Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Copenhagen representative Shield has been on a constant rise with his innovative contribution to hiphop and drum&bass over the past couple of years. With support fromNoisia, Hype, Skeptical, Alix Perez, The Upbeats, TC and many more, the future is looking bright for the 28 year old scandinavian as he continues to develop his own sound.

Having a master degree from the Royal Danish Academy of Music playing classical percussion, Shield has great knowledge when it comes to drums and always had a passion of creating new grooves and unheard rhythms. Inspiration has come from a wide selection of electronic artists and classical music, and has given him the gift of blending it all together in his productions.

Sounding like a vintage scary movie on crack, tracks like "Horrormovie" were given as a free download on his soundcloud page, and got huge response when Ivy Lab played it on their Critical Sound show on RinseFM back in march 2015. The track was also supported by Noisia on their weekly podcast and they even put it on their Favourites Of 2015 tracklist.

With lots of exciting solo projects and collaborations with producers abroad, Shield is also keeping it local. He and his good friend and also MC, Black Daniels, has been making music together for quite some years and they've toured many countries with their energetic live show, produced entirely by Shield himself. Back in 2014 they were invited to Redbull Studios in Copenhagen to record Black Daniels' debut EP. It came out on Black Daniels' own imprint CART Records, and the EP got them playing at some of the biggest festivals in Scandinavia.

With releases on various drum&bass labels such as CART Records, Blackout Music NL, Gun Audio and Nemesis Recordings UK to name a few, Shield strives to produce the full spectrum - yet always with his signature sound. Wether it's drum&bass, hiphop or any kind of breakbeat, Shield always manages to break barriers with his shuffling drums, stabbin' basslines and weird foleys.

Milky Bomb Records are releasing the debut album from SLF&Co titled No Beats In Algebra.

SLF&Co - No Beats In Algebra is a collaboration of vocalists and musicians - also known as the lovely folk & friends from around the towns of blighty. The SLF&Co project came to light from a PC, in a flat, in Norwich. Clocks tick, tracks emerge, people lend an ear, a voice, some insight and the occasional slap.

Influenced and inspired by many different genres and production techniques with a few bits and bobs of rock, electronica, ambient, dance, hip/trip-hop, avant-garde and progressive music. No Beats In Algebra will fulfill all of your musical preferences in one nicely rounded package for the ears and mind to ponder.

Featured artists on No Beats In Algebra can also be found with their respective groups on the compilation release An Amalgamation of Sorts...Part Zero (2015) through Milky Bomb Records.

Double gatefold LP with an 11 X 11 printed insert and download card.


The creation of and the Anonymous Nobody has been several years in the making. De La Soul wanted to make another sample-based album in the vein of 3 Feet High and Rising. In order to do so, and avoid the legalities of sample clearance, they spent a few years recording more than 300 hours of live music, converging everything from bossa nova, soul and hip-hop to funk, disco and reggae, creating their own sample library. The body of work is a concept and continuous story, even down to the transitions of songs with sound effects and instrumentals. The features-based record is mixed by Bob Power, Morgan Garcia and De La Soul, and was produced by De La Soul and Dave West. Guest appearances include Snoop Dogg, Usher, 2 Chainz, Damon Albarn, David Byrne, Jill Scott and more. 'This album is about lending to the scape of music in 2016, trying to give something, not for the sake of we want to balance what's going on or fix hip-hop. We just want to say something to the creative aspects of music," says Dave.

Hazel: Humble, diligent and dedicated to the beatmaking craft. Sonically, Häzel has already established a mature signature sound, deeply rooted in Soul and influenced by the legacy of the late J Dilla. Whilst never intentionally seeking the industry byproducts of fame and notoriety, the strength of his releases have placed him firmly at the forefront of soulful hip-hop music. Following the viral success of his 16-track beat tape, 'The Lost Tapes', which gained an impressive number of plays in the space of weeks; Häzel's subsequent body of work shows a marked progression in his artistry and has forged a legion of seasoned international music fans.The Playground EP, a collection of majestic self-vocalled cuts inspired by romantic misadventures, was released on Onra's Catblock records in 2011 and was received warmly in significant musical strongholds such as Japan and the US,featuring as a choice selection on Japanese iTunes and MTV US respectively.As a music fan first and foremost, Häzel's authentic, collaborative approach to constructing sounds has aligned him with a peer group of celebrated,progressive international musicians and artists which include the likes of Onra,Mikäel Columbu, (France) Slakah The Beatchild, Ebrahim, (Canada) and T-Fox (US) Their collaborations have gone some way in declaring these artists as torchbearers for the development of their genres. Slakah The Beatchild and Häzel's longstanding collaborations have previously spawned hits for the likes of Drake and has more recently produced 'This', an instrumental EP spliced with ambient melodies and mellow grooves.

A refugee. An orphan. A street urchin. A 11 year old bearded, sticky fingered now-where-did-your-cellie-go! type miscreant. The prodigal son of the Afghani Big Lebowski. The street corner shit talker. The Bart Simpson of Kabul. The brother who claims he knows your moms and your girl, intimately. A hustler. Young Fuchy. The kid who used to sell poppy heads by the kilo. One of many, but one of a kind. A beat maker. A maverick. A musical hypnotist. A kid on a mission to avenge Kenny for every single one of his deaths. The youngin' with a truly odd future. A fucking menace with a golden heart.

