Blunted, Meef Chaloin and Asher Dusts are pleased to present “Meef Chaloin & Asher Dusts - Revolution Solution”, available as an exclusive free download through Blunted. The “Revolution Solution” album is the resulting collaboration between Meef Chaloin and Asher Dust. The two started collaborating after meeting on Blunted, realising that their talents, goals and ecclectic musical tastes could be combined to produce something they both could be proud of. Meef Chaloin is an Oxford-based producer and musician. His previous works have been largely dubby instrumentals, but Asher’s vocals have provided a new depth and style for his writing, driving Meef’s talents into new and exciting areas.

Despite never creating together in the same room, I feel that this collberation has produced some timeless spiritual music. The addition of Mr Lager on remix/production duties has served to add an equally special dimension to Meefs productions. I feel this is some of the best work I have been involved in… and I meet both the Meef and Lager kid on the Blunted site… BIG UP!!! - Asher Dust

The collaboration started in late 2007 with the track ‘Jah Is Watching’. Asher provided Meef with a killer acapella and the first song was written from therein, rapidly leading to more and more shared ideas until the album ‘Revolution Solution’ was born. Mr Lager helped and coached both musicians, providing production advice, direction, two remixes and an ear to bend through the more stressful moments. All three musicians are planning to carry on and work closely together, possibly expanding the musical direction to encompass their diverse tastes.

Tracklist:

1. After A Storm
2. Jah Is Watching
3. Revolution Solution
4. Cosmic
5. While You Slept
6. Losing Grip
7. Burn To Learn
8. After A Dubstorm
9. Jah Is Watching Dub
10. Revolution Solution Dub
11. Jah Is Watching (Mr Lager Remix)
12. Revolution Solution (Mr Lager Remix)

Revolution Solution is a free download available in 192kbps.

Download: Meef Chaloin & Asher Dust - Revolution Solution (67)

Yet more sleeping with this, think it was out the first week of November… Anyway, “The Layover Mixtape” is the brainchild of DJ Skee and West-Coast resident Evidence of Dilated Peoples, as if you didn’t know that. This tape does a good job of raising the hype for Evidence’s new “Layover EP”, which is out November 25th, and the new album with The Alchemist, “The Step Bros” with is set to drop early next year I think. No real surprises with this tape, which is personally what I was hoping for to be honest, its consistent, its Dilated and does boast a few gems; ‘Recognize (Feat. Chace Infinate & Fashawn)’, Let Yourself Go (Remix) (Feat. Phonte) and ‘All Said & Done (Remix) (Feat. Bishop Lamont)’ to name a few. Guest on the tape include Defari, Bishop Lamont, Mickey Factz, Fashwan, Phonte and loads more.

Props have to go to DUBBCNN for the link. Jump on this, more neck-snapping goodness from one of the original indie Hip Hop legends.

Tracklist:

1. The Layover
2. Worldwide (Feat. Defari)
3. Free P
4. Tip The Scale
5. Recognize (Feat. Chace Infinate & Fashawn)
6. Beautiful Day (Feat. U-N-I, Big Pooh, Aloe Blacc, Fashawn, Mickey Factz,
7. Theo & Kes Kaos)
8. Beats Like This (Feat. Montage One, Mitchy Slick, Big Twin, Diz Gioran,
9. Stylistik Jones, Krondon, Rakaa Iriscience & Crooked I)
10. Let Yourself Go (Remix) (Feat. Phonte)
11. Calmly Smoke (Step Brothers)
12. Hits From The Bong 2008 (Step Brothers)
13. Hush Now
14. One SHot (Feat. Granite State)
15. All Said & Done (Remix) (Feat. Bishop Lamont)
16. For Whatever It’s Worth
17. Half Off (Feat. U-N-I)
18. Celeb Reality
19. Bigger Dreams
20. For Whom The Bell Tolls
21. Hot & Code (Remix) (Feat. Casual)
22. The Last Shall Be The First (Dilated Peoples)

Download: DJ Skee & Evidence - The Layover Mixtape

If you fancy getting your hands “For Whom The Bell Tolls, ft. Phonte, Blu and Will.i.am” straight from the “Layover EP” that isn’t mixed together, as on the tape above, you can download it here. Full version, for free.

