Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

The return of one of the weirdest producers out there, sometimes known as DJ Yo Yo Dieting, sometimes known as Indignant Senility, this time deploying a set of syruppy chopped & screwed productions that sound something like DJ Screw processed thru guitar pedals or Lil Ugly Mane heard booming from the next block. This is basically the most satisfying out-there mixtape of the year...

Incorrigible noise mutant Pat Maher buries chopped 'n screwed hip hop in proper, cranky noise on the long awaited follow-up to his Bubblethug album as Expressway Yo-Yo Dieting. Imagine a DJ Screw tape covered in gravy, left to bake in the sun and then kneaded thru guitar pedals and you've got some taste of the chewy, thuggish ruggish gear on this killer dish.

While Maher may be as well known for his fractal techno as Diamond Catalog or his smeared 78 sessions in The Caretaker-esque Indignant Senility project, it was under the Expressway Yo-Yo Dieting alias that he first really got under the skin of popular consciousness, bubbling up alongside Lil B's seminal Rain In England on Weird Forest Records c. 2010 to ruggedly reset American hip hop from oblique, avant new perspectives.

Aside from a few mixtapes, Undone Harmony Following is the project's first appearance since then and picks up exactly where he left us, huffing up classic and little known hip hop joints and spitting them out as hazy, masticated globules of gristle and noise perfect for the muggiest, blunted listening sessions.

They're like the sonic equivalent of a noise weirdo idly doodling graf sigils in a battered sketchbook for his own gratitude, and thankfully Undone Harmony Following allows everyone else to peer over his shoulder see what he's scribbling, 13 raw, oozing cuts of slurred vocals and distended grooves that sag over the belt line, dripping rivulets of grease and grit, and always appearing to be on the brink of lethargic collapse.

Its ultimate value lies in that heavy-lidded space between woke and fugged-out dream lyf, and in the way which Maher drags the listener into his uniquely suspended, effected temporality that makes this record almost dangerously, druggily seductive and as vital as it gets right now...

Er ist Musiker und Schauspieler - Noch einer. Er bringt den Sound der 90er in modernem 2016er Gewand - Nicht schlecht. Er war bereits auf #17 in den Albumcharts als noch wirklich viel verkauft wurde - So ein Comebackding. Er kann nach 20 Jahren im Rapgame mit einem ewig langen Pressetext beworben werden - aber das ist alles egal! Er ist nämlich einfach der Freak, das Reimemonster, der fertigste der Mongos und ab heute ist er auch noch "Der Phönix aus dem Aschenbecher". Man kann sich einfach freuen das einer der ganz, ganz großen wieder da ist. Einmal Freak, immer Freak. - Ferris MC

Man haette die Platte auch >Melancholie der Seligen< nennen koennen, wenn der Titel nicht schon von Rainald Goetz besetzt waere. So finden wir hier zwei autarke Stuecke vor die gleichsam diabolischen Ursprungs sind und vielleicht die Frage beantworten können, ob ein Leben im Vakuum tatsaechlich moeglich ist oder ob das Reale einfach nur nicht mehr greifbar ist. Entscheidet selbst!