Flashback. There is a war raging in Kabul. After a bomb strike, Fuchy stands in front of what used to be his home: all that is left is debris and paralyzing pain. He looks around. He is left with nothing but his queer mind and his superpower: music. Equipped like this, he embarks on a journey to the distant, foreign and uncertain world of the West. This is the narrative context for the adventures of the odd midget fighter Fuchy. The story of a refugee from Afghanistan, who tries to explore his new environment on his own terms. Fuchy is drawn, animated, made up. He's like the oriental hip-hop version of Bart Simpson. But at the same time, he couldn't be more real - because he's full of contradictions. Fuchy, is not only the protagonist of '420', he's also the alter ego of Farhad 'Farhot' Samadzada, a Hamburg-based music producer.
Farhot, who was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, 34 years ago, has not only worked with top German artists like Max Herre, Haftbefehl, Samy Deluxe, Karate Andi and Xatar. He has also successfully worked for internationally renowned artists such as soul-singer Nneka from Nigeria, multi-platinum-selling Belgian artist Selah Sue and UK grime queen Ms Dynamite or the US hip-hop stars Talib Kweli and Isaiah Rashad. Recently, Farhot founded his own label Kabul Fire.

eat Street is an American 1984 drama film featuring New York City hip hop culture of the early 1980s, breakdancing, DJing and graffiti.There are several performances in the movie, notably from established early hip hop groups, Grandmaster Melle Mel
& the Furious Five, Doug E. Fresh, Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force and the Treacherous Three. As a member of the Treacherous Three, Kool Moe Dee also appeared in the film.
Beat Street's impact was felt internationally as well as throughout the United States. In Germany, for example, Beat Street is credited with introducing the hip hop movement to the country.

StoryBorderline "is a key concept in rap album that Picciotto try to dig into the precarious existence of old and new generations through 12 storytelling.12 songs linked by a thin line balancing between discomfort and redemption, including human degradation and redress, including stars and oblio.Una young researcher mom, an escort, a father messed with street wear and status, a neighborhood teenager, a middle-aged worker, a business executive, a lesbian couple and a gay couple, one " cop, "one veteran activist jailed and a football player. These are the protagonists of the 12 stories of the turbulent succession of events that weaves their lives since the 80s to oggi.Musicalmente produced by Luca "Satomi" Rinaudo (Almendra Music) who arranged and mixed the music tracks created in large part by " the Gold Diggers 'nee Ciaka Mortero and Fabio Tunaman, in the production of "Storyborderline" have also joined K9, the historian DJD, the young Alex 3'o5' and to add a mistral orchestral touch Gheesa the first single "Amarcord 2.0" , preface to the entire concept.L'album was realized thanks to the transverse fan base Picciotto thanks to crowdfunding campaign on MusicRaiser platform that has achieved 118% target and end up with the disk even a book soon to be released and some sort of web-series that recounts the concept of the album through various video clips that tell with images 12 characters recounted in "Storyborderline" Among the guests of the disc the powerful voice of rapper Kento, the refinement of the "professor" Murubutu, the presence of McNill in the song that takes position on the "de facto couples" while in two of the three bonus tracks that complete the album you can hear the productions Satomi & N'Hash already members of the People Picciotto Strana Posse family that in the very last track sounds to complete the instrumental that houses the microphone as a finalist in the last edition of X Factor David Shorty.L'album was recorded, mixed and Zeit mastered at Studio Palermo Luca "Satomi" Rinaudo (Almendra Music) already beside Picciotto in previous albums.

Swet Shop Boys are set to release new album 'Cashmere' on October 14th.
The trans-Atlantic project unites New York artist Heems with British counterpart Riz MC, with Redinho assisting on production

Swet Shop Boys (SSB) have arrived with 'Cashmere', the debut from Queens, New York's Heems (Himanshu Suri, ex- Das Racist) and NW London's Riz MC (Riz Ahmed). Both are prolific artists, actors and activists in their own right, now bringing their creative experience and the riches of their working class immigrant roots together. Rounding out the trio is British producer Redinho, providing the soundtrack for songs like their first single 'T5', where the emcees lament the discrimination they face as they amass frequent flyer miles while traveling the world for work.
'Cashmere' seems timely in a world where the US and UK look across the pond for different reasons: Trump and Brexit, trap and grime. From Heems' poignant debut 'Eat, Pray Thug', to Riz's acclaimed mixtape 'Englistan', the Trans-Atlantic, Indo-Pak duo have proudly fused their worlds together here. Musically, the palette draws from a gumbo of Qawwali hand claps, hype harmonium, Bollywood string drama, spiralling sitars, Western synths and an arsenal of drums - from 808s to tablas and tars, dholaks and doumbeks.
Redinho provides the heat for their melting pot. His debut solo album earned praise from Mark Ronson, Jessie Ware and Hudson Mohawke, who brought him out on tour recently. Heems started his career with Das Racist and has kept busy since with his label Greedhead, a series of university lectures and rapping from Macau to Malaysia.
Riz MC's debut 'Post-9/11 Blues' was banned from UK radio and his music since has maintained that sharp social commentary as well as his acting career, which includes projects like 'Four Lions', 'Nightcrawler', HBO's 'The Night Of' and the new 'Stars Wars' film.
'Cashmere' is released on Swet Shop Boys' new imprint, Customs.
The vinyl format includes a digital download code.