Nice and late with this one. Last month saw the “The Honor Roll Mixtape” drop from Mick Boogie to add to his ever expanding back catalogue. The tape features artists such as Freeway Little Brother, Talib Kweli, Evidence, Alchemist, 6th Sense Kidz In The Hall alongside the legends such as Slick Rick, De La, Cypress Hill, Naughty By Nature all packaged together as a homage to VH1’s Hip Hop Honors. The tape is hosted by MC Serch, the concept being that all the new artists ‘cover’ classic Hip Hop tracks from the old artists, all mashed up by Boogie. Its well over 20 tracks, super-dope and if you didn’t already know, its free. Bloody brilliant.

Two weeks ago, I was sitting on the beach in Miami with my wife and we were talking about how dope the Honors are every year. And the idea just hit me. So for the rest of our vacation she sat at the beach reading and sunning while I sat under an umbrella with my Blackberry and iPhone and got the thing in motion.

Two weeks later… 20 plus original tracks.. done by your favorite artists in the game… covering your favorite legends. - Mick Boogie

To read more about this release, check out The Smoking Section website where they have a full interview with Mick Boogie, Dan Solomito and 6th Sense.

Mick Boogie - The Honor Roll Mixtape tracklist:

1. Introlude: MC Serch & Mick Boogie
2. Children’s Story: Kidz In The Hall (Double O)
3. Everything’s Gonna Be Alright: Freeway & Young Chris (Kickdrums)
4. How I Could Just Kill A Man: Netic of Game Rebellion (M Phazes)
5. Cypress Hill speak…
6. Hits From The Bong: Alchemist & Evidence (6th Sense)
7. The Bizness: Rapper Big Pooh, 6th Sense, & Butta Verses (6th Sense)
8. Life Is Too Short: Fashawn (Ab)
9. Breakadawn: Tanya Morgan f/ Ragen (6th Sense)
10. Naughty By Nature speak…
11. Uptown Anthem: Marky and Phil Nash (Ab)
12. The Show: Daytona (4 Korners)
13. Insane In The Brain: Izza Kizza (Kickdrums)
14. Too Short speaks…
15. Short But Funky: Mistah FAB (6th Sense)
16. Mona Lisa: Mickey Factz & Jade (Precize)
17. De La Soul speak…
18. Stakes Is High Part 1: U-N-I (6th Sense)
19. Buy You Some: A Pinks & Emilio Rojas (M Phazes)
20. Dirt All By My Lonely: Skyzoo & Mazzi (6th Sense)
21. Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk: Joell Ortiz, Scram Jones, & Loot (6th)
22. Interlude: MC Serch & Mick Boogie
23. Hand On The Pump: Torae (nVme)
24. OPP: Pacific Division (M Phazes)
25. Lick The Balls: Donny Goines & Chip Tha Ripper (nVme)
26. Ego Trippin’: Asheru & The Els (The Els)
27. Stakes Is High Part 2: Talib Kweli (eJones)
28. Freaky Tales: Ra The MC (Judah)
29. Hip Hop Hooray: AP (6th Sense)
30. Hey Young World : 6th Sense (6th Sense)
31. Outrolude: MC Serch & Mick Boogie

Download: Mick Boogie - The Honor Roll Mixtape

GTA - Breakthrough 2008

GTA (Junior Doctor Chima Anya and Ineffable) are back with their new single taken from their imminent full length LP “The Way” out on Phoenix down. ”Breakthrough” - the third single from the highly anticipated debut album has already stood the test of time, having already established classic status as a local anthem in and around Oxford circa 2005. The 08′ version has some new delightfully endearing shuffling drums while retaining the triumphant horns and catchy chorus that made the original shine.

Sampling The O’Jay’s “Darlin, Darlin, Baby” GTA’s rendition is strong enough to stand side by side with the samples last notable outing on Big Pun’s “I’m not a playa” – and that’s really saying something.