Teklife Records are ready to drop their third release: New Start by Taso. The 7 track LP features collaborations with DJ Rashad & DJ Spinn, Gant-Man, DJ Tre, DJ Manny, DJ Taye and DJ Earl. New Start follows on from a highly coveted vinyl edition, critical acclaim and strong DJ Support for Open Your Eyes by DJ Earl. Once again, the spirit of collaboration is a key element: Teklife is a closely connected group of friends, working together harmoniously, and pushing each other to greater heights and depths through a shared love of footwork music. Smoke Dat Green, Taso's collaboration with DJ Earl, was featured on Open Your Eyes, and now Taso himself takes centre stage for the next instalment, presenting unreleased classics alongside brand new footwork sounds. An accomplished DJ and MC, Taso frequently appears alongside Spinn at Teklife showcases all over the world. But despite a busy touring schedule, Taso never stops making beats. A multi-instrumentalist with a degree in audio engineering, Taso fuses raw musical talent with technical expertise. Since January this year, he has released an impressive 8 volumes of the Cold Heat EP series, bringing together a whole range of musical styles and moods through his MPC at 160 BPM. This versatility and willingness to draw inspiration from different sources is evident throughout the New Start LP. The title track is sultry and soulful, with Rashad and Spinn's masterful influence clearly present. Don't Get Mad provides a stark contrast: a dancefloor-orientated hype track featuring an on point vocal by Gant-Man. Bussin featuring DJ Manny and DJ Tre sounds like a love letter from footwork to jungle music. Over on the flip side, we start off with AM Track: another beautifully crafted classic featuring DJ Rashad and Dj Spinn. In the Green Room featuring Dj Taye is a muscular, speaker-rattling West Coast jam, and Murda Bass takes its cue from golden era UK Dubstep. The heavily - filtered final notes of De Capo Al Coda featuring DJ Earl round off a diverse but consistently high quality outing from Taso and the Teklife family. Message from Taso: Thank you and much respect for supporting Teklife music. Without you there is no us. This record is dedicated to DJ Rashad and his family.'

- Exclusive booklet

- 2x heavyweight 45 RPM LPs

- Virtual reality headset

- Glow in the dark cover

- Instructions to access exclusive virtual reality live performances from the PHAROS Experience.

- PHAROS VR companion app can be downloaded at http://pharos.earth/

Childish Gambino is (and isn't) Donald Glover, a recording artist, writer, actor, director, producer and comic who was gifted his alias by an online Wu Tang-Clan name-generator. Originally hailing from Stone Mountain, Georgia - his Mum was a daycare provider and his Dad a postal worker, where TV was banned in the house - Glover first entered the spotlight as a member of sketch-troupe Derrick Comedy, via a stint working on The Daily Show and the invitation to join the '30 Rock' writing staff by Tina Fey before he'd even graduated from NYU. A succession of mini-albums and mixtapes surrounded all of this, parallel to acting roles ranging from The Muppets to NBC's cult hit comedy 'Community'. It was 2011's debut album 'Camp' - his first since signing to Glassnote Records - which marked a breakthrough for Childish Gambino, whose music explores everything from identity, race, and technology to hip-hop culture, class, and family. Follow-up 'because the internet' went top 10 on the Billboard chart, was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards and further assimilated Gambino's multiple disciplines (it was accompanied, for instance, by two films and a standalone 72-page screenplay). Around this time - and between roles in HBO's 'Girls' and movies like 'The Martian' - Glover also announced that he was working on his own TV show: a comedy-drama which he would star in, write and direct, 'Atlanta' premiered on FX this autumn to significant critical acclaim (it's already been described as "Twin Peaks with rappers"). The show was launched alongside the third Childish Gambino, 'Awaken, My Love!', this summer at 'Pharos', a series of secretive, audio-visual live performances which took place in a custom-designed dome in the middle of the desert in Joshua Tree. A second series of 'Atlanta' has already been commissioned, whilst Glover has recently been cast in the forthcoming Spider Man movie and has also been confirmed to play the iconic role of Lando Calrissian in the next Star Wars film (a Han Solo spin-off). His most vital artistic statement to date, Childish Gambino is expected to unveil further music from 'Awaken, My Love!' in the coming weeks. 

