost slap the blood in your face. This track is the second on the album to get an official video.
Leash was the first single to be released off of the album, and is accompanied by a twisted video to furtherintensify the graphic nature of the track. The beat boasts elements of trap, dub and 50's horror sound effects. Long sub shots and a tight snare reign throughout, swallowed whole by Baxter as he spews an impeccable flow that increases in pace and savagery, only to ease you back down again. A perfect promo for the album and shows just how willing Jam is to experiment with new sounds.
Leash (Cont.) is track 5 and from the get go, Chemo has laid a landscape of sound reminiscent of a western showdown and although the beat is distinctly different from the preceding track, it manages to almost become a reflection of it. Packing a similar flow which switches from laid back to full on aggy, Jam smashes this one with his trademark fashion of razor sharp wit and brutally tight execution.
Eulogy is an absolute banger from start to finish and is contender for our favorite off the album. Chemo lays a hypnotic beat for Jam Baxter to unleash some of his best work to date. Personally we were lucky enough to catch these bars during the High Focus Records 4th Birthday Party where during an interlude Jam performed an acapella that we were stoked to hear made it on the album. It was then dropped on his SBTV Skooled By Bars feature, which we have provided above. We could quote this track all day and found ourselves pulling the track back over and over, not for clarity, just because we wanted to hear the bars again.
Staples is another example of how experimenting with sound can create moods that compliment the themes of the lyrics and elevate its overall product to a new height of visceral sonic disposition.
This is carried on through to Husk, which presents us a melodic steel drum intro, adding a percussive element to layer over a laid back, minimalistic beat and a sub heavy bass-line. "You aint the same at all, melt down and face the wall.The young child chewin his leg with those pendulous eyesballs makes you crawl like, What's the price on the eighth? Your star prize awaits, let it prise your face apart. How does that blood in your saliva taste?" Baxters ability to create head bending images is on full display, the insane amount of content he manages to fit into one track would take any other artist an entire album and he uses every opportunity to make every word and sentence count.
Everything has a glitchy-electro beat and deep spacey chords with bass stabs to boot. Combine this with creepy demon-like overlays of some of Baxters bars and the raw lyrics makes this one feel slightly darker. Intended or not, we like it.
Vines starts with an eerie intro followed promptly by the most beautifully ambient beat we've heard in a while and Jam is simply hypnotic throughout this one.
Upping the ante with his vocal delivery on Clockwork with a more merciless approach, each bar cutting deep and leaving its mark. Chemos finished product gives the listener elements of suspense, similar to that of watching a horror movie where clever use of sound effects can be used to make whats happening on the screen seem more intense.
The is so much to like about Menu. The slow winding start, Dirty Dike, great beat, Dirty Dike, Baxters bars and Dirty Dike. We love anything that features both of these artists, and you gotta hand it to Chemo for crafting a beat so hench it can support them both. We love how there is a delay in the bass drop during Jams verse and how it builds during Dikes bars. There is just something about Jam and Dike that works so well, and we would love to see an entire album by the two of them at some point in the future. If anyone can keep up with Jams high caliber performance its Dike, so it kinda makes sense that he is the only feature emcee on the album. We gotta lot of love for this one and it is sure to be a highlight of the album for many.
Fantastic Man begins with a trippy intro where on an auditory level, there is a lot going on, before dropping with an old school style break. With humor peppered throughout, this is a nice way to bring the intensity of the album down to a more chilled plain of sound allowing the final track, Breakfast to play us out. This track is another highlight for us as it shows how diverse Chemos production is by bringing something completely different to the table than everything that preceded it. Jams adaptability over any beat is why he is the rising force that he is, commanding every bar and turning everything he touches into pure gold.
Your opinion may differ to ours in many instances, from the sounds featured to the themes and content of Jams lyrics. But that is what makes Jams work so interesting and relevant to so many people. One thing we can all agree on though, is that this feature confirms to all of us what we already know, Jam Baxter is pushing the envelope and evidently, the scene into a new level of thinking and word smithing. Truly, Baxter is at the top of his game and when all is said and done, will have left a massive imprint of the UK hip hop scene fore years to come.
One of our favourite UK Hip Hop bands "The Mouse Outfit" have started a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for a tour bus. The nine piece hip hop group released their debut album "Escape Music" back in 2013 and have been busy touring and getting ready to drop a new album. The kickstarter page gives you the chance to donate money towards the bus and receive a nice reward for taking part. Depending on how much you donate you can pick up exclusive T Shirts, Sweatshirts, Pictures, CDs and lots more.
Here is Dr Syntax to explain why they need the bus.
So make sure you check out the kickstarter page from the link bellow and get yourself some exclusive stuff while helping out the group get a bus for the next tour. "Escape Music" is still a personal favourite here at Locality Reviews and the live shows are next level, trust us. We look forward to hopefully hearing some new material from The Mouse Outfit soon.