[See the post to listen to audio]

myspace.com/gtaunderstand • gtaunderstand.com

The Community League - The Secret Garden

The Secret Garden featuring Special Opps, The Wize and DJ Thundercat produced by Jokz. This is the last song on The Community League’s brand new debut ep - ‘Community Spirit’. It is also the first time that Opp and I worked together on a song. For me this beat is the epitome of tranquility and it needed a suitably laid back subject so Opp and I headed for the hills and peaced out. So, enjoy the song and check out ‘Community Spirit’… or at the very least, go for a walk, it’s beautiful out there. - The Wise

[See the post to listen to audio]

Community League Blog

Capskey & The DON Delux - Beat’emDown (Demo 2008)

I wrote this song over the summer while I was in the United States and Canada. I was reading Micheal Parenti (’The Culture Struggle’), reading a lot of Gore Vidal’s political essays, and watching Alex Jones movies compulsively every day. The one common theme to emerge from all my reading and watching, was the growing power those in authority have over the wider population.

The song is about a policeman preparing to and then going to a protest, and an examination of what I think might be going through his mind. The right to protest is being slowly but steadily eroded in this country, it is reaching a point where any civil unrest is viewed as being in furtherance of terroism: domestic terrorism if you will. I didn’t want to write a simple ‘fuck the police” song. I wanted to show that most policemen believe they are right in what they do, and that is what makes them so easily manipulated, and dangerous.

My mate Joe aka The DON Delux did the beat, we recorded a Demo EP together a couple of years back as Capstar & The DON Delux with DJT (’The Nice to Meet you EP’) and this is the first song we’ve recorded together since… Anyway hope you enjoy the song, ‘innit! - Capskey

[See the post to listen to audio]

myspace.com/capskeyraps

Sloth - Earth Movin’

Huge! another 12″ from the guys who brought you k54! ‘clapback’ is a stonking re-work of shirley ellis’ classic ‘the clapping song’, re-jigged and brought bang up to date! this is a huge summer track! 3 rewinds from dj food at the big chill. carol king’s ‘i feel the earth move’ gets the remix treated via ‘earth move’, transforming the track into a dance floor destroyer! also some big plays at the big chill this year! with extra laid back beats in the form of ‘grace’ and ‘missy strut’ this is a killer 12″, essential for any dj’s record bag! - Rough Trade Record Shop

[See the post to listen to audio]

myspace.com/slothmakesbreaks

Illustrate - Broke

Debut album from the lyrical picture painter Illustrate aka Ollie Bates, outta the headcount camp, 14 choice cuts keeping you locked throughout with production largely from illustrate himself with added pressure from Sloth, DJ Tigerstyle, Rinse Dog and Mike Hostile… - Disorda (Suspect Packages)

[See the post to listen to audio]

myspace.com/olliebates

All being well we should be done sooner than later and moving onto bigger and better things with the site. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our visitors for there continued support, with visitors going up the site each week it really give us the encouragement we need to keep on plugging!

UPDATE:

We are all done with the move, the forum is back online too.

Best,
Roscoe

This is the latest EP offering from Digital Sin Recordings and Forensics titled “Exile” and features not just himself but Indi Kaur, Phaeleh and Not In My Name. Exile EP is further exploration into the minimal sounds coming of of the electronic scene at present and is Forensics’ 3 EP amongst 3 albums, countless mixes and releases on DubKraft & Eight:FX. On first looking at the track list you may be forgiven for thinking all these tracks may turn out sounding of a similar nature, well that asumption would be entirely false. Each one has its own unique angle and twist that’s brought to the forefront by each of tracks producer or vocalist.

Tracklist:

1. Original mix
2. Vocal mix (ft. Indi Kaur)
3. Phaeleh remix
4. Not In My Name remix

My favourite track has to be the ‘Vocal Mix’. Featuring Indi Kaur, a vocalist, songwriter and composer who has previously worked with Pinch and Atki2, ‘Vocal Mix’ shows producer and vocalist in perfect harmony. Indi Kaur brings a truly refreshing and unique style to the fold. Check out the full length version of track 2 ‘Vocal Mix’ below…

[See the post to listen to audio]

…and this is what the industry is saying: 

“I just think this is amazing. Like Radiohead chilling out by Everest, or something along those lines…. maybe I’ll stop those metaphors!” - Friction (BBC Radio)

“Forensics returns with another effortlessly, almost casually futuristic rhythm. Demonstrating why he has taken ownership of this dark and minimal style…” - Get Darker

“A fantastic example of Forensics’ ability to not only craft a track from a small numberof stems, but also to bring together an EP of such wealth from just a few producers…” - SittingOvation

The following is from the press release and mentions more about the artists involved with the release.

