Roshambo

In my quest to find all the amazing new bass music out there, I’ve managed to stockpile a whole slew of quality new local hip-hop releases and “it’s about that time” you got updated on all the goodness.

Former Canberran Alikeminds member now Melbourne resident Maggot Mouf has dropped his long-awaited solo full length LP You’re All Ears through Broken Tooth. With his off-kilter style and no-nonsense attitude Maggot has delivered a razor-sharp LP which takes an up-close-and-personal journey through his eerie subconscious. It features production from Ciecmate, Joey Gargoyle and Bigfoot and guest appearances from 1/6, Scotty Hinds and Dekoda. A highly original LP and one that is sure to please existing Broken Tooth fans as well as gain the label and Maggot himself a load of new supporters.

The Crate Creeps have dropped their mammoth new effort It’s About That Time through Born Fresh Records and it features an incredible list of vocal talent. I’m talking Suffa, Trials, Pure Product, Eloquence, Mantra, Mata & Must, Rhyme Asylum, The Optimen, Kings Konekted, Verbal Kent, Thundamentals, Raaka Iriscience, Balboa, Haunts, Rainman and more. Epic. The album is out now.

Smiley has followed up his 2009 EP with a new LP entitled The Suspended Sentence through Firestarter. The album comes backed by some big names and you can check him out at www.myspace.com/smileyemcee.

Those Melbourne workaholics Mata & Must are back with a couple of brand new tunes split on a very tidy 7”. Skills Don’t Pay and Business In Tracksuits mark a shift in tempo but still embody that classic Mata & Must vibe. You can hear the tunes at www.myspace.com/matamust and can grab the 7” now from Pang Productions (www.pangproductions.com.au).

The name A-Diction will be familiar to hip-hop fans in this country and their debut LP Walkin’ Alone is out now through Addition Music/Obese Records. Following hot on the heels of their 2009 mixtape, Breach and Boltz have served up a set of pure Melbourne hip-hop with an emphasis on wordplay and clever lyrics. With the likes of M-Phazes, Jase, Whisper, Lewis One and Mules on the beats you know you’re in for that boom-bap soul. Haunts, G-Force, Scott Burns, Billy Bunks, Whisper, Raven and Fraksha all show up with guest spots. Walkin’ Alone is the culmination of four years hard work and is the complete package.

Canberra hip-hop fans might remember Syntax from when he supported Supastition at Transit Bar a few years ago. He’s been grinding hard (has he now? – Bossman) and has just dropped his heavily anticipated debut LP The Musical through Soulmate/Inertia. Released on Friday August 27, the album is typified by the dusty soul neck-cracking beats and rhymes of classic era hip-hop. Produced by M-Phazes, Matik, Mules, Whisper and S-Dub and featuring guest raps from Supastition, Haunts and Prime, The Musical is a true hip-hop debut LP – full of dope beats, dope raps, a sense of humour and plenty of heart and soul. Essential.

Whisper, Syntax and A-Diction have also banded together to created a supergroup of sorts on the In Good Company free mixtape album which is available now from: http://ingoodcompany.bandcamp.com. Whisper, A-Diction and Syntax deliver over 45 minutes of brand new music produced by the likes of M-Phazes (does the dude ever sleep?), Mules, Ciecmate, J-Squared, Lewis One, ATP and Whisper himself. If you are after a hard copy of the release you should be able to find them in stores soon.

To hear tunes from all these releases and much more tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM from 9:30 – 11pm every Tues night or stream at www.2xxfm.org.au

The last few weeks I’ve been taking a pretty deep journey into the debut LP Only Mountain from LA based beat-maker Take. Out on the Alpha Pup  label, the album is really on another level in terms of sound and ideas – with one foot floating happily inside a sort of psychedelic, otherworldly pressurised funk and the other firmly planted in sun-drenched LA hip-hop. Insanely beautiful, utterly engaging and wholly original, Take’s sound is completely infectious. With each listen you’ll find something new to adore and admire.  Only Mountain is a real achievement in future soul music. If you dig Dam-Funk, Flying Lotus, J.Dilla type steez then this is for you! Amazing music.

Also on the future funk vibe is the debut LP from Spanish-Trinidadian artist Oriol. His LP Night & Day arrives on the always reliable Planet Mu label and is chock full of spacey jazz boogie and soulful broken beats. A positive vibe permeates throughout and there’s an effortless feel to the rare grooves that Oriol serves up. Cannot wait to bump this when I head to Europe for some sun and surf. Part Herbie Hancock, part Hudson Mohawke – this is another quality LP in an already stellar year for forward thinking broken beat music.

We all know that dubstep has grown exponentially in popularity over the past few years and one of the genres pioneers Skream has now arrived with his sophomore album amidst crazed media hype for the genre. Skream straddles both the pop infused styles of the genre (especially with his Magnetic Man group alongside Benga and Artwork) alongside deeper chin stroke moments through his work with D Bridge and Instra:Mental. Fact: Skream is one of the scenes first real crossover superstars.  Outside The Box is out now through Tempa and will certainly do no harm to the current wave of dubstep crossover especially with its more breaky, ravey moments.  Purists should take heed but there’s still a few heavy bassweight moments that should please old school dub heads. Whatever your tastes there is no denying that Skream is an impeccable producer and Outside The Box is a lot of fun. The album features collabs with Murs, La Roux and heaps of others.

Another LP I’m looking forward to absorbing more on my o/s trip Aug/Sep is Sheffield’s The Black Dog’s Music For Real Airports. A response to the Brian Eno concept album of a similar name, the album is a soundscape field recording meditations on the experience of being ‘in and around’ airports. Sounds ‘wanky’ but it’s actually really dope. Ambient tunes wash into deeper post-techno beat driven efforts in a real made for headphone ‘on location’ experience. It’s a cohesive record of beautiful music and one that could transport you into that transient limbo airport vibe no matter where you are. An ambitious, challenging and rewarding listening experience and one that I 100% recommend.