The Liquid Amber EP is a little sneak peak of what is to come from DJ Shadows new imprint - Liquid Amber. He hopes to release more EDM style music from himself and others and offers this three track EP to wet your appetite. Shadow first rose to success with his debut album "Entroducing" back in 96 breaking down the walls of Hip Hop with his signature moody instrumental beats. Like many, DJ Shadow has been a big influence to me and exposed me to another side of Hip Hop I didn't know existed. He is currently touring the USA with Cut Chemist (J5) on their "Renegades of Rhythm" tour, a must if you get the chance to see it! The Liquid Amber EP features two brand new tracks from DJ Shadow showing us he is still able to evolve his style keeping up to date and still sound amazing. It also has a great Remix of Six Days from Machinedrum. You can purcase the full release from the link below.
Fresh off the success of "A Year In The Life Of Oscar The Slouch" (check our album review here - http://localityreview.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/ramson-badbonez-year-in-life-of-oscar.html) Badbonez is back with a 15 track release available on his bandcamp. As always Ramson smashes this one and it's avlible for the name your price option. A must for fans of UKHH.
And finally I wanted to mention two beat tapes you might have slept on. First up, Pete Cannon one of the UK's favourite Hip Hop producers is back with a new selection of beats for you. The Boom Bap Beat Tape is a great follow up to the first edition and is available now for a very reasonable £2.99 on bandcamp. Grab it now, a must for Hip Hop DJs.
Secondly Charlie Mac has released a new beat tape, "Instrumentals Vol IV", easily the best of the four releases. You will have heard his beats before on the Ramson Badbonez High Focus album," A Year In The Life Of Oscar The Slouch" and Charlie Mac keeps up the high level of production in this instrumental release. Again, this is a must for Hip Hop DJs.
A friend of mine has a daughter in desperate need of a new custom built electric wheelchair, the cost is unbelievably high so I thought I would try to help by hosting a fundraiser event too hopefully help out with the cost a little. After some complications we are happy to announce that the event will now be held at Monroes Bar Peterborough. It's going to be a fun night with some great entertainment and it's all for a good cause. We are only asking for £4 on the door and you have the option of buying raffle tickets if you would like to participate. Prizes are starting to come in and a full list of prizes will be posted before the event. We are not going to be hounding you for money all night, we want to have a big party for everyone to enjoy and what ever you can spare is great!
Entertainment on the night. Locality Showcase - FT Mista Crowe, Double S, Juxta, Skillz, Nath One and Josh Fox.
Its been a while since we have done an event together like this so get ready for some Old Skool and UK Hip Hop, Scratching, Beatboxing and a live Cypher.
Reggae SoundClash - Moskit VS Linksy. A soundclash between to great selectors going Dub fi Dub with a host TBC. Given the nature of the event it's going to be a friendly but I guarantee this will be a lot of fun and will go off in a big way.
HIJAK Showcase - Instant B2B G Roller with MC Vigilante. As an extra treat we will be providing two of Peterborough's most notorious DnB DJ's and Promoters. Nuff said on this one.
As you can see this is set to be a great night and now we have a later licence we will be adding some acts to the line up shortly so get down early and join us for a night of fun, good entertainment and fundraising. The event will take place at Monroes Bar, Broadway, Peterborough. I know this wont appeal to everyone so if you don't want to come but would still like to make a donation, please see the link provided bellow. If you would like to donate a raffle prize please leave a message on the Facebook event page or e-mail me. localityreview@gmail.com Donations. http://www.gofundme.com/eatz58
Facebook Event Page. https://www.facebook.com/events/1484963211776536/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming
Fliptrix has always been an artist who takes his craft to another level of intrinsic design and with his latest release, Polyhymnia, he solidifies his position in the UKHH scene as the forward-thinking artist he has been known for. Everything from the lyrics' themes and beats to the artwork has been meticulously thought about and constructed with the up-most care to permeate his message of positivity and love through the platform he has built himself with the success of High Focus Records. To best explain the meaning for the title of the album and artwork, we've quoted the press release sent to us from HF. "... this new album title is based around the subject of Muses, the 9 ancient greek goddesses of inspiration. Of the nine masked spirit women adorning the cover which all represent specific sources of inspiration, Polyhymnia is the muse of sacred poetry, geometry, meditation and eloquence which are themes which pertain heavily to Fliptrix as an artist. The other muses surrounding the Ouroboros (snake eating its tail, representing eternity/life/death & rebirth) represent everything from tragedy, history, comedy, astrology, music, poetry and more which
are all themes that are also touched upon on the album."
The rise of Fliptrix has been one of legends, as his mantra of positive vibes and belief of his artistry has helped raise the UK hip hop scene to a level it has never seen before. High Focus are bringing back a deeper and more cultural meaning to UK hip hop faithful and its down to Fliptrix and his dedication to the music he loves. As always, Fliptrix and Molotov are setting new standards with this highly anticipated release.
Jeheeze is a no-nonsense, straight up banger which begins with a short vocal intro before dropping full force into this roller of a track. Leaving no room for breath as he lays down lyrics with precision and flow, utilizing the whole beat to flourish. The drum work is as tight as we've come to expect from Molotov and between the two of them, we already know this release is going to be something very special. Praise the Sun see's the return of another High Focus prodigy that's making massive waves across the UK music scene, Rag N Bone Man.