Forensics

Forensics has 3 albums (& now 3 EPs) out on Digital Sin (plus releases on DubKraft & Eight:FX). Previous collaborations include tracks/remixes with DZ, R.Demon, Threnody, MrJo, Alien Pimp & Two Oh One. He was interviewed by Plastician on Radio 1, co-runs the Ruffnek Diskotek night, and has been featured in Mixmag, ATM, Laif Mag, XLR8R etc. He’s recorded mixes/sets for BBC Radio, Resonance FM, Sub FM…. and has recorded a number of mix series, including ‘Dark Matter’, ‘Adventures in Death Star Valley’ & ‘Automatism’. For more info check virb.com/forensics, myspace.com/forensicdubstep or forensicdubstep.blogspot.com

Indi Kaur

Indi Kaur is a vocalist, songwriter and composer. She has released two albums, and within the dubstep world has worked with the likes of Atki2 (Werk/ Punch Drunk), and Pinch (Tectonic/ Planet Mu) - who released a track with Indi on his debut album ‘Underwater Dancehall’. She has worked with Talvin Singh, Paul Kwitek and continues to collaborate with longterm producer MaJiKer; and performances alongside Flook, Jym Dayly (Loop Guru), Camille, Julia Sarr & Seb Martel. She has strong folk roots, and is an extremely well educated musician. For more info - myspace.com/indikaur

Phaeleh

Phaeleh hails from Bristol, and runs the Urban Scrumping label (which has released EPs from Darkham, Gyu & Scilist). He has released two EPs himself (plus other works under his former electronica identity ‘Preston’), and his tunes have been dropped on Radio 1 & Sub FM. He has played nights such as Yardcore (London), Dissident (Bristol) and Square Roots (Brighton). A diverse range of influences results in an equally diverse musical output which can range from disturbing bass lines and heavy Dubstep/Jungle beats, perfect for the rave, to the more soulful, restrained tracks incorporating a variety of sound sources and vocal styles. To learn more - myspace.com/phaeleh

Not In My Name

Not In My Name is a new multimedia project spearheaded by leftfield bass, beats & breaks producer Threnody. The project also features a number of other artists and collaborators, and is all a bit mysterious really! Threnody has releases on/releases in the pipeline for labels such as Combat, Urban Graffiti, Red Volume, Creative Space, DubKraft and Rottun. Get onto myspace.com/notinmynamedubstep to hear more fine NIMN works, and check uktrendsmusic.co.uk for more info on Threnody and some of his extended musical family!

At this present time the release is available now, exclusively on digital-tunes.net.

Tracklisting:

1. Caspa - My Pet Monster - Digital Sound Boy
2. Klaxtons - Its Not Over - Skream Remix
3. Rusko - Mr Muscle - Sub Soldiers
4. Caspa - Louder VIP - Sub Soldiers
5. Caspa - Floor Them - Digital Sound Boy
6. Emalkay - Explicit - Dub Police
7. Sub Scape - Transaction - Dub Police
8. The Others - Africa VIP - Dub Police
9. Unitz - Wait A Minute - Dub Police
10. Rusko - Jahova - Sub Soldiers
11. Caspa - The Terminator - Sub Soldiers
12. TC - Where’s My Money - Caspa Remix – Dstyle
13. Skream - Fick – Tempa

Download: Exclusive Caspa FABRICLIVE Dub Police Mix

Following the release of Mr Manuva’s (aka Rodney Smith) fourth album “Slime and Reason” earlier this year, the veteran rapper returns to the Shepherds Bush stage to grace a happy crowd with his presence, with a good mixture of new tracks and more established classics.

Smith arrives on stage to rapturous applause, wearing sunnies and a shiny blue zip hoodie, not unlike a disco ball. He’s in a good mood; unfortunate incidents during previous shows seem like an age away, and the gig kicks off with a track from his new album. It’s a bit dancehall/weird, but nobody seems to mind too much. Then a bit of a rant about London – his home-town, he makes it clear, and he’s very happy to be back. We’re entertained with short speech about how great London women are. All 17 women in the audience cheer, the men don’t seem that convinced, so the show goes on.