2016 has been a stellar year for experimental hip hop luminary DJ Shadow, aka Josh Davis, with the release of his critically acclaimed studio album The Mountain Will Fall - his first release in five years - drawing praise from all corners, from the Guardian who called the record impressive in its inventiveness' to MOJO who claimed Shadow is back in the frame' and AV Club who hailed it as DJ Shadow's best work since his early-aughts heyday'.For many, it is Shadow's 1996 debut album Endtroducing that they keep on going back to, widely regarded as a groundbreaking release that paved the way for experimental hip hop and changed the shape of electronic music from that point on. This year marks 20 years since that pivotal release, and to mark the occasion the San Francisco-based producer has announced a special deluxe CD/LP 20th Anniversary Endtrospective Edition featuring the original album, a collection of demos, alternate takes and live versions titled 'Excessive Ephemera' and 12 specially commissioned remixes from some of contemporary electronic music's leading lights including Hudson Mohawke, Clams Casino, Salva, Prince Paul, Bondax & Karma Kid and more.
The CD/LP package will include expanded liner notes from a new interview conducted by Eliot Wilder (author of the lauded 33 1/3 book on the album) and some never-before-published photographs by B+ and Phil Knott to create the 20th anniversary release as Deluxe 3CD and 6LP (3 x double LP) sets. The new remixes will also be issued as a standalone digital album.
Speaking about the anniversary edition, DJ Shadow commented, I've had to sort of concede that there is something about the record that took on a life of its own, that probably has very little to do with me. Nobody can plan these sorts of things. I think that everyone aspires to their music being loved and heard and appreciated on some level, but there are a lot of in tangibles, and there are a lot of things that even the original artists couldn't have planned or fully understood at the time. I feel that way about Endtroducing. And I think that's the main difference between Endtroducing and all the other records I've made—it was the first time and it was a kind of a flag in the ground, at least within my body of work.'
From the liner notes by Eliot Wilder:
When it was released in 20 years ago, Endtroducing sounded like nothing that had come before - an album of beats, beauty, and chaos. Looking back, no other popular record better summarizes the end of the 20th century. Josh Davis, alias DJ Shadow, took elements of hip-hop, funk, rock, ambient, and psychedelia, as well as found sounds, oddball spoken-word clips, and cut-out-bin nuggets - a trove of mostly forgotten or obscure recorded sounds - and then wrote the ultimate lesson.
It's an album that sits with you and lingers. It's an album you can return to and discover whole new areas you hadn't been aware of, like finding a room in your house you never knew was there. There is something about Endtroducing which often ranks high on critics' best albums-of-all-time lists that always brings me back to it. It never fails to deliver emotionally on so many levels. Despite its melancholic atmosphere, there is something uplifting at its core. If I were to find one word that resonates more than anything within Endtroducing, it would be 'hope,'' Josh has said.




D A4 | Changeling Transmission 1

London's Tehbis and Touchy Subject land on Astrophonica with Magnet For Your Mind, a joint EP that represents the yin and yang of their creativity. Produced without overthinking, the EP's six tracks are split into distinct halves: one built for the dancefloor, the other for the headphones. 'We use a multitude of platforms to write our music,' says the pair, who have made quiet moves over the past five years with releases on Brownswood Recordings, Numbers, and Wot Not. 'Digital production, live instrumentation, samples, live vocals. Hopefully the result is music that people can relate to and vibe off.'

The A side caters to the dancefloor with three uptempo cuts. '1988' is the first production the pair finished together, a mellow slice of chopped ragga jungle built on booming 808s and floating arpeggiated melodies that dance around the beat. This is followed by 'Harrangutan', aka 'the piglet beat', a quick burst of adrenaline to your neck that channels the stripped-back aesthetics of the beat scene and its less-is-more approach. 'Kush' closes the dance with more ragga-tinged vibes but this time in a leaner dub stance, live bass playing off a shifting rhythm track and vocal samples rippling off a cavernous sonic interior.

Flip over to the B side for the soundtrack to the ride home after a night out. The cinematic 'Elephants In The Room' kicks it off with a bubbling groove, the rhythm switching between double and half time as sampled chants play against warm synthesizers and live bass. 'Magnet For Your Mind' is the pair's ode to classic downtempo hip-hop vibes with cheerful samples, warm keys and a stirring vocal from Yawning Young. The EP closes with 'He Who Knows' a slightly more energetic production with Yawning Young intoning 'my brother, he makes me feel alive' as the beat slides off into the distance.