In a strange move, one of my favourite producers Squarepusher has left the confines of his label Warp for a one-off EP release on the Ed Banger label. Due late August, Cryptic Motion is an unexpected pairing of artist and label, but one that should herald some fascinating sounds. Ed Banger and Warp recently held a party last year in Paris that showcased HudMo and Clark alongside Mr Oizo and Sebastian and as a label, Ed Banger, has reportedly been inspired by Warp for many years. The EP from Squarepusher will feature a new production and a remix by Mr Oizo – both tunes are available to stream on Soundcloud.

To hear tunes from all these releases and much more tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM from 9:30 – 11pm every Tues night or stream at www.2xxfm.org.au.

The worldwide bass music scene is thriving in a major way at the moment, and it’s set to continue thanks to a handful of new long-awaited full length albums from some of the scene’s most revered artists as well as some incredible new singles from the likes of Peverelist, Sepalcure, Al Tourettes, Komonazmuk, J. Bevin, Ill Blu and many many more (I suggest you jump onto Boomkat to see what’s up release wise because there’s a lot of must-haves dropping at the moment).

While the term “dubstep” is increasingly becoming more obsolete as a genre describer due to the multicoloured and multi-faceted sounds currently being created, Scuba’s Hotflush label continues to master the full-length album format with its second future classic this year. Hot on the heels of his own incredible Triangulation LP, comes the heavily anticipated full length album from versatile London duo Mount Kimbie. A further extension of their unique sound (and complete disregard for “genres”) Crooks & Lovers is out now and is, quite frankly, incredible. Full of short, almost pop-song length vignettes, the album’s brevity invites repeated listens. Full of space, ambience, beauty, incredible sample manipulation and creative percussive depth,Crooks & Lovers is future music and a must-have for your collection.

Hot on the heels of his just released projects with Katalyst (Space Invadas) and Mark Pritchard (Africa Hi-Tech) musical genius Steve Spacek brings us his new solo LP under theBlack Pocket moniker on his brother dBridge’s label Exit Recordings. Firmly in the instrumental downbeat category, Spacek’s love for J.Dilla is apparent (hell, they collaborated together numerous times). We all know he’s got an amazing voice, but this LP serves to reinforce that dude can also produce! The album is chock full of broken-beat heaven. Get on it!

For those who like their music a little more glossy, I recommend Hospital Record’s latest signing Netsky, and his new self-titled LP. This is big epic D&B which works perfectly both on the home stereo and up in the club! A 20 year old prodigy of sorts, Netsky comes across as a mini High Contrast but just a little more “ravey” if that makes sense. Awkward descriptions aside, his album is thoroughly enjoyable and a dynamic listen [and his real name is Boris! What’s not to love!? – AL].

Shed’s 2008 release Shedding The Past was a wholly engaging and completely satisfying record – both a homage to classic techno and a tip of the hat to deep dubby bass music. Now he’s back with his new LP The Traveller on the acclaimed Ostut Ton label. According to the press release, the album takes influence from the sounds of early ‘90s UK club music (breakbeats, abstracted patterns) but whilst looking back, Shed also has his sights firmly planted on the horizon with the album harnessing myriad styles and BPMs. Equal parts minimal beauty and metallic force, this is cliché free dub-infused techno music for contemporary times.

We’ll be launching the new LP from Shed at the second instalment of Low Freqz at Hippo Bar on Saturday August 14. NZ born Melbourne resident and audio engineer/electronic music production extraordinaire Nick De Friez will be headlining with a glitch set of epic proportions. $5 on the door, come and celebrate the beauty of bass music with us.

To hear music from all the above and much much more, tune to The Antidote every Tues night from 9:30pm on 2XX 98.3FM or stream at www.2xxfm.org.au

Following up from his promising Left To Write EP, Sydneysider Skryptcha has returned with his debut full length The Numbers which will be released on Friday July 23 on the ever-busy Obese Records. From first listen, it’s a real boom-bap affair and showcases Skryptcha’s overall love for music, honesty and passion for life over its 14 tunes. The album features production from Domingo (USA), M-Phazes, Chasm, Mules, Jase and Ante Escobar. Guest slots from Dialectrix (who is on fire at the moment!), Lotek, Jeswon, Rachel Berry and Bastian Bones. Support the man when the album drops.

There has been a resurgence of dope mainstream hip-hop sounds of late, with three major releases catching my ear and spending extensive rotation time in my various systems. First up is the debut LP from the much touted Drake. Thank Me Later is a magnificent and wholly original debut LP, where the ‘heart on his sleeve’ attitude of Drizzy shines bright over the album’s entire running time. Whether crooning or rapping Drake exhibits his talents over some beautifully soulful and chill-wave production (Noah ‘40’ Shebib, Boi-1da, Swizz Beats, Kanye West etc). It’s an addictive album that really grows in depth with each spin.

Big Boi’s Sir Lucious Left Foot has finally arrived on Def Jam and it is a magnificent opus chock full of inventive songwriting and a bevy of jams ranging from outer space soul to marching band two-step club stompers. Awash with that forward thinking Outkast vibe, the LP is guest heavy but the collaborations never seem forced and Big Boi is still 100% the star. Lyrically and flow-wise he tears the album apart, proving that he is still one of the most underrated emcees still doing things today. Absolutely essential and up there as a contender for LP of the year so far.

Finally, The Roots have returned for their third outing on Def Jam with How I Got Over. The album is a real nod back to the live jam instrumentation of their ‘94 Illadelph Halflife days with ?uestlove’s drumming again showcased as the backbone of the Roots vibe. Chock full of guests, both expected (Dice Raw, Truck North) and unexpected (Joanna Newsom, Monsters of Folk, Dirty Projectors), the quality of inventive and captivating songwriting is always top notch. It’s a more chilled out outing that their previous effort Rising Down but is another notch in an already legendary (and faultless) oeuvre.

Jumping genres, there is a real bevy of fantastic new singles, EPs and LPs out in the bass music scene – too many to list really, but I will make mention of UK label Night Slugs who continues its domination of bass influenced house music with the latest release from co-label head L-Vis 1990. The Forever You EP is a straight up classic – at times deep and traditional in its homage to classic house and other times forward thinking in its drunken syrupy synth work. L-Vis again proves he is one of the leaders in the future of creative garage/house music.