‘Dub Styles’ from Run Come Save Me follows, and then a short commentary on Oyster cards (“it’s not worth getting into a fight if you forget your Oyster card in the morning, you know” – wise words indeed). Manuva definitely feels like he needs to impart a message to the crowd tonight – “Don’t do drugs!” he says. Everyone laughs.

Finally, the sing-along part of the evening starts. “Too Cold” gets people animated, as does “Stone the Crows”. “Witness”, however, predictably takes the trophy: most of those in the audience appear to have weed themselves in excitement.

Finally, the show ends with a good round of la-la-la (“Dreamy Days”). As the crowd chants in sync, it almost feels like everyone could start hugging each other. Then the lights come on, reminding everyone that we’re Londoners after all. Cue the return of everyone’s instinctive aggyness, a massive rush to the cloak room, a small punch-up by the toilets, and the usual hurl of abuse at the bouncers.

Good times.

Tracklist:

1. Bop & Despot - Microfunk [Counter Intelligence dub]
2. Bop & Dephecta - The Space Between Us (Sileni remix) [still dub]
3. Dissident - Design Yourself [Microfunk dub]
4. Chris Coda - Heading North [Microfunk dub]
5. Syntex - Watch The Bass Now [unreleased]
6. Paranoid Society - 681 morning krusts [Modern Urban Jazz]
7. Bop - Chaosmos [dub]
8. Bop - Lost In This World [dub]
9. Despot - Nowhere [dub]
10. Dissident - Dropshadow Diseases [dub]
11. Bop - Phantasmagoria (part1) [Sonorous dub]

Download or stream: Bop - Autumn Studio Mix for Sonorous Music

If you still can’t get enough then there is a little interview and radio mix at jungletrain.net

Currently submissions are reserved for our community, registered forum users and personal invites. The idea being that each party involved is adding something to the equation.

So, now you sorta know what this is about, lets get onto the month in question, October. As you’d expect we’ve had 1000’s of submissions! Well, that’s a bare-faced lie, we’ve had two and a few people threatened to submit something. What is it about free publicity that people find so hard to get? Haha.

The Ill Technicians - Loot Appeal ft. Whitey

It’s one from the Ill Tech vaults but hasn’t been played out much at all. You wanted a little blurb on the track but I think one listen says it all really! - The Marxman

[See the post to listen to audio]

myspace.com/illtechnicians • myspace.com/whiteyproductions

Meef Chaloin & Asher Dust - Foolish People

Hmm, the song… It was a drunken, melancholy musing about the way humankind behaves to one another… For me some of it was personal…friends/so called stitching me up and backbiting… and also on a more global level, the way humankind really is a foolish creature… despite our so called advancement… We really are a selfish, messed up and foolish breed… It was all ad libbed and from the depths of my drunken soul… hic! - Asher Dust

[See the post to listen to audio]

myspace.com/fieldavenue • myspace.com/meefchaloin

Automatism Vol.1

1. Forensics – Exile
2. Tangka - Dryad
3. IZC – Six-a-clack
4. F – Dissident
5. F – Life Simulation
6. Oyaarss – A Song About Passion
7. Ico – Def Note
8. Borg – Trippin Ballz
9. Bazrah - Cliche
10. Bazrah & Professor J-S – Tell me
11. Matt Green – Remove Yourself
12. Matt Green – Long Drive VIP
13. Darkham – Age of War
14. Darkham – Space Odyssey
15. The Bug ft. Killer P & Flowdan - Skeng

Download: Automatism Vol.1 (right click to download)

Automatism Vol.2

1. Posthuman - Asha Grew Wings
2. Erykah Badu - On & On (Mystery dubstep remix)
3. Substep Infrabass - Monotonium
4. Flextronic – Rootz of Rootz
5. Flextronic – Mission to..
6. Pure – Chemistry
7. Kush Republiq - Pain In The Head Region
8. Kush Republiq - Uraniun Passion 05.08
9. Borg – Terror Dub
10. F – Untitled Dub
11. Stenchman – Play Games
12. Superisk - Eve Takada (Wascal remix)
13. Wascal - This You Know
14. MRK1 – New Dawn VIP
15. Wedge – Puppet Master
16. Threnody – Eclipse