Magnet For Your Mind EP is something a little different from Astrophonica, a representation of the label's desire to explore the varied possibilities of dance music and its modern ramifications.

Two of the stand out tracks from French production duo DJ Suspect & Doc TMK's debut LP, Giving Space To The Sun' from 2014 make their way onto this precious format of ours for the very first time. Limited Edition of 500 - don't sleep!

Giggs is set to release his new album, Landlord, on 5th August on SN1 Records. Album guests include Stormzy, Casisdead, Kyze, Dubz and Donae'o among others, and the lead single, Whippin' Excursion, is getting its premiere play as Zane Lowe's Hottest Record Thursday 21st July on Beats1.Whilst Landlord is Giggs' first album since 2013, the South London rapper has maintained a healthy profile in recent months thanks to several impressive guest features including anthem 'Man Don't Care' with Boy Better Know's Jme and '3 Wheel Ups' with Kano and Wiley. To date, Giggs has sold 100,000 albums and over 100,000 mixtapes, performed all over the world, and worked with household names such as Mark Ronson, B.O.B, Waka Flocka Flame, Jeremih, G-Unit's Whoo Kid and Mike Skinner. His distinctive flow and creative wordplay - coupled with the ability to traverse road rap, grime and hip-hop - has won him a loyal and growing army of ardent fans far and wide.

The highly anticipated album from Boy Better Know's own, grime legend Skepta. Features guests such as Jme, Novelist, Wiley and global superstar Pharrell Williams as well as the full Boy Better Know crew.

Includes the singles 'Shutdown', 'It Ain't Safe', 'That's Not Me', 'Ladies Hit Squad' and current Top 40 monster 'Man'.

Large Pro and Southpaw Chop team up once again with a follow-up to their first collaboration Here We Go' on the 2010 "Never Stop Sampling" EP. The new release, due out in Fall 2016, features a remix by the man himself, Large Pro. Praised as of the great hip-hop producers of the Golden Era of Hip Hop, over the course of his career Large Pro has produced for hip hop legends such as Eric B. & Rakim, A Tribe Called Quest, Mobb Deep, and Nas, as well as his own group Main Source. The original version of Here We Go' appears on the B side, featuring Large Pro's tight flows over top of a classic production by Southpaw Chop, with big horn swells and a hard hitting break. The A side, showcases Large Pro's skills on production as well, with the 'Here We Go (Large Pro Remix)'. Large Pro shows a delicate sense of balance with precise sampling of guitar and horns, and a tight beat pulling the remix together. Both songs feature samples of RUN DMC's "Here We Go', with cuts and scratches by Southpaw Chop. Featuring two 'mad producer' representatives of Japan and the United States, this release brings back the vibe of the classic era, with a timeless display of production techniques and respect for the craft of Hip Hop. Large Pro and Southpaw Chop come correct with another classic release.

Trizz is a young rapper from Los Angeles/Inland Empire, California area who became an avid music aficionado at an early age, first picking up a microphone at the tender age of nine. As his writing skills developed, Trizz perfected his lyrical skill and began producing his own beats and mixtapes under the moniker "Young Trizz". His debut full-length EP, Young Trizz, demonstrated the journey of an independent artist looking to lead ahead of the pack.

2012 marked a new start for Trizz, when Sacramento Horrorcore legend Brotha Lynch Hung took notice to him via Twitter. Lynch went on to take Trizz under his wing, taking him out on two tours, the "Independent Powerhouse Tour" with Tech N9ne and the rest of Strange Music in 2013 and again in 2014 for the "Sicc of Da Industry Tour" even giving Trizz two writing credits on his album Mannibalector with the song "MDK" and "Bacon & Eggs (Skit)".

In 2013, Trizz linked up with another Sacramento MC, Chuuwee and together the duo released two projects, AmeriKKa's Most Blunted 1 & 2 which received positive reviews and coverage by esteemed sites such Complex, HipHopDX, Mass Appeal, Stereogum and 2DopeBoyz.

Coming off of headlining his very own tour, Reefer & Liters, and now at the tender age of 24, Trizz is set to take the industry by storm with his outlandish and distinctive new album, LeatherFace 2, which will be released on 9-9-2016 by Below System Records.

LeatherFace 2 revolves around Trizz's personal life and the surroundings that define his homeland of Southern California and it features appearances from Bizarre (D-12), Futuristic, Chuuwee, Twisted Insane, Sahtyre & Roc$tedy and is primarily produced by Trizz's long-time music partner AC3 Beats.

Mark 'Wilkinson' returns to the limelight with his sensational new cut Flatline' - the first single from his second album, which features long-term collaborator and chart-topping rapper Wretch 32. Wilkinson and Wretch first collaborated back in 2014 on Wretch's hit single 6 Words', and having stayed in touch since, have propelled themselves back into the limelight.

Now returning to the fore-front of the music scene, Wilkinson's latest single speaks volumes of UK talent, with lyricism discussing the power of potential, and the possessive nature of social media, and an ever-intelligent youth.

