The innovative indie label is calling for pledges to sustain its operations for 2019. It’s tough out there for an indie label. Stones Throw has often acted as a blueprint for indies on how to survive in tough economic times. But not many can keep going as costs increase and maintaining sales becomes more difficult. Our good friend Darko The Super and his label U…
The UK producer drops the second album from his #Road2Switch series. We covered Starchildluke’s last album, Boas Festas, when it came out for Christmas. His aim was to release one album a month in 2019 for his #Road2Switch series, a fund created to buy a Nintendo Switch. January’s album is called VENOMTAPE and uses a variety of rock samples and frantic samples. Inspired by Madlib’s…
The Japanese duo return with a new collab project. Japan’s influence on hip hop should not go unmentioned. The nation gave us anime which has become synonymous with the genre’s lo-fi variant. Some of the greatest DJ’s were born there: DJ Kentaro, DJ Krush, The Silent Poets, and the late Nujabes. From the underground, Bugseed continues to reign supreme. His heavy style of boom bap…
The iconic night for Dilla is back for another year, featuring usual suspects Spin Doctor, Kidkanevil, DJ Lok, and a live performance from Phat Kat. Due to commitments every year since I last went in 2012, I’ve yet to return to J Dilla Changed My Life. It makes me sad but thems the breaks (pun intended). But the UK’s only official Dilla tribute night continues…
86 Witness, the long-awaited collab album from Sean Price (RIP) and Small Professor is just days away. Until then, enjoy the lead single “John Gotti”. We miss Sean Price. But while his physical may no longer be with us, the spiritual lives on and thanks to Small Professor, there’s an upcoming collab album on its way. 86 Witness is out on 8th February and features a slew of top…
When he snaps, he’s like an alligator. Aminé’s huneybee remix is a great way to start the year. Very few artists spark my interest with the hint of a new album, besides the greats. That’s not to say they aren’t worthy of my time but there are so many to keep track of. But I always find time for Aminé and his video teaser for…
Lo-fi boom bap with Zelda and Mario samples? AC3Beats’ Nostalgia lives up to its name. I didn’t get my first games console until 1998 but I played on a few in the preceding years. Whether you were like me or you had them growing up, you’ll appreciate the subject matter on AC3Beats’s new album. Nostalgia has been described as “the musical equivalent of a big, warm…
Moo Latte saved the best ’til last with a quick flip of a Christmas classic. As my grandad used to say “Christmas come and it done.” We hope you had a good one. Technically, Christmas is 12 days long so we’re taking advantage of that to promote a dope remix. Moo Latte is a “24 years old African rooted Polish producer based in Copenhagen, Denmark”…
An alternative Christmas beat tape by Starchildluke with a worthy cause attached. This is my album; I am Starchildluke. I refrain from promoting my music too much on the site but I thought this was relevant for two reasons: It’s for Christmas It has samples in it It came about while I was on holiday in Lisbon in November (hence the name). I got into…
Modernism might have a white visage but Madlib’s brand of afro-modernism shouldn’t be overlooked. Film director James Cameron once said, “People call me a perfectionist, but I’m not. I’m a rightist. I do something until it’s right, and then I move on to the next thing.” Fans of Madlib – and Dilla – will be familiar with this ideal. Perfection fuels many creatives in how they…