Praise The Sun
The track is accompanied by a great piece of visual artwork by animator Sam Cox. The video boasts an impressive 1,800 hand drawn frames, all of which have been individually scanned, color corrected and edited to create just 3 and a half minutes of awesome footage. After a brief intro from Rag N Bone Man, Fliptrix and Molotov deliver the goods with this feel-good classic; a homage to the sun and how it is responsible for more than our minds can comprehend. This is one of the many tracks that can be related back to the intrinsic detailing of the albums artwork, wherein many ancient religions or civilizations worshiped the sun and the life it brought. This is also a great example of how Fliptrix is willing to express his true beliefs while displaying his ability to keep the listener fully engaged and entertained. There aren't many emcee's I can think of who can make a three and a half minute masterpiece about his adoration for the sun.
Polyhymnia is the title track of the LP and is set for a single release the day the album drops. Molotov switches up the style of the beat providing a double-time, more intimate vibe as Fliptix hits with bars explaining how he interprets music and uses this as a tool of legitimate expression, every faucet of inspiration outreached into his artwork and lifestyle. This is one of the main messages that are obvious in all of Fliptrix's releases to date. His love for music is his main focus and with it, his message of love and peace.
Here Today Gone Tomorrow
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, is one of my favorite bits of production ever. The jaunty jazz keys and the sparse-yet-effective sub bass against the simple beat with subtle shuffle on the hats is simply perfect. Molotov has proved yet again he is a monster on the beats. This is the third single to drop from the album and this addresses many of the questions that populate the mind of Fliptrix, including the political state of the world, its effect on society and his views on life and death.
Five tracks in and already this is shaping up to be a timeless classic. The trend so far is every track gets deeper and resonates more and more as the album progresses.The production on Lean Star Gazer is an atmospheric beast, with its carefully articulated samples and rolling drums, haunting guitar chords spaced between an eerie flute creates a moody sound-scape for Fliptrix to masterfully bar over. In this he promotes staying true to the ones you care about and making the right choices in life.
Before you even hear Alchemical Vessel you know its going to be huge. Chester P and Fliptrix on the same track; what else is there to say?! Chester delivers raw and savage bars designed to keep you thinking, his refined style we have all become accustomed to from the infamous Task Force days. This track is monumental, as it brings together the front-men of two different era's of UK hip hop and as expected, kills it fully. Fliptrix begins the track and is equally matched in the second verse by Chester P all the while, Molotov lays down the foundation for this "history-in-the-making" track.
The Warning has everything you want to hear. Chilly strings, heavy bass and keys give the beat a slightly darker tone for Fliptrix to deliver his "warning" of the evils of the world.
Vultures
In Vultures Fliptrix goes into detail about how he feels the time for real UK hip hop is coming and the days of commercial music are numbered. Its time to hear positivity in music instead of the usual guns, violence and materialism associated with mainstream hip hop.
"I feel the change getting closer
The mainstream held the reigns
Now we're taking over
Death to the fakeness
Rise in the realness
Commercialism had it's day
But HF will kill this."
If like us you have been highly anticipating some new Four Owls material, Fliptrix has you covered with track nine, Reflections. We have all been teased with new tracks at the the many live performances the supper group have been doing but this is the first time in a while something has been released with all four members. And it's worth the wait. Molotov seems to have the perfect beat for the owls, a real chilled atmosphere is created by the perfectly sampled piano keys and trumpets. Every one goes in on this one, demonstrating why they are best in the game right now.
Moltov seems to capture the party vibe of Fliptix's bars in Wavey with this funky up beat banger and a great "Neville Bartos" sample for all the Chopper fans. This one stands out as a feel good track sure to played to death by DJs everywhere, which isn't a bad thing.
Highway Traveller starts with a harmonic chorus before Fliptrix and Molotov burst into action. The harmonies continue throughout the track giving a real deep vibe that Fliptrix matches perfectly with his deep bars bars. The message is another double time beat from Molotov featuring piano, violin and glitchy samples scattered throughout. Fliptrix really shines in this track showing us how well he has perfected his craft, making his delivery sound effortless and compelling at the same time.The outro for the album has another soulful head rocking beat from Molotov and vocal samples advising you how to "Reclaim Your Mind". A perfect way to wrap this one up.
This album is a masterpiece from start to finish, both Fliptrix and Molotov have put together their best work to date giving us everything we wanted from a new Fliptrix album including stunning artwork, fat beats and the most forward thinking lyrics you will ever hear. The positive messages and views are evident throughout the album, something Fliptrix is renowned for and is a breath of fresh air in underground Hip Hop. As High Focus grows bigger its good to see that Fliptrix still manages to find time to write new material and continues to speak what's really on his mind rather than take the commercial route to make fast cash. This album is set to make big noise in the ever growing UKHH community and and shows us that Fliptrix is at his best and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Buy it!