Speaking on the single Wilkinson states: I wanted to do something different with this record. I wanted to keep it on a drum and bass tip but work with an artist to bridge the DNB and hip hop scenes in an interesting and distinctly British fashion. I'm into REAL rappers and personally for me, the finest lyricist in the UK is Wretch. He's a rappers rapper! His punchlines and delivery are incredible and I'm really happy with how the record turned out!"

The high-octane track once again proves that Wilkinson is one of the front-runners in the Drum and Bass scene, and follows on from four Top 40 singles including his Top-ten smash single Afterglow', which saw worldwide success - selling 400,000 copies, with 46 Million Youtube views.

Now focusing on Flatline', Wilkinson teases us with an addictive and high-octane sound as he moves towards the release of his second album at the end of the year.

Dibia$e has cemented himself as a producer on the forefront of today's burgeoning beat scene. A product of Watts, CA, Dibia$e found his style in his mothers garage banging out beats while playing video games to avoid the strife of the street life - and he continues to grow with each and every release. Originally released on CD/Digital in 2011, Sound Palace has remained an absentee in Dibi's vinyl catalog...until now. Throughout the instrumental record, Dibiase shows his incredible ability at crafting spaced out 8 bit Nintendo beats merged with a Dilla-esque smoothness and a South Central twist into a sound wholly his own. From Baker's Dozen to Looney Goons to Schematiks, Dibiase's vinyl releases have garnered a reputation for selling out with a quickness. Strictly limited to 500 units and housed in a 2 color chipboard jacket, Sound Palace enables new fans and enthusiasts alike to add a sure shot to their collection.

HOLY SMOKE is the fabled collaboration between producer/rappers Jeremiah Jae & Zeroh. The nine songs recorded together in Los Angeles 2012 focus on the spirit, health and the sacred use of cannabis. The swiftly-produced HOLY SMOKE sessions got buried in Jae's relentless release schedule, ultimately archived in 2013 after a fresh signing with Warp Records and return to Chicago. The world's only clues to these lost sessions came in the appearance of tracks Trusted Friends' (2012) and Black Myth' (2013) on HIT+RUN compilation albums. Excavated from the vaults in early 2016, the nine-track self-titled HOLY SMOKE album (HNR63), finally sees a proper release on September 13th via HIT+RUN. Available on limited-edition cassette tapes, as well as special 10' colored vinyl (containing unique trails of silver smoke encased in clear wax) and housed in a one-of-a-kind silkscreened jacket (featuring artwork by Zeroh & PsyteOne). Only 400 quantity pressed and each album comes with HOLY SMOKE matches!

Five Parts of the Soul is inspired by the ancient egyptian concept of the Soul, which says that a human soul was made up of five parts: Heart, Shadow, Name, Soul and Spark. 5POTS is a five-part journey into the past, passing through desolate canyons and scorching deserts, obscure rain forests and crowded thrift markets. All of the songs have different styles and takes on what Soul music could be.

Limited edition of 300 records. Spot-glossed cover and lyric sheet insert included.

With the clarity of a lucid dream, Milo's new album So the Flies Don't Come combines sharp spoken words and riveting beats into an irrefutable work of art. His music is expansively original, like a science experiment whose constants are poetry and philosophy. So the Flies Don't Come features a crisp cast of guest artists: Myka 9, Elucid, Open Mike Eagle, and Hemlock Ernst a.k.a. Samuel T. Herring of Future Islands all bring their distinctive talents to the sonic table. Interesting breaks create a refreshing cadence in Souvenir (feat. Hemlock Ernst),' a stroll through the park that playfully pauses in thought. Let your soul fly with Zen Scientist (feat. Myka 9),' and tilt into the bright light as Yomilo' wrenches down the beat. A breathless finale to the album, Song About a Raygunn (An Ode to Driver)' sends off the listener with an undeniable burst of energy. Chill but aware, clever yet inviting - So the Flies Don't Come is a skillful showcase for Milo's articulate wit, expressive warmth, and gifted production

The stunningly prolific Manchester-based beat-monger My Neighbour Is has returned to the Cold Busted label for his eighth album of head nodding delights. Elegantly titled Moon's Reflection On A Quiet Lake, this set of funky dance floor nuggets showcases the producer's acumen for punchy, rolling rhythms, smooth melodic textures, and cleverly woven sample tapestries. Moon's Reflection On A Quiet Lake is perhaps the most accomplished effort yet from My Neighbour Is, evidencing an innovative producer on the rise. Don't miss it.

Plain Speaking is the lucid new release by Scallops Hotel, the candid alter ego of Chicago poet and producer Milo. A robust introduction for his new label imprint Ruby Yacht, the album blends experimental production and endearing beats with open, honest rhymes. Plain Speaking is profound yet accessible, a solid handhold to grasp onto amidst the chaos of the modern world. Easy yet serious, lighthearted and sincere, Plain Speaking immediately draws the listener inward. The album's first single Lavender Chunk' -- featuring Hemlock Ernst a.k.a. Samuel T. Herring of Future Islands -- leans back into a simpler time, remembered like a hazy dream. Slanting darker and submerged inside echoes, Tense Present' flips from contemplative flow into a stream of comforting clarity. True Nen' is a thoughtful track that breathes deeply, an offering of assurance over discord. Plain Speaking is a remedy, the cure for the common conversation. The familial tones and straightforward flow of Scallops Hotel function like an outstretched hand. Plain Speaking never pushes, rather it invites you to sit and listen. To have hope, and to heal through art.