Childish Gambino is (and isn't) Donald Glover, a recording artist, writer, actor, director, producer and comic who was gifted his alias by an online Wu Tang-Clan name-generator. Originally hailing from Stone Mountain, Georgia - his Mum was a daycare provider and his Dad a postal worker, where TV was banned in the house - Glover first entered the spotlight as a member of sketch-troupe Derrick Comedy, via a stint working on The Daily Show and the invitation to join the '30 Rock' writing staff by Tina Fey before he'd even graduated from NYU. A succession of mini-albums and mixtapes surrounded all of this, parallel to acting roles ranging from The Muppets to NBC's cult hit comedy 'Community'. It was 2011's debut album 'Camp' - his first since signing to Glassnote Records - which marked a breakthrough for Childish Gambino, whose music explores everything from identity, race, and technology to hip-hop culture, class, and family. Follow-up 'because the internet' went top 10 on the Billboard chart, was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards and further assimilated Gambino's multiple disciplines (it was accompanied, for instance, by two films and a standalone 72-page screenplay). Around this time - and between roles in HBO's 'Girls' and movies like 'The Martian' - Glover also announced that he was working on his own TV show: a comedy-drama which he would star in, write and direct, 'Atlanta' premiered on FX this autumn to significant critical acclaim (it's already been described as "Twin Peaks with rappers"). The show was launched alongside the third Childish Gambino, 'Awaken, My Love!', this summer at 'Pharos', a series of secretive, audio-visual live performances which took place in a custom-designed dome in the middle of the desert in Joshua Tree. A second series of 'Atlanta' has already been commissioned, whilst Glover has recently been cast in the forthcoming Spider Man movie and has also been confirmed to play the iconic role of Lando Calrissian in the next Star Wars film (a Han Solo spin-off). His most vital artistic statement to date, Childish Gambino is expected to unveil further music from 'Awaken, My Love!' in the coming weeks. 

Er ist Musiker und Schauspieler - Noch einer. Er bringt den Sound der 90er in modernem 2016er Gewand - Nicht schlecht. Er war bereits auf #17 in den Albumcharts als noch wirklich viel verkauft wurde - So ein Comebackding. Er kann nach 20 Jahren im Rapgame mit einem ewig langen Pressetext beworben werden - aber das ist alles egal. Er ist nämlich einfach der Freak, das Reimemonster, der fertigste der Mongos und ab heute ist er auch noch "Der Phönix aus dem Aschenbecher". Man kann sich einfach freuen das einer der ganz, ganz großen wieder da ist. Einmal Freak, immer Freak. - Ferris MC

Six long years have passed since 'From A Scarecrows Perspective' revealed Leaf's unmistakable voice to the rap world. The true beauty of a musical hiatus is when the fans remain feverish for a return. In Leaf Dog's case, his movements between solo outings have seen him extend both his vision as RLD Records boss, producer extraordinaire, 1/4 of The Four Owls and 1/3 of Brothers Of The Stone, power moves that have taken him to the highest reaches of the scene, however, make no mistake, when it comes to true, uncut introspection, it was always going to be about that second solo installment.

The wait is over. Leaf Dog is back!!!

Here is your first official taste of the monumental 'Dyslexic Disciple' LP, the first single 'My Scene' produced by Naive. Anthemic to say the least, 'My Scene' is a celebration of how far the UK Hip Hop scene has come over the years!

We have pressed up 'My Scene' on to limited edition 7'' vinyl alongside another future classic cut from 'Dyslexic Disciple' entitled 'Today' produced by Leaf Dog himself. There are only 500 limited edition 7'' singles (never to be repressed)!

Run-DMC's self-titled 1984 debut pushed the doors of pop music open, showing that hip-hop was not the fad that
haters had prophesized. As they proved decisively on Run-DMC, rap was a legit art form, fully capable of producing
long-players full of no-fast-forward cuts.
By 1985, any doubters were running on fumes, as the group's King Of Rock blew the aforementioned pop doors off
their hinges. Emboldened by their success (including the first rap album to ever go Gold), energized by worldwide
touring and accolades, and given all the support they could want by a genius producer (Larry Smith), an open-minded
label (Profile) and a charismatic manager (Russell Simmons, who also lent a hand on production), they ruled the
charts and hinted at even greater things to come.
The album's most fondly-remembered single set the album's tone perfectly: 'King Of Rock' was hard, full of charisma
and tag-team vocal finesse, and had enough guitars to bring the suburbs into the rap fold. The song's video was
equally popular and powerful, and the pioneering MTV exposure drove the group into a new stratosphere.
But there was much more to King Of Rock than the title track, including more rock / rap hybrids - 'Can You Rock It
Like This' and 'You're Blind' - as well as the additional singles 'Jam-Master Jammin'' and 'You Talk Too Much.'
(The latter, incidentally, charted as high as 'King Of Rock' on both the Pop and R&B charts).
Throw in the forward-thinking reggae/rap collab 'Roots, Rap, Reggae' (featuring the legendary Yellowman) and the
live-throwdown-simulation 'Darryl and Joe (Krush-Groove 3)' and the album - which went on to pass Platinum status
- is a winner from A1 to B4.