Download: Automatism Vol.2 (right click to download)

Automatism Vol.3

1. Disturbed (intro)
2. Forensics – Not Alone
3. Forensics – Fleshdance
4. Kuma - Stations
5. Dr Pytor – Mao Tse Jung
6. Kush Republiq – Budvar Dub
7. Chinavirus – In Latent Lies
8. Chinavirus – Drink me
9. Chinavirus – Jaded
10. Wascal – Hidden Place remix
11. Darkham – Amok
12. Darkham – Gravity
13. DJ Fire B – Mono Tone
14. Mystic Man & Eshamanjaro - Minds I (Reso remix)
15. Joint Forces – Nimbus Daze
16. Genetic Crew – Have Fun
17. Genetic Crew - Scruff
18. Mungo’s Hi Fi ft. Suncycle - Around the redub

Download: Automatism Vol.3 (right click to download)

Automatism Vol.4

1. Forensics – Daylight
2. Forensics – In Tunnels
3. Forensics – Missing Persons
4. Shackleton – In the Void
5. Cyrus – Crying Game
6. Cyrus – Dark Future
7. Scuba – Subaqueous
8. Scuba – Respirator
9. Dakimh – Done
10. DZ – Shenaniganz
11. Headhunter & Ekelon – Timewarp
12. Stagga – Tesslerr
13. Darqwan - Universal Wan-Ting
14. Ekaj – Foster Monkey
15. Ekaj – Shattered VIP
16. Ital Tek - Archaic
17. Grim Feast - On the road to Hakkari
18. Cyrus – The Watcher

Download: Automatism Vol.4 (right click to download)

Automatism Vol.5

1. Forensics – Before the Storm
2. Forensics – Duality
3. Forensics – Heavy Weather
4. DFRNT – Travelling (Less is More edit)
5. Pure & Manray - Waterbird
6. Ale Fillman - Rainshine
7. Oyaarss – Par tavu gara elpu lasot
8. Cyrus – From the Shadows
9. Cyrus – Gutter
10. Digital Mystikz – Third One
11. Digital Mystikz – I wait
12. Skream – Too much sushi
13. Skream – Irie
14. Cotti – I don’t give a dub
15. Not In My Name – Metamorphis
16. Not In My Name – Blunted (DJ edit)
17. Threnody – No Imagination

Download: Automatism Vol.5

EDIT:

The forum is back. Seems to be ‘pretty stable’. We have some problems with avatars and remembering logins but hopefully we can sort this soon… Please drop any comments on the forum if you encounter any bugs.

Tracklist:

1. Liechtmetall - Wir Sind Blumen (Grinser’s Immer Weiter edit)
2. Pendics Shuffle - Group Trivia
3. S-Max - R3phya
4. S-Max - Taoist Afro Sputnics (Mike Shannon remix)
5. Matt Star - Hypno
6. Samim & Michal - Nes
7. Jorge Savoretti and Dario Zenker - The Joint Kings
8. S-Max - Inner Nothingness
9. Daze Maxim - Pull Absurde
10. Jorge Savoretti and Dario Zenker - Rollercostras
11. Tigerskin - Run
12. Rekleiner - Shall We
13. Samim & Michal - Circles
14. Nooncat - United
15. My My - Buttflies & Zebras

Download: Dephecta - Your Vicious Defect mix

A man that needs no introduction, but I’ll do it anyway. Howie B was born in ‘63 in Glasgow, a super talented musician, producer, creator of two fashion brands and an influencial part of the doART Gallery on music-art exhibitions, he has also had time to be a pioneer in the development of the UK Electronica scene having worked with artists such as Björk, U2, Elisa Brain Eno, Sinead O’Connor and Tricky to name but a few. This release on the Fabric Records label sees him teaming up with Italy’s best kept secret, Casino Royale to create a dubby, electronic, striped-out affair which also drops some Rock and Ska into the melting pot.