Show-wise, the mighty M-Phazes (good gracious!) is in town on Saturday August 21 at Transit Bar to promote his latest LP on Obese. Rumour has it that he’ll be bringing some very BIG emcees with him for the performance. NZ d‘n’b don Dose is set to pummel Mercury Bar on Friday August 6 with supports from the who’s who of ACT d‘n’b and dubstep. And don’t forget Low Freqz is back at Hippo Bar for its second instalment on Saturday August 14 – so come along for your monthly bass music fix.

To hear music from all these releases and much more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM from 9.30 – 11pm every Tuesday night or stream at www.2xxfm.org.au.

Roshambo

Readers of this column and listeners of my weekly radio show The Antidote will know that I am becoming increasingly obsessed with this little thing called ‘bass music’ and all its various (never-ending/ever-expanding) incarnations. Lately, I’ve been enjoying the downtempo hip-hop adventures from labels such as Brainfeeder, Alpha Pup, Fat City et al. Of particular note is the debut album from 23 year old Lorn, a cat from the Midwest of the US. Nothing Else has just been released on none other than Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label and it’s very impressive indeed. Lorn is the only dude inducted into the Brainfeeder camp to not come outta LA and his sound is undeniably darker than those of his label mates. Mastered by Christopher Clark (so you know the overall sound is going to be top notch) the album is washed in melancholy atmosphere and dynamic beauty. There’s a definite modern r‘n’b style twist to his sound, but Lorn expresses in a wholly individual way to create his own sound. Highly recommended. Also on the agenda in the instrumental hip-hop field are new LPs from Alex B, Take and DJ Nobody and EPs from Tokimonsta, Darkhouse Family and Shlohmo. All great music of the downtempo variety so get digging and treat those ears.

Over to the legendary Planet Mu stable now and the new LP from the renowned Ital Tek who has been getting extremely busy with a slew of quality new releases. I’m really feeling his new LP Midnight Colour which finds him expanding his musical palette to more Joker styled half-step and other 2-step meandering like label mate Kuedo. Midnight Colour is the perfect mood music, full of colour and featuring some incredibly beautiful melodies (ear worms galore!). Also on Planet Mu is the brand new LP from Philly’s Starkey. Ear Drums & Black Holes is pure sonic wizardry. Sometimes crunked out heaviness, other times blissful ambient sci-fi beauty but always essential listening. Forthcoming on the label is the debut LP from Barcelona born Oriol. Entitled Night & Day, he has created what Mu call ‘the perfect summer album.’ Taking in influences from Herbie Hancock to Theo Parrish to create his own ‘off-world utopia,’ the snippets I’ve heard sound very promising, so looking forward to hearing the full LP.

On the straight up hip-hop top, the legendary Roots crew have returned (again!) for their third outing on Def Jam. How I Got Over explores the same theme over its short running time and harkens back to the more organic live days of Illadelph Halflife to great effect. Black Thought again proves that he is the most underrated emcee in the States and the band provides mellow backgrounds for his keen social extrapolations. Featuring some inspired guests (Monsters Of Folk, Joanna Newsom) and some familiar faces (Dice Raw, Peedi Crakk), How I Got Over is another jewel in The Roots’ crown.

You’ll be able to check out sounds from the above releases and much more at a night me and the Mercury Switch crew are kicking off at Hippo Bar on Saturday July 10. Low Freqz will showcase quality sounds (both new and classic) of the bass variety, taking in influence from a number of genres; hip-hop, glitch, dubstep, d‘n’b, future garage and much more. If you like your music bass heavy and forward thinking, come join us on the night.

Queensland’s The Optimen are also dropping into town to promote their latest rap opus The Out Of Money Experience which is out now through Inertia. They’ll be at Transit Bar on Saturday July 17.

Ahh snap, outta room for another fortnight. Time to keep it moving people.

To hear music from all the above releases and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM every Tuesday night from 9.30-11pm. Stream the show live at: www.2xxfm.org.au.

Roshambo

Back for another month and the local releases just keep on coming...

First up is B wiv Deece with their new full-length entitled Rise In Peace. It’s a follow up to their acclaimed Ritual Law EP that I gave plenty of spins to on The Antidote last year. It’s good to hear them still paving a path of originality and individualism as they definitely don’t sound like anyone else. I’ve always thought their music had a lot of guts, intensity and brutal honesty and these descriptions can all still be applied to their new full length. History-wise, they’ve been around since 2004 and dropped a 7” on the acclaimed Doublebeef Records run by the legendary Mass MC. Six years on the fellas have decided to bypass the distro deal options and innovate by selling their own product with a number of ‘value packs’ through their website where you can get pre-order deals, hoodies, tees etc. Gotta give their business game props too. Check out their sound, style and hustle and show them support at www.myspace.com/bwivdeece.

Obese Records continue to back local artists with distribution and the next in line is Geko with his Crate Cartel Radio LP. I’ve been a fan of Geko’s beats for a minute now so I’m very keen to hear the album which drops Friday June 18. For those in the dark, Crate Cartel is a likeminded collective of artists coming outta Melbourne whose efforts won them the best group/crew and best label at the OzHipHop Awards for 2009. Crate Cartel Radio is entirely produced by Geko and features a stellar lineup of guest emcees such as Bias B, Bigfoot, Ciecmate, Kings Konekted, Maundz, Jake Biz, Fatty Few, Fluent Form and Raven. Check out more details on the release and the crew as a whole at www.cratecartel.com.

Jumping down to Adelaide and the much anticipated new release from the Adroit Effusive crew simply called The Album. The self-confessed ‘quintessential dysfunctional hip-hop family,’ the AE crew have been toiling in the depths of Adelaide for many years preparing this new release. As a unique eight man band (Blockade, Consepts, Patti, Bornski, Motion, Devious Dev, Beats and DJ Ad-Fu) they’ve created a smorgasbord of production sounds and lyrical content to get the head nodding, with a definite tip of the cap to the boom-bap sound. They’ve also proven a strong work ethic with the LP clocking at over an hour at a staggering 19 tunes! Looking forward to hearing the album in full.