With many new roads traveled over the last few years, The Gaslamp Killer is back with the full-length LP Instrumentalepathy. Releasing on vinyl, CD and digital formats, GLK will initiate his new imprint Cuss Records with Instrumentalepathy. French surrealism artist Albane Simon designed the cover, supplying an array of psychedelic imagery that contains a brilliant sense of connection to GLK's music & the chaos he's survived. Instrumentalepathy features an impressive cast of artists tied closely to GLK over his music career with Brainfeeder, Low End Theory and beyond. Guests include Gonjasufi, Miguel Atwood Ferguson, Niki Randa, Kid Moxie, Mophono, Amir Yaghmai and The Heliocentrics. It's been over a decade since GLK and Gonjasufi have collaborated on new music, bringing the two natives of San Diego back together for something truly special. As many know, GLK used the triumphs of battling a near death experience three years ago when shaping his debut Cuss Records album. A handful of the tracks were even captured from his bed, unable to walk, with morphine running through his veins and staples in his body. A musical illumination that one could argue helped save his life and steared him towards the achievements he has accumulated with his live band The Gaslamp Killer Experience. Instrumentalepathy marks the catalyst point of an important road for GLK and the electronic community at large. Instrumentelephy, like his latest releases, continues down the rabbit hole of his debut full length Breakthrough (Brainfeeder) and the recent live record with his band The Gaslamp Killer Experience. Molding psychedelic ethos and heavy drum breaks with the traditional music language of his ancestors and the futuristic landscapes of modern electronica, GLK continues to push the boundaries of contemporary music.

Giggs is set to release his new album, Landlord, on 5th August on SN1 Records. Album guests include Stormzy, Casisdead, Kyze, Dubz and Donae'o among others, and the lead single, Whippin' Excursion, is getting its premiere play as Zane Lowe's Hottest Record Thursday 21st July on Beats1.Whilst Landlord is Giggs' first album since 2013, the South London rapper has maintained a healthy profile in recent months thanks to several impressive guest features including anthem 'Man Don't Care' with Boy Better Know's Jme and '3 Wheel Ups' with Kano and Wiley. To date, Giggs has sold 100,000 albums and over 100,000 mixtapes, performed all over the world, and worked with household names such as Mark Ronson, B.O.B, Waka Flocka Flame, Jeremih, G-Unit's Whoo Kid and Mike Skinner. His distinctive flow and creative wordplay - coupled with the ability to traverse road rap, grime and hip-hop - has won him a loyal and growing army of ardent fans far and wide.

In advance of his attendance as a participant at the 2016 Red Bull Music Academy in Montreal, rising UK producer Hyroglifics has prepared the 'All Talk' EP for release in September via London's drum & bass purveyors Critical Music. That title might under-promise, but on tracks like "Persuade," debuted here, Hyroglifics certainly delivers. Featuring verses from long-running British rap crew Foreign Beggars, "Persuade" eschews Hyroglifics junglist tendencies in favor of more linear hip-hop. Following a mellow intro, it explodes with energy off the back of vocals that are paranoid, partially uplifting, and certainly boastful ("This is what you want / let me show you what you need"). There are shadowy slips of sound tucked throughout, with woodblock rhythms knocking at the door of otherwise fragile, glassy details that compete with the verses for attention. It's not jungle, and it's not drum & bass, and maybe it's not really hip-hop, either - it's just Hyroglifics. Clear, Black & Transparent Blue mixed coloured 12"

For the first time in more than a year, Because Music is running a limited repress of Selah Sue's sold out EP 'Alone'. Released in late 2014, it paved the way for her second album 'Reason' (more than 185,000 copies worldwide since its release in March 2015). Shifting to a more pop-oriented sound under the supervision of producers Robin Hannibal (Rhye, Kendrick Lamar) and Ludwig Goransson (Childish Gambino, Haim), this EP features her flagship collaboration with American rapper Childish Gambino 'Together' and an exclusive acoustic version of the track 'Won't Go For More'. A throwback to the exciting times when everybody was impatient to hear Selah's new creations after her best-selling debut album.

Disparate producers with complimentary sounds, Evil Needle and Sivey met in an online beat community 6 years ago and to this day have never met in real life. Nonetheless, they present their first official EP, 'Constructive Interference', to the world. 'Constructive Interference' was created over the span of 3 years and embodies the unique soundscapes of each producer. Evil Needle, based in Strasbourg France (just on the border of Germany) pulls inspiration from traditional hip hop, neo-soul and trap music while seamlessly weaving in open synths and chunky chord progressions. Manchester, UK-based Sivey incorporates soulful beat-oriented music with what he calls emotional highs and lows that are still musically stimulating' adding a beautifully uptempo sensibility.