GTA FUNK is both a reaction to and a reflection of the 'Toronto' sound, conceived during KEI-LI's move from the suburbs of Mississauga to the city of Toronto.

The vast multiculturalism of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) has given birth to a sonic diversity that goes far beyond the signature OVO sound associated with the city. With the world finally tuning in, this EP also enlists the help of fellow artists like Robotaki, Falcxne, Kemi Ade and Christopher Blacc, which allows him to showcase a funkier side to the city that the world hasn't been acquainted with yet.

KEI-LI started producing at the age of 13, informed by his interest in beatboxing and funkstyles popping. After stumbling upon neo-soul, he immediately discovered his musical direction, with Musiq and D'Angelo as his inspirations. While these musical foundations shine brightly throughout GTA Funk, KEI-LI has managed to forge a sonic aesthetic that is entirely his own.

There is an evident struggle with finding an authentic place as an Asian artist within the continuum of funk, soul, and hip hop musical traditions. Hence, the visual branding behind GTA Funk is inspired by the intersection of these two cultures: Kung Fu and hip hop.

The Infamous is the second studio album by the American Hip Hop duo Mobb Deep, released in 1995. The album features guest apperances from Nas, Wu-Tang Clan members, Reakwon and Ghostface Killah. It marked Mobb Deep's transition from a relatively unknown Rap duo to an influential and commercially successful one.
One of the cornerstones of the New York hardcore movement, The Infamous is Mobb Deep's masterpiece, a relentlessly bleak song cycle that's been hailed by hardcore Rap fans as one of the most realistic gangsta albums ever recorded.
This is hard, underground Hip Hop that demands to be met on its own terms, with few melodic hooks to draw the listener in. Similarly, there's little pleasure or relief offered in the picture of the streets Mobb Deep paint here. They inhabit a war zone where crime and paranoia hang constantly in the air.

From the forefront of early Experimental HipHop from the USA come the second longplay effort of Paul Bonomo and Tara Delong a.k.a. BEDROOM PRODUCTIONS. Originally released in 2000 and now rediscovered in a dusty Berlin-basement we're able to offer the last original pressings of this huge album that comes along as a fascinating amalgamation of the Beastie Boys' anarcho Punk approach, lo-fi recording in style and Lolita Storm's killer stage presence. Get ready to bounce, get ready to party!

Ready for some sample madness and heavy underground Punk HipHop from the 90s Be prepared to add the long lost, 1997-released and now rediscovered debut album of Paul Bonomo and Tara Delong a.k.a. BEDROOM PRODUCTIONS to your collection.

Lo-fi and Noize-heavy, influenced by the free floating Illbient-scene as well as the DIY-approach of acts like the Beastie Boys this one is about to set your opium den or crackhouse jam on fire, especially with the massive underground hit - Socialism New York City