A major US release that’s caught my ear recently is the highly anticipated second LP from Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek under their Reflection Eternal title. Their first LP Train Of Thought was released during the Rawkus underground dominance of the late ‘90s/early ‘00s and was a personal classic for me. The new LP Revolutions Per Minute picks up where the last LP left off, and despite a few missteps it’s a worthwhile follow up but lacks some of the initial punch they had back in 2000. There’s no doubting Kweli’s flow though and Hi-Tek goes deep, minimal and soulful with his beats which fit Kweli’s delivery like a glove. Well worth a listen, as if you didn’t already know.

To hear music from all these releases and much more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM every Tuesday night from 9.30pm or stream at www.2xxfm.org.au.

ROSHAMBO

roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

Yo, D’O and I just completed the first date of our short tour to promote our new single Come Find Out, hitting Adelaide and linking up with Social Change from Butterthief family to rock the V.High.P Jam 8 at the Crown & Sceptre venue. It was a dope trip and really re-highlighted for me how vibrant and productive the SA scene continues to be in 2010. We met and built with a number of artists from veterans such as Bdeps and 2Biz to enthusiastic up-and-comers like Jekyl and Grifters Inc. We stopped by the Best Kept Secret show on 3D radio with Stej and Harvey Dent – dudes holding it down in the community radio scene down there. It’s timely, following our trip, to word you up about some new and upcoming releases coming outta Adelaide.

On the jump off, Fat Pockets aka DJ Snair and Funkwig from Social Change present their latest Butterthief Phattape which features a bunch of exclusive material from the likes of Social Change, K21, Dialect, Chris Bass, Crossbred Mongrels, 2Biz and Mesha. The release is a precursor to the forthcoming LP from Social Change which is due later this year and their new tunes were sounding massive live, with Joe killing it with the mic presence, crowd control and rapid fire flow. Snair always dominates on the cuts and Funkwig holds it down on the MPC (is there anyone faster on the pads?). In fact, Social Change are scheduled to roll into town as part of the Tri-State Hip-Hop Jam that the Mercury Switch crew are putting on at the Transit Bar on Saturday May 22 along with Choose Mics and Dialect.

Speaking of Dialect, dude is a beast on the mic and impressed us in Adelaide with a number of razor sharp freestyles. He’s definitely one to watch in 2010 with his second LP just on the horizon. It’s a collaboration with producer Despair and features Delta, Social Change and Motion on guest vocals. Really looking forward to this one and predicting it will be one of the standout releases of 2010.

The more rugged and raw tip is Evolve who impressed with his no-holds-barred old school aesthetic. Dude really speaks his mind and epitomises the ‘move-the-crowd’ motif. He’s a ‘what you see is what you get’ type of cat and recently released his debut LP The Dirt Merchant through Battlehogs/Snipershot. With heavy head-rocking percussion supplied by Trials, Conceps & Beats, K21 and Sublime, Evolve has also enlisted a who’s who of militant MC styles on the assist from the likes of Conceps, Mids, K21, Realizm and Mortar. If you like your sounds heavy and neck-cracking you should give his tunes a listen.

Grifters Inc have been bubbling around the Adelaide scene for a minute now, hustling a number of limited pressed EPs hand to hand at shows, and I managed to grab a copy of their latest offering Checkout Chicks, Bargirls and Goths. For a young duo, they exhibit a real professionalism and maturity, and their music has a heavy Atmosphere influence.

Gotta give props also to One Above who opened the night with a showcase of instrumentals from his forthcoming LP. He also recently won the beat battle in Adelaide too, and from what I heard on the night, I’m expecting some really nice sounds on his LP coming with that dusty blunted style.

Anyway, that’s my rant for the month – hope to see you all out at shows in Canberra in May and don’t forget to tune to 2XX 98.3FM every Tuesday from 9.30pm to hear from all the above releases and more.

Roshambo

Great news first up is a column dedicated entirely to local releases this fortnight! Obese Records have just announced the signing of the Broken Tooth Entertainment label and its entire back catalogue for national distribution. One of Australia’s most loved hip-hop labels, Broken Tooth is home to the likes of Ciecmate, Newsense, Tornts, Bigfoot and Hospice and over the years has certainly built a rep as one of the hardest hitting hip-hop labels in the country. Joining the Obese family means that previous Broken Tooth releases will be available both online and in retail stores in the coming weeks, including all new and upcoming releases. Congrats to all involved in making this happen, great to see.

Outta Sydney town, Undertow is due to drop his new record entitled Minds Believing on Monday May 10 through Timeless Lifestylez/Foreign Dub Records. The album is executive produced by Dazed and hosts production from Dazed himself, Rob Hectik and Flawlezz. There are guest verses from a bunch of Sydney hip-hop legends – I’m taking the likes of Swarmy, Fame, Rinse, Dazed & Flawlezz and Boundary Pushers. Check out Undertow at www.myspace.com/undertowmc.

Jumping down to Melbourne now and the long-awaited release from Maundz, whose debut LP Mr. Nobody drops on Friday May 7 with Obese distro. Having previously released two heralded 7”s through Mass MC’s Double Beef Records in 2005, the 24 year old has gained a strong following as one of the hip-hop scene’s best kept secrets through some dope guest LP spots and radio appearances over the past couple of years. Over 16 tracks, Maundz sets a ferocious pace over instrumentals from Vanderslice, Wizard, J-Squared, Methodz, WIK, B Wiv and Rob Shaker. Joining him on the mic is the vocal talent of Verbal Kent, Shawn Lov, Fluent Form, Briggs and Deece. Another big release for Melbourne in an already stellar year.