This Is Her is LAKIM's first full-length album. Multi-genre producer born and radummyised in Lynchburg, Virginia whose personal motto reads: keep it simple', is a part of the storied Soulection crew. Well known for his EP Esoteric, which dropped in summer 2012, the twentysomething year old has collaborations with other stellar artists like Sango and Mr. Carmack as well as various remixes of premium artists such as Erykah Badu, Kanye West, and Frank Ocean range from electronic chillwaved dance to spacey yet refined hip-hop. With a unique sound that seamlessly and effortlessly combines the perfect amount of bass, bounce and vocals, This Is Her becomes palatable to many. The album has an overwhelming feminine vibe to it - light and airy, soft and beautiful. As LAKIM draws the soundscape for this project from some inspiring ladies in his life, the sounds come through as traits: calm & collected, sexy & sassy, grounded & driven, loving & unconditional. During the course of the year I probably spent making this, I met three woman that embodied some of these traits but not all of them. So, this is essentially me taking the best bits from each of them and creating in my mind a Bride of Franksteinesque ladyfriend and putting it into song form, lol...' - LAKIM.

After spending 13 years in Queens, New York, Lewis Parker returned to London in early 2015. Release The Stress is the first new material released since his return. The topic of the song is
fairly self explanatory dealing with the everyday pressure of living, in a fast pace modern city environment. Lewis speaks on he's production and how he balances this with day to day life.
The production captures the feel of the classic 90's hip hop but with a polished and very musical feel to it. Phat gritty SP drums, deep hypnotic bass lines, lush strings, catchy flutes, a dope late night sax, ill synths and wah guitars make this production up there with Lewis's best work.

With a title that suggests great things, making reference to 6 Victoria Crosses awarded to the Lancashire Regiment in World War 1, Mr Fantastic and Coherent (of Journeymen fame and much more) have set themselves a tall order. Before you have even listened to the music, the presentation points to success in this venture, with original artwork by the brilliant Stilts and marbled camouflage coloured vinyl to boot!

100 years after the press reported 'the winning of 6 VCs before breakfast' during the Gallipoli campaign in World War 1, S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive) opt for beats and rhymes rather than guns and bombs, and the resulting record is essential. The initial salvo is fired in 'Ready For Combat' which sees Mr Fantastic combine hard-hitting drums with stabbing guitar chops for Coherent to set the tone. The result is an instant smash which will have you rewinding, as I was, time and time again! From there, the duo, joined by Rola (The Numskullz/Journeymen) and Truck (also a member of The Journeymen), stage a three pronged assault over a haunting beat, spitting verse one after another like a creeping barrage before Mr Fantastic delivers the final victory courtesy of his trademark tight scratches. The concept for this EP is highly original and perfectly apt and on 'Foreign Lands', this is perfectly demonstrated as Coherent weaves tales of carnage that would sound at home on a jungle warfare documentary. 'Lyrical Assassin' once more sees Coherent dropping vocal hand grenades over double bass and electric piano skilfully fused together by his fellow soldier Mr Fantastic. Throughout, the subject matter and music is dark and 'Heavy Artillery' encapsulates this perfectly - Mr Fantastic's thumping, bass-heavy production would have sat perfectly on Show & AG's sophomore LP next to tracks like 'Night Time'. On 'Carcasses', Coherent shows the enemy why he is such a skilled MC, delivering surgical strikes with his tight metaphors and hard-hitting punch lines.

The question, then, given the highly ambitious nature of this project, is whether S.O.E. have won the battle they set out to win. With meticulous artwork, dark brooding beats and Coherent's masterful wordplay, the result is clear. They didn't just win the battle but the whole darn war!

Following instinct & synthesizing earthly pulses into universal offerings. A close listener illuminating the invisible stratum in audible form, channelling inspirations into rhythmic mysticism. AKA Dakim, the Detroit native attuned to the progressive continuum honoring those who laid the path: Ellington, Dilla, Scientist, Monk, and Rza are amongst his sages. He gives forth his own voice to merge with their resonance. Illumination bringing forth evolution through sound. Always onward, giving us glimpses into a radiant wellspring. There is deep soulfulness in his shattered sounds. Amplifying intuitive consciousness and bounces it back in layered brilliance. An intimate reflection of the universe within. Life vibrations fuel exploration. Receiving Detroit techno transmissions while his mom cooked dinner. Slum Village shaman Baatin imparted wisdom. New worlds unfolded in LA with Project Blowed's infinite hip hop possibilities. Dub opened ears through boundless echoes. Pauses to click with crickets for their cadence. Filters his influences into wholly original forms: a dusty mist flowing through the air, a swing that won't stop, a breath of acknowledgment to the WOW of the world. He is forging paths between now and forever. Music is the language of life that Dakim is living. Synchronize with him and elevate your own existence.

Swarvy's Elderberry comes crunchy and warm from the jazzy and soulsonic EP of some really raw beat-making. Hailing now from L.A., originally from Philadelphia, Leaving welcomes multi-instrumentalist & producer Swarvy to the circle of synergy.