I must admit ‘Not In The Face’ took me a fair while to get into but it intrigues and entices the listener enough to give it a chance and ultimately rewards you when you do so. To give you a taste we have permission from Fabric to allow the exclusive free download of the track ‘Plastico Mistico’, so grab that whilst you can. Also, check the music video below for the track ‘Royale’ Sound’, I quite this one, digging the rocky rift…

Full info (Press Release)

In the midst of a U2 tour in 1997, Howie B met the massively popular 5-piece Italian band that he’d heard so many good things about in their home country. A powerful and wondrously talented music ensemble, Casino Royale had been supporting U2 on an Italian tour for which Howie was on production duties. Instantly drawn to their unique sound – somewhere between ska and funk, with elements of drum n bass - and their striking visual style, Howie left Italy feeling intrigued. Four years later, hired by Red Bull for a special “Spend 2 days with Howie B” studio session in Milan, two members of Casino Royale turned up as a surprise - and it seemed the chemistry between the three of them was perfectly balanced. But it wasn’t until two years ago that Howie was approached for production duties on their artist album, ‘Reale,’ a release which celebrated 20 years of the band’s vast career.

Recorded in the summer of 2006 in Milan, Howie B returned to London to mix the album the following autumn and discovered that his creative vision was dividing into two separate pictures. ‘Reale’ was released in Italy in December ‘06 but, despite its celebrated critical acclaim, Howie couldn’t rub off a slight feeling of dissatisfaction…

I knew, the whole time I recorded it, the album had gone one way. But with the parts in the album and just a little bit of extra work, I thought could make a completely different album - something really beautiful. What we’d created was really good, and it did very well for them in Italy, but it was very Italian, the lyrics especially. It was a mixture of rapping and singing. Sound-wise it’s a mix of hip hop, house, dub, folk – and it’s quite electronic. But I had this Italian head on when I was doing it because I knew it was for the Italian market and I also knew what they wanted. So we did the album in that style and all of us were very happy about it. I was really happy with it but I told them I thought it would be great if we could take all the parts and just change them a little bit, not too much, and focus with a different hat on. They didn’t know what I meant, so I asked them to give me 10 days in the studio, and said I’d deliver a completely different album, without losing the feel of it. You’d be able to hear where it’s come from. So March of last year I did the second album, ‘Not In The Face.’– Howie B

Tracklist:

1. Easy Tranquillo
2. Milano Double Standard
3. E’ Già domain
4. Plastico Mistico
5. Protect Me
6. Prova
7. Royale’Sound
8. In My Soul Kingdom
9. Quello Che Ti Do
10. Tutto

Download: Howie B vs Casino Royale - Plastico Mistico

Release date: 29th September 2008 (14th October in the US)

Time for a good old dose of Hip Hop from our fair shores. I must admit, I really haven’t been checking much UK stuff recently, but ‘The Propaganda Pulse’ caught my eye as I noticed Cappo and Farma G made an appearance on the tracklist. The Propaganda Pulse release from Clarity has some dark beats and decent guest spots. If you like your UK Hip Hop sounding full of conspiracy theories and talk of a new world order then this’ll be right up your street! 

Some might say this type of UK produced Hip Hop has been done, is stuck in a rut and hasn’t progressed any since early 2000. Some stick by this sound and to them it is the full embodiment and essence of the UK Hip Hop scene. Well, I’ll let you be the judge.

After a 4 year hiatus uk rapper Clarity returns with his long antisipated debut LP the Propaganda Pulse. The concept of the album works well with the dark style of beats which have all been crafted by the Krate Krusaders for this project. The album features guest spots from Farma G of the uk supergroup TaskForce, northern rapper and zebra traffic veteran Cappo, Conrad Watts and Louis Bostonne from Cardiff based label SFDB (rip), Devi from allied forces and Danz an up and comming kent based rapper!

The Propaganda Pulse is not only the debut release for Clarity but also the premier release from Outta Town Soundz! a new indie label Based near Bristol England.

Tracklist:

1. Switch on
2. Reasons for resurection
3. Sackcloth Spark
4. Watch out ft. Devi & Conrad Watts
5. Sunshine
6. Vessels & Exile
7. Pscience ft. Farma G & Cappo
8. Skeletons
9. Tattoos Skit
10. That’s the Beast ft. Danz
11. Critical thinking skit
12. Bloody hands
13. 21 Grams
14. Switch off

Download: Clarity - The Propaganda Pulse LP