ARIA nominated duo Spit Syndicate return to the table with their sophomore release Exile on Friday May 14 through Obese Records. Having spent the last little while touring and travelling overseas, it’s only natural that their second LP is inspired by both their travels and the confines of their hometown Sydney. The pair has again created a set of rich melodic tunes punctuated by both lyrical dexterity and vivid storytelling. Soundtracked predominately by Adit (Horrorshow), with other beats provided by M-Phazes, J-Squared and Cam Bluff – I’m really looking forward to hearing the full record.

Nine High bredrin Fraksha and Scotty Hinds have just offered up free mix CDs respectively and both are 100% niceness. Fraksha’s It’s Just Bars is mixed by Affiks and features Diem Tornts, Byron, Brinks and many more. On the other hand, Scotty Hinds has unleashed P.O.V. which is mixed by Doc Felix. It features Nine High, Byron, Aires, Serocee and an appearance on the wheels of steel from ex-Canberran PaypaCutts (what up!). Check the Smashbrovaz video up online too. You can find links to download both releases on the OzHipHop.Com forums.

Art Of War returned on Friday April 16 with their latest offering Cop It: Volume 3 – Supremacy. This release sees them team up with Canada’s Sin, as well as collaborating with big guns Lil Wayne, Styles P, Sheek Louch, Bizzy Bone and Mysonne. To top it off both Ciecmate and Newsense show up on the release and DJ Kilo supplies all the cuts on the release.

To hear music from all these releases and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM every Tues night from 9.30pm. Till next time…

ROSHAMBO

roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

G’day there! Well, it came outta nowhere, but the new Method Man, Ghostface and Raekwon full length on Def Jam is out now. Entitled Wu Massacre (and boasting some incredible cover art) the album is chock full of heavy hitting Wu-style production from RZA, Allah Mathmatics, BT and Scram Jones. Admittedly it’s very short and feels a little rushed, but for those wanting their next Wu fix there’s plenty to embrace, enjoy and nod your head to. All three share undeniable chemistry; there’s bloodthirsty storytelling galore, trademark Wu skits and even some nice sequels to classic Wu anthems. Is it me or does Ghost sound like he’s got a bit of a cold on some tunes though…?

Apart from getting in trouble for wandering down the street nude whilst filming music videos, the incredible Erykah Badu has just dropped the second part of her New Amerykah album series. Pt II is entitled Return Of The Ankh and continues her exploration of otherworldly psychedelic soul which, bottom line, has me completely entranced. Again she has collaborated with the best of the best (think James Poyser, Sa-Ra, Madlib, 9^th Wonder, Ta’Raach, J.Dilla and Karriem Riggins) and the results are spectacular. Do yourself a favour and have some of what she’s having.

Battle champions Justice & Kaos release their Theme Music album prelude on Saturday April 17 through Red Giant Music. Having reached the pinnacle of the battle scene, getting their TV doco on and supporting some of the biggest names in the business, the renowned duo are back to re-announce their presence with some new sounds. The release is a diverse six track offering, entirely produced by Kaos himself, and shifts gears through a number of styles exhibiting their different tastes and talents. You can grab a copy through www.justiceandkaos.com.

I’ve been meaning to big up these next two releases for a minute now, so it’s only right I put you on to local lad Jayo. His two mix-tapes Astronaut Vitamins and 100 Million Dollar Mix have been glued to my stereo for the past 12 months since his relocation to the capital and they are the certified business. Jayo has an uncanny knack for selecting the best of each of the genres that he is so obviously passionate about; moving from hip-hop, ragga, reggae or just good old fashioned dusty soul, these mixes are about quality sounds and good times and definitely set the right mood whenever you drop them in your system. Representing Good Foot Promotions, you’ve probably seen his name around town of late, whether dropping wax-bombs with MGO at Transit Bar’s ‘Vinyl Only’ nights or representing on the reggae/ragga tip with Capital Dub Styles. You can grab copies for the price of cheap at Landspeed Records in the city and check him out at: www.myspace.com/jayoptics.com.

There’s a few big hip-hop showcase events popping off in Canberra over the April/May period, so prep and free up your calendar. On Friday April 23, The Basement in Belconnen plays host to a big local hip-hop bash featuring Wax Lyrical, Buick, The Truth Benders, The Smith Brothers, Smish, Rhyme Ministers, Old School Al and Dub Seven. Get along to both and support the local hip-hop scene for only $12 on the door from 8pm. On Saturday May 22 Transit Bar will play host to a hip-hop showcase of some of Australia’s dopest and most underrated talents in Choose Mics and Social Change, as well as a host of your fave locals. More on this show later…

To hear music from all the above artists and more, tune to 2XX 98.3FM’s The Antidote from 9.30pm every Tues night.

Roshambo
roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

I’ve now heard the entire new LP from Mantra entitled Power Of The Spoken on Obese Records and I can safely say that it both lives up to the hype and the symbolism of the album title itself with Mantra, as stated in his press release, blazing a lyrical path “driven by the importance of the verbalised thought.” The production didn’t hit me at first, but after a few listens it has truly sunken in… and how! Mista Savona, Count Bounce, Zim, Joe Louis and M-Phazes all supply a varied soundscape of different style beats which all compliment Mantra’s flow and subject matter perfectly.

Following hot on the heels of his excellent debut LP of 2009, Thorts has dropped a new EP called Louder Actions Are Needed. 11 tracks deep, it plays more like a full length and Thorts has been very generous by offering up the entire release for free at www.myspace.com/thortsthescorpion. Production comes from Proph 1, Efmp and Saint Surly with guest slots from Aetcix, 1/6, Kadyelle, Reach and Aamir.

Heading down the bass music path I highly recommend two new EPs on Planet Mu. Firstly, Jamie Vex’d under his Kuedo moniker with his amazing Dream Sequence EP. Full of colour and fuzzy distortion adrift over thumping stuttering percussion, this is brilliant and vibrant stuff. Likewise, and even more neck-snapping, is the new EP Ultra Heat Treated from broken-beat specialist Slugabed. Tunes like Skyfire, Titan and Quantum Leap build the perfect bridge between a tough hip-hop aesthetic and deep resonant bass music. Absolutely mind shattering! Also just released is the new double A-side single on the ever dope Blunted Robots label featuring two big tunes from Bok Bok and Brackles + Shortstuff respectively, each melding dubstep basslines deeper into jittery garage influenced house.