Fat Beats Records is proud to present the next installment of Baker's Dozen, an exclusive vinyl series that shines a light on the best minds of instrumental hip-hop, ambient, and electronic music. Each instalment gives one artist carte blanche to capture their signature sound. Every volume's 500-unit strictly limited vinyl pressing features one artist and twelve tracks, and comes equipped with a 5x7' postcard insert that features a photo of the artist's workspace along with the equipment used in their music-making process. Visually cohesive and packaged with the utmost attention to detail, Baker's Dozen is a series that speaks up for artists whose craft renders voices superfluous, whose instrumentals alone suffice to make a statement. Volume Three highlights German producer Wun Two, whose inspiration and process is best described in his own words: I used to listen to all kinds of music when I was a small child. As a teenager I decided to try to make my own music, but I never had the intention of making it available to the public. Maybe five or six years ago a good friend told me to put some stuff on a Soundcloud page, and everything else took its course. When it comes to making beats, I tend to follow the same scheme...I listen to a lot of music and if I find something that I'm feeling I try to make something with it. I'll program an easy drum pattern and chop the sample or a whole loop to it and add a bass line. I try to make simple instrumentals, because I don't play the instruments myself, but rather create something that I would call a 'collage'. I grew up and studied in a small quiet village surrounded by forests. In this context I would say my music, this collage', sounds calm and very much inspired by nature. I just do what I feel, the compositions always mimic this inspiration.'

As co-founders of the label MoFunk Records, and the production team behind one of modern funk's signature anthems, 'Press Play' (featuring Zackey Force Funk), XL Middleton + Eddy Funkster's album is truly an opus long overdue. In sound, it draws heavily from LA's musical well over the last several generations, bringing forth hard electro funk styles on 'Show Some Respect,' bouncy lowrider funk on cuts like 'Solicitation,' and giving a progressive nod to 90's g-funk on the LBC'd out 'California Fly,' which features Domino of 'Getto Jam' fame. Furthermore, XL + EF channel the more modern feel of ambient, pad-heavy funk on songs like 'On Our Way To Funkmosphere.' In spirit, it's more of a P-Funkesque party, as the entire MoFunk roster plus extended family join in variously on all of the album's 7 songs, contributing everything from vocals to guitar and talkbox. This is kind of party you'll want to join in - an ongoing celebration known as modern funk.

From Utsunomiya, Japan - a place previously famed for its delicious gyoza - comes the equally tasty beat concoctions of producer Axion117. Also known by Sato Shuya, this disciplined rhythmologist has dropped releases for Collective Resonance, Expansions Collective, and Mellow Orange and is now revealing One Thousand Horizon, a nineteen track long-player for the Cold Busted label. These sample-built constructions swing and shimmy with the best in instrumental hip hop, showcasing intricate cuts and melodic intervals that'll bring the heads into a nodding state of smoked-out bliss. 'Through The Looking Glass' is a particular highlight, with its filtered flute, creative drum programming, and jazzy breakdown interlude ... this displays the skill of Axion117's technique in a brilliant twoand- a-half minute capsule. One Thousand Horizon's eighteen other nuggets follow through on this promise, capturing moods that can be jazzy, masterfully funky, dreamy, and soulful, all buoyed by solid breakbeats and a contemplative, laid-back attitude. One Thousand Horizon is the perfect soundtrack for a hazy afternoon.

Debut album from Philly hip hop crew, originally released independently by the band in 1993. Originally sold on the band's European tour but it earned them so much buzz that they eventually signed to DGC. Back on cassette tape for the first time in 18 years, limited to 200 copies.

It's time to cruise with Ministry...

And, if you can kick it, we've got the ultimate hazy summers day soundtrack to give you that laid back feeling with the very best Chilled Hip Hop.

Featuring 60 of the biggest rhymes in rap, we start (whether you're Ready or Not) with classic Fugees before Notorious B.I.G then Warren G make us Regulate. Next, we got 5 On It from the lyrical skills of Luniz, Coolio, Wu-Tang Clan, Jay Z and Nas.

CD2 help's you Express Yourself with the help of NWA, A Tribe Called Quest and Skee-Lo before the ultimate sixth form common room anthem 'Concrete Schoolyard' from Jurassic 5. Then come anthems from Ice Cube, Cam'ron, Ludacris and LL Cool J.

Finally, CD3 brings the newer flavours of The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, Kent Jones and G-Eazy mixed with classics from Outkast, J-Cole ft Missy Elliott, Xzibit and Jill Scptt feat. The Roots.

So, throw your hands in the air, if you's a true playa, as Ministry of Sound presents... Chilled Hip Hop.























































[ZZA] CD3-13. Mase - Tell Me What You Want
[ZZB] CD3-14. Jay-Z - Wishing On A Star (D Influence Remix)
[ZZC] CD3-15. J Dilla - So Far To Go
[ZZD] CD3-16. Bishop Nehru - You Stressin'
[ZZE] CD3-17. Joey Bada$$ - Paper Trail
[ZZF] CD3-18. Xzibit - Paparazzi (Explicit Album Version)
[ZZG] CD3-19. Common - I Used To Love Her
[ZZH] CD3-20. KRS-One - MC's Act Like They Don't Know