Es war nur eine Frage der Zeit, bis auch die ganz großen Stars der internationalen HipHop-Szene die Lukrativität von CD-Mixtapes erkennen würden. Nachdem Eminem 2005 nach der Veröffentlichung seines letzten Albums Curtain Call angedeutet hatte, sich ganz aus der Musikszene zurückzuziehen, ist es schon eine kleine Sensation, dass er sich nun mit Eminem Presents The Re-Up mehr als lautstark zurückmeldet.Dass die Slim Shaddy-Posse, zu der neben Eminem bekanntlich auch Schwergewichte wie 50 Cent, D-12, Obie Trice und Lloyd Banks zählen, nicht einfach kampflos das Feld räumen würde, war sowieso klar. Mit Booby Creekwater und Cashis präsentiert man sogar zwei neue, vielversprechende Mitglieder, die auch gleich jeweils einen bzw. zwei Solotrack zum Mixtape beisteuern. Dabei hat Bobby Creekwater mit seinem von DJ Alchemist produzierten Track "There He Is" die Nase leicht vorn, doch auch Cashis zeigt mit "Talkin' All That" und "Everything Is Shady", das mit ihm in Zukunft noch zu rechnen sein wird. Die herausragenden Songs liefern aber diesmal noch weitgehend die etablierten Kräfte ab. Als erstes muss man da natürlich die Allstar-Hymne "We're Back" nennen, bei der aber neben Eminem, Obie Trice und Stat Quo auch schon Cashis und Bobby Creekwater ihre ersten Visitenkarten abgeben dürfen. Zu den weiteren Höhepunkten zählt das bitterböse "The Re-Up" (Eminem und 50 Cent) sowie die erste Singleauskopplung You Don't Know, bei der Eminem, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks und Cashis für mächtig viel Alarm sorgen. Abgerundet wird das von DJ Alchemist zusammengestellte Album mit diversen Remixen, u.a. von Obie Trice's "Pistol Pistol" und 50 Cents "Ski Mask Way", für den Eminem persönlich verantwortlich zeichnet.

The lean & compact effort featured production by Denmark himself (who has produced for the likes of Danny Brown, Elzhi, Quelle Chris and more), as well as Dirty Science's Exile, Azarias,and T-White with vocal contributions by Guilty Simpson, Black Milk, Tanya Morgan and more. As a special addition, the 2XLP vinyl includes the album's instrumentals plus two bonus tracks Katt Williams' and Snowing in LA' produced by Odd Future's Earl Sweartshirt. The cassette also includes the two bonus tracks.

Let the good times roll! DJ Yamin and Quickie Mart have created the very first New Orleans Breakbeat record! This 12' contains exclusive drum breaks and samples for all you DJ's and Producers. If you like raw and funky beats with hard to find samples from the Crescent City than this album is for you. Very limited release!

Growth is about adaptation, existing in transit, and nourishing flux. It gives us a reason to move on to our next project, challenges us, and feeds our creative hunger. Sona Elango, as the multi-talented Elaquent, captures a catalogue of experiences and feelings that span time zones from over the better part of 2016. Elaquent has created a reflective sound weaving themes of travel and personal growth into the core of his music. Worst Case Scenario is a record with roots in Europe and Japan, inspired by moments of reflection in hostels, airports, and trains. It boasts Elaquent's growth not only as a beat maker and producer, but as an artist, conscious of peers, music lovers, and strangers alike. He explains how I wanted it to feel personal and conducive to who I am, but I'll let everyone deduce what they want about each song. It's open to interpretation.' Elaquent demonstrates that relative themes have a power that is bigger than ourselves. He manages to hit the bittersweet mark of self-reflection perfectly, reminding us that sometimes the most daunting and intimidating reflections, can secretly be moments of peace and reassurance. ...going on 30, no longer feeling like you're invincible, everyone is getting married and living a completely different kind of life. I don't want to get old, wondering whether I did everything in life that I wanted to do. This album, Worst Case Scenario, it's the idea that if all else fails, I'll know that at least I was able to do all these amazing things in my life'. Worst Case Scenario is ultimately a public chapter in Elaquent's life, embodying an unhurried yet vibrant form of personal storytelling. It's a soulful and colourful record' he says. I was in a different mindset, it was a challenge to myself. I wanted to expand on previous concepts, and make a record that is about doing things not just to do them, but because it makes sense'. Unabashedly human, and eager to make it count, Elaquent is a reminder to us all that we're here for a good time, not a long time.