Outta Minneapolis is the new album from Mux Mool on Ghostly International. Skulltaste is IDM-tinged electro nostalgia with plenty of dub and hip-hop mixed in. A highly original sound chock-full of inspiration and tweaky, jangled sounds to keep your ears interested.

Just on the horizon we can expect new albums from Sadat X who returns with Wild Cowboys II after a stint in the slammer. Beats come from Will Tell, Diamond D, DJ Spinna, Nick Wiz, 9^th Wonder and Buckwild. Pete Rock, Rhymefest, Kurupt and Grand Puba are guesting too, so it’s quite a lineup. The first Wild Cowboys is a personal classic, so looking forward to this one.

Marco Polo has teamed up with Rustee Juxx for a full length on Duck Down entitled The Exxecution – should be dope. DJ Rev is on the cuts, while Rock, Freddie Foxxx, Black Moon and Sean Price guest.

To hear music from all these releases and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM every Tuesday night from 9.30pm.

I’m very pleased to report that following my excitement last month, the new records from Statik Selektah (100 Proof), Strong Arm Steady (In Search Of Stoney Jackson) and Freeway + Jake One (The Stimulus Package) are all very dope. All releases are 100% consistent dusty boom-bap and reiterate why Statik, Madlib and Jake One are at the top of the production game. You simply must have all three releases in your collection – in fact Free & Jake’s One Foot In is one of the best hip-hop tunes I’ve heard in the last five years, easy. Get on it.

Back home, dudes are getting mad busy at the moment, with the local scene getting peppered with a barrage of releases both free and for purchase. First up, legendary hip-hop duo Brethren have just put out their 20^th anniversary release Bastion on Krosswerdz Recordings. Staying true to their old school roots, these two pioneers prove they are still relevant with another versatile release. Guests include Baba Israel, Def Wish Cast, Reason, Deejay Mathmatics and Brotha Black.

A release I missed from a little while back is DJ Skae’s Gueslist mix CD which features a who’s who of Sydney emcees (Skeptic & Dseeva, Sandro, Sleeping Monk, Dirtbox Kings, Torcha and Morganics, along with many more). It’s a great release and Skae definitely seems like he’s got his fingers in many pies, including working alongside with Skeptic & Dseeva, a healthy club DJ schedule and a background in graffiti. Check him out at www.myspace.com/djskae.

Former Equills member and current frontman of acclaimed (and very dope) Illzilla crew, Mantra is undoubtedly one of the illest emcees in Australia at the moment and there is much hype surrounding his upcoming debut solo release Power Of The Spoken due out on Obese Records Friday March 26. It’s produced by M-Phazes, Mista Savona and Count Bounce and I can’t wait to hear what Mantra has cooked up. Expect some rapid fire, intelligent, textured and dynamic lyricism. More on this one once I’ve heard it in its entirety.

Comprising of MCs Agent Remix and Crisis, Creep Team is the new offspring of Melb group Phonic Division. Their new EP The Creep St is dark headstrong street music, influenced by ‘70s vigilante flicks. It is seven tracks deep and you can check out the video for Fire In The Hole online (crazy!) and the rest of their steez at thecreepteam.bigcartel.com.

One of my fave Australian emcees Mdusu has just dropped his new free mixtape The Excess Baggage. After a rough 12 months, Duse has relocated from Tassie to Sunny QLD, jacked a bunch of dope beats and scripted his experiences with heartfelt honesty and a raw sense of humour. You can grab a copy at www.myspace.com/mdusu. He’s also dropping his solo LP Ex-Samples proper later in 2010. Go Duse!

Mudd Promotions and Soul’d On Sound present Hell MuthaFuckin’ Yeah at PJ O’Reilly’s Tuggeranong on Saturday March 27 featuring Sceptic & Dseeva, Way Lyrical, 206 Collab, Convict and Dub Seven. $10 on the door. The same night @ Transit Bar Scott Burns will be in town to promote his upcoming new music with Alikeminds, Gabi and LouLou in support. DJs Buick, Bom, LouLou and J-Platnum will be spinning.

To hear music from all these releases and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM every Tues night from 9:30pm.

Roshambo

Sydney's Horrorshow have been putting in some serious work since the release of their acclaimed debut LP around a year ago. With their well deserved Elefant Traks backing, the duo has dedicated some serious studio time and conjured up their second batch of quality hip-hop entitled Inside Story. Growing and developing their sounds, defying their youth and testing musical boundaries, Solo and Adit have once again delivered a mature, insightful and beautiful collection of tunes that will have you reaching for the replay button on the regular. You couldn't meet two nicer dudes and they definitely deserve all their success. It's fantastic to see and hear such talent coming out of this country. Big ups fellas.

Hard worker and razor sharp lyricist, Melbourne dwelling emcee Fluent Form has wasted no time following up his very promising debut Chapters Of Substance with his second full length The Furnace. Arriving with sounds akin to bombs being dropped and with Obese distribution, the album is 14 varied and deep hard-hitting tunes, as Fluent shows his versatility as a vivid story teller, a keen social observer and a devastatingly clever lyricist. Technically speaking, Fluent Form knows rap inside out, serving up a myriad of flows, patterns and delivery styles. Co-signed by guests Brad Strut, Ciecmate, Mata & Must, 1/6, Maundz, Fatty Phew and Raven, you know you are getting 100% certified raps on the LP. Backed by some tasty production from Geko, Ciecmate, Doc Felix, Must, K21, Discourse and WIK (whose beat is MEGA) - this is quality all round. Get the LP and check Fluent out at www.myspace.com/fluentformmusic.

I've been caning the new Chasm & Vida Sunshyne single Where Did We Go Wrong lately - it's just too nice. The tune has the perfect summer vibe and Vida's voice and flow hits the spot. The tune is from their forthcoming album Move on Obese and proves that Chasm is one of the hardest working beat makers in this country (when does the fella sleep!?). I can't think of a better producer to soundtrack Vida's life and b-side Stress is also the bizness. Positive vibes from two positive musicians - I love how the record is both forward thinking and also pays homage to sounds of old. Bring on the LP - it sounds like the people's music to me!

Melbourne's Requiem has just dropped his highly original debut Grassroots Anarchy and its accompanying e-press release says it best - "ten recipes in his anarchist's cookbook, each littered with socio-political urgency and paranoia." This is street journalism for sure, protest music for the now, sound-tracked by beats from Ciecmate, Doc Felix, Defiant, Pabstrakt and Wizard.

A couple of o/s releases to look out for; Royce Da 5'9 is one of my fave emcees and he's just dropped his new solo LP Street Hop featuring incredible production from a myriad of my favourite beat makers - DJ Premier, Streetrunner, Nottz, Mr. Porter and more. Cormega is also back with his latest LP Born Raised. Beats come from the dream team of Large Professor, DJ Premier, Nottz, Ayatollah, L.E.S and DR Period. Boom-bap is back people!

To hear music from all the above and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM, every Tuesday from 9:30pm.

ROSHAMBO
roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

There's been a massive slew on dope new overseas releases dropping lately or just on the horizon so I thought it would be worthwhile mentioning some of the highlights, so let's get to it!

The big homie Jay-Z has dropped his much anticipated Blueprint 3 LP and while it has its share of highlights, it's certainly one of his weakest albums, especially in comparison to the almighty Black Album, Blueprint 1 or even his conceptual American Gangsta LP. Predominantly produced by No I.D (dope!) and Kanye West (with his old pull beats out of storage, ass), it's a strange album which lacks overall cohesiveness. Hove gives shine to the current block of future stars such as Kid Cudi, J. Cole and Drake, but doesn't really show any new progression of his own. Still, the album is solid and worthy of a listen and it has def grown on me with repeated listens. Other production also comes courtesy of Timbaland (lazy!), Al Shux (future star!) and The Neptunes (*cough*).

Speaking of Kid Cudi, he's just dropped his 808 and Heartbreaks-esque solo LP Man on the Moon: End of Days and it's actually pretty nice. Emile, Kanye, Ratatat and others provide spacey out-of-this-world epic soundscapes for Cudi to get his 'emo' on, which he does quite convincingly and (mostly) without too much cheese. The guests all compliment Cudi perfectly and he's succeeded in creating a highly original debut LP. One of the more interesting listens of the year to be sure.

Krs-One and Buckshot have teamed up on Duck Down for their new Survival Skills LP and it is the niceness. Apart from its hilariously bad album cover, there's not much else to criticise and Black Milk, 9th Wonder, Illmind, Nottz, Marco Polo and other boom-bap beat specialists lay down a barrage of heat for the two legends to spit game. And, they compliment each other perfectly. Highly recommended.

Also out now on Duck Down is the new LP from Brooklyn native Skyzoo. He's also been blessed by the likes of Cyrus The Great, Eric G, Black Milk, Illmind, Nottz and 9th Wonder with some brilliant production which he makes the most of over 16 varied tunes. While he's not the most dynamic MC on the mic, he's certainly worth checking out, so put this one on your list too.

Brother Ali's newy US is again sheer class and another near-perfect notch in the belt for him. Again Ant handles the beats and they are brilliant - check the beautiful You Say (Puppy Love) for example. Ali keeps going from strength to strength.

Everyone's fave emcee Ghostface is back again with Ghostdini - The Wizard Of Poetry in Emerald City. Haha, a magnificent album title indeed. Ghost has gone messed around and made a soul/r'n'b flavoured LP better than most r'n'b cats. It's smooth, hilarious and heartfelt (in a Ghostface kinda way). The album features Lloyd, John Legend, Estelle, Raheem DeVaughn and others, as well as beats from Justice League, Grind Music, Scott Storch and Xtreme.

And I can't end this column without mentioning another new Wu release - the long-awaited Only Built for Cuban Linx 2 from Raekwon. I don't throw the 'c' word around much, but quite frankly, it is just that. A modern 'classic,' reminiscent of that vintage Wu-sound. Golden era beats from RZA, Marley Marl, J.Dilla, Pete Rock, The Alchemist etc set the vibe perfectly. Rae is on form, Ghostface kills it and the majority of the Wu-Clan pop up for good measure. Album of the year so far, most definitely.

To hear tunes from all the above and more, tune to The Antidote, Tues nights from 9:30pm on 2XX 98.3FM.

Roshambo
roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

I mentioned their new release last month, but Kings Konekted's new offering Trails To The Underlair: The Prequel definitely warrants further attention. More than just your average mixtape, the crew from up north have poured their passion into their debut offering; a release which serves as a taster for their forthcoming album proper. Carefully selecting notable jacked instrumentals from the likes of Evidence, Necro, Prowla which all compliment and accentuate their lyrical styles, the release plays like a cohesive journey into the minds of the Kings. Throughout the tape, beat-makers Stricknine, Dontez and even Lyrical Commisson's Trem all also supply a barrage of original selections which form the backdrop for a collection of original and exciting tunes which hint at what's to come. If you're a fan of the sounds of LC, Pure Product and Hospice Crew then this is for you. Definitely looking forward to the album. Trails To The Underlair: The Prequel is out now through the prolific Class A records.

Also prolific and hardworking is The Herd/Elefank Traks head honcho Urthboy. He's just unveiled his third solo LP Spitshine, further cementing his hard working originality and swagger. With a defiant fist in the sky, Urthy again tackles real issues with a no-nonsense approach, as well as enjoying himself and relaxing on a number of optimistic numbers throughout the record. With his AMP, J Award and AIR award-winning production team (Count Bounce, Elgusto, Hermitude) the backdrops are completely engaging, head-nodding and always pushing boundaries. A versatile guest list of talents such as Lior, Mantra, Solo and Jane Tyrrell provide the assist for Urthy's third musical journey. Essential listening. Spitshine is out now through Elefank Traks.