The latest in Cold Busted's 7' series - featuring previously digital only cuts now enshrined on wax - comes from accomplished Polish beat-maker Emapea. Known for his contributions to the IWYMI and Bust Free compilations as well as his widely lauded album Seeds, Roots & Fruits, Emapea has been recently selected for inclusion in Mark Farina's next Mushroom Jazz installment. So the time is ripe to get funky and fresh with this prime beat-maker's new 7' single. This one goes out to the B-Boys, as B-Boy Stance' grooves with its '70s-style car chase guitar, feet-shuffling rhythms, horn splashes, and energetic vocal drops. Every B-Boy needs a solid B-side, and here you'll find B-Boy Theme'. This one transports the floor to a raucous block party complete with breakneck scratches and energetic drum loops, alongside '70s funk flourishes that'll get any private dick - who's a sex machine to all the chicks - quickly moving his hips.

This was my first real album. My technical first album had originally been a 9 track EP then I added 5 more songs. Actual Factual Pterodactyl was my first body of work all released at the same time all recorded with my go to engineer Alejandro Sosa' Tello. I was having a lot of fun. I didn't care what anybody thought. I wasn't concerned with concepts. I didn't lay out any plan. I just found hot beats and rapped. I didn't care about any type of sonic or thematic uniformity. All I wanted was for everything to be ill. I found my voice on this album. Before this you could hear my songs and tell who my influences were, but on Actual Factual Pterodactyl all this shit was some straight Homeboy Sandman shit. - Homeboy Sandman

L.B.T (Live Beat Tapes) are a collective formed of hip hop producers, jazz musicians, rappers and singers. This album is a compilation of singles, an overview of a year's work and of 10 digitally released episodes. This 12-members collective of Florentine-based artists / hippies is a dynamic, ever-evolving musical experiment, in search of the perfect vibe.

REPRESSED !!
Ultimate Breaks & Beats was a series of highly DJ-friendly edit compilation LPs that came out 1986-1991, becoming the foundation of sample-based hip-hop, and influencing pop and dance music up through the present day. The series was created by Lenny Roberts, a Bronx-based record collector, and studio editing partner Breakbeat' Lou Flores, who began releasing the compilations on the Street Beat label just as the art of hip-hop sampling was beginning to take shape. DJ records, which soon became ready-made sample sources, had been around since the 70s, but none matched the quality of UBB. The selections were absurdly democratic, aggressively ironic, (and) smartly remixed all the best aspects of hip-hop,' wrote Charles Aaron in a 1995 review of the entire series. Dweebs like me could wander into Music Factory in Times Square and bump into Eric B or Jam Master Jay buying multiple copies of Ultimate Breaks & Beats ... the sound of hip-hop was never the same again.' Breakbeat' Lou Flores is reviving Ultimate Breaks & Beats with a producer series, debuting with an album by Oh No in January 2017. Oh No's 17-track collection was made entirely with sources from the original UBB series.

Ultimate Block Party Breaks Volume 3 continues the tradition that began in the Bronx in the 1970's, where Break DJs' would take that one part of the record that dancers would go absolutely crazy for. That part where all the music breaks down to nothing but the essence: Drums and percussion. These are all truly timeless beats that sound as fresh today as they did when the founding fathers like Kool Herc, Bam, Flash and Hollywood were catching them for the first time in community centers throughout the city. We've edited and extended these breaks for maximum effect on the dance floor - so you don't have to. Enjoy!

The fourteenth volume in the expansive drum loop series. Mr. Paul Nice is known as of the best world premier breaks diggers - and here's the proof. All just raw drum loops here - no synthetics! Lifted from some of the rarest vinyl available then cleaned and looped nicely, this is great for your sampler and jugglers alike.

Tell ya mom 'n' em! Quickie Mart, Tony Skratchere and DJ Yamin are back for another installment in the NOLA Bounce Breaks series. Volume 2 gives you even more New Orleans style break beats and samples for you to get busy with! Also includes skipless vocal phrases from Bounce artists like Katey Red, Hasizzle and Keno.

Make sure you grab doubles and get ready to let the good times roll...

Deluxe 7' Casebook. Get On Down Presents : "Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)" complete album on 7' for the first time ever housed in a deluxe casebook created in full collaboration with The RZA. This absolutely unique, deluxe edition of this classic album - which has been created in full collaboration with The RZA - is presented as a Casebook' hardcover book, which houses the album's 12 full songs that are divided into six 7's. And beyond the 56-page liner notes, six additional pages have a Wu-Tang logo picture sleeve in which to put the vinyl. Besides the vinyl, the centerpiece of the Casebook is a 56-page Shaolinology book, featuring input by RZA, written by journalist Chris Faraone. Beyond many never-before-discussed Wu-Tang nuggets, the book also includes rare photos of the group, lyrics for all album songs, as well as other images and advertisements from the Enter The Wu-Tang era. For the Wu-Tang Clan fan - this is a trophy to be proudly displayed to celebrate the influence of one of music's most influential groups. The group's classic (November) 1993 debut album is presented as a set of six 7' vinyl records. The unique hardcover Casebook,' holds six 7's as book pages, along with an in-depth liner notes book. Casebook features a 56-page book (aka The Shaolinthology), with new RZA input / interviews, extensive research by journalist Chris Faraone, album lyrics, rarely-seen photos and other rare images from the Enter The Wu-Tang era.

5 Borough Breaks deliver another stone cold hip hop classic in the form of Diggin In The Crates "Day One" from '97, featuring legends Diamond D, Big L and Lord Finesse amongst the rest of the DITC crew. On the B-side you can find the original sample source, Oliver Sain's funky jazz rarity "On The Hill" which regularly brings a pretty price whenever it appears online. Limited pressing of 300.

Best known as a jazz drummer and hip-hop producer, Karriem Riggins returns with Headnod Suite. The album is the follow up to 2012's critically acclaimed debut Alone Together. With 29 instrumental hip-hop tracks, Headnod Suite places Riggins' beatmaking chops front and center. It's a testament to why Riggins is the producer of choice for artists like Kanye West, Common, Erykah Badu, and The Roots.

For fans of Dilla, Madlib, DJ Mitsu, Onra, Stones Throw, Jazzy Sport. Very occasionally you stumble across a digital album on one of the many internet music sharing platforms that just stops you in your tracks. Mahatma X 'A Mobtown Suite Vol 1' is a case in point. If ever there was an album crying out for a vinyl release it's this one. Step forward Home Assembly to put matters right. Mahatma X was formed in 2013, initially as an instrumental beat-tape project by producer MALK in St. Andrews, Scotland. He would later be joined in Philadelphia by Jhana Gumption as live drummer and Jahred as MC. The group mixes live instrumentation with samples to create Hip-Hop reminiscent of its golden age. Spanning 17 instrumental tracks over two sides of wax 'A Mobtown Suite Vol 1' has the flow of a beat-tape, with tracks bleeding into one another, going off at right angles, or colliding bumper to bumper. Deep and soulful. Phat, jazzy and funky as! - and all delivered with a bucket full of punk attitude. From the Adderley sampling opener 'come thru' to the flutes and breaks of 'Mahatma and the White Devil', flutes (again) and warm, gospel organ of 'thishustlegame' and the spacey synths and deep, dubby bass-line of 'worddagawd' you know you're in for an exhilirating ride. But then you begin to notice other elements that seem to elevate this record above what is now a fairly crowded genre. Notably, there's the languorous, stoned guitar refrain on 'We Live in Bawlmer, Baby'. And it's there again amongst the snares and samples of 'Bright Moments' and the sun-kissed 'Mad Poetik'. All evidence that as well as being skilled in dealing dope beats, there's also a sensitive musician at the heart of this record, most addictively realised in the sweetly melancholic smoke and woodblocks of 'Gloriaaa'. It would be almost too easy to summon up the ghost of Dilla or the oddball sampling techniques of Madlib as comparisons but they're undeniable - albeit passed through a hazy filter. Pressed in a LTD edition of 300!!