Australian legends Cross Bred Mongrels (aka Flak, Debris and Flea) have returned with their latest offering Certified Wise. Named after the famous Adelaide hip-hop crew (which includes Hilltop Hoods and Funkoars, amongst others), the album is both a celebration of and homage to Australian hip-hop history and a warning to those who seek to jump on the bandwagon for the wrong reasons - in other words, the Mongrels are not fans of lil' chumps and ignorant shit-talkers. Produced by DJ Debris and Chris Bass, the album is drenched in a classic old school vibe, rolling along with sweaty funk loops and no-holds barred lyricism from Flak and Flea. Featuring guest collaborations with Mystro, Simplex, Hons and Melbourne's Reason, Certified Wise is a boomin' assault of classic sounds punctuated by a passion for the scene and the hard hitting prowess of the Adelaide streets.

Melbourne's Requiem is set to follow up on the promise of his limited edition EP with his debut LP Grassroots Anarchy. In stores shortly, the album features beats from Ciecmate, Defiant, Doc Felix, Pabstrakt and Wizard (UK). Guest verses are laid down from the likes of Fluent Form, Maundz and songstress Tahireh Thampi. Canberra's fave DJ Mexi has also contributed a killer artwork design for the LP - check it out and some preview tunes at www.myspace.com/mcrequiem. More next month on this release.

Other releases of note that have been spinning in my player this month are newies from Blaq Poet - The Blaqprint, Slaughterhouse - Slaughterhouse and The Alchemist - Chemical Warfare. Definitely all on that boom-bap tip and are all out now.

Live-wise you can check out Melbourne's Phrase at Transit Bar on Thursday September 10 with Illy, DJ Flagrant and M-Phazes in support. Ex-Canberra group Casual Projects will also be making a welcome return in October and Muph & Plutonic look poised to pay another visit to the ACT in the coming months. Stay tuned.

To hear music from all of these releases and more, tune to The Antidote on Tuesday nights from 9:30pm on 2XX 98.3FM or stream at: http://www.2xxfm.org.au.

ROSHAMBO
roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

Obese Records are set to unleash the debut LP from their newest ‘super-group’ Gully Platoon on Friday August 7. Made up of emcees Pegz, Dialectrix and Joe New (Two Toes) and featuring beats from Plutonic Lab and M-Phazes, the LP, entitled The Great Divide, is sure to feature cutting edge production and razor sharp lyrics from three of the best emcees in the country. With Sydney’s DJ 2Buck on the cut, expect another quality notch in Obese’s belt, in what has been a prolific year of debut LPs for the renowned label.

Look Up will release the long-awaited debut LP from Sydneysiders That’s Them on Saturday August 1. Entitled Stay Up, the album will feature guest appearances from labelmate Scott Burns, Swarmy G (Overproof), Rainman, Tommy Illfigga and Rinse (Bingethinkers). For a sneak peak of the album check out www.myspace.com/thatsthemagain.

A few columns ago I mentioned the quality banger of a single that was Fugs Need Hugs by UK born, now Australian residents Nine High. I’ve now finally had a chance to hear the full length self-titled album and let me tell you, it’s 100% quality. Varied, humourous, intelligent and perfectly delivered lyricism and songwriting is on display for the entire album, which has been impeccably produced by M-Phazes, Jase, Ghosttown, Driff and 76. In fact, it’s one of the best produced hip hop albums I’ve heard in a minute. Don’t miss out on this one.

Following hot on the heels of musical colleagues Pure Product, Queensland’s Kings Konekted are set to unveil their debut offering Trails To The Underlair: The Prequel through Class A Records and Toaster Entertainment on Tuesday September 1. Predominantly produced by renowned beatmaker Stricknine, the record features intricately structured rhymes from emcees Dontez and Culprit, which are deeply personal, strikingly insightful and, at times, brutally dark. The duo are heavily influenced by both Prowla and Lyrical Commission, the latter’s Trem also contributing a beat to the album.

By the time you read this, the legendary Elefant Traks crew will have released their 10th Anniversary DVD. Out officially on Friday July 31, the DVD showcases the label’s roster coming together to play a sold out show at The Forum in Sydney in late 2008. Featuring live performances from The Herd, Hermitude, The Tongue, Horrorshow, Urthboy, Astronomy Class and Unkle Ho, the DVD is a must-see part of Australian hip hop history and a celebration of one of its most respected and talented labels.
For something different, I suggest checking out the new full length from solo producer/vocalist Bibio on Warp. The album is entitled Ambivalence Avenue and is the perfect myriad of Bibio’s beautiful melancholic lo-fi folk sounds of old with his new found fascination for Dilla style hip hop instrumentals. Warp cannot put a foot wrong at the moment and this is yet another highly original and quality release. Beautiful music, perfect for Sunday afternoon relaxation.

Speaking of the late-great J. Dilla; Nature Sounds have just released Jay Stay Paid, a 25 track collection of unreleased Dilla beats mixed and arranged by Pete Rock. Also featuring a few guest vocals from the likes of Lil Fame (M.O.P.), Black Thought and Rakewon. The LP is the missing link to Dilla’s legacy and you need it.

Show-wise, Transit Bar welcomes the mighty Downsyde (WA) on Thursday August 6 for what will no doubt be an incredible live show. The group are currently touring their latest offering All City across the country.

To hear music from all the above and more, please tune to The Antidote at 9:30 pm Tuesday nights on 2XX 98.3FM or stream at www.2xxfm.org.au.

ROSHAMBO
roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

The legendary Bias B releases his latest offering Aerosol Era through Wordburner/Obese on Saturday July 4. The LP takes the listener on an introspective and personal journey back to his days growing up on the train lines with the infamous Wild Child Art crew. Featuring production from such heavy-hitters such as Jase, Bigfoot, Peril, Ransom and Ciecmate, the LP is touted as an "audio journal of graffiti life." Looking forward to it!

Local emcee extraordinaire Omar Musa has followed up his excellent Massive EP with a new selection entitled The Shrappers Mixtape. Mixed by the don DJ Rush, the 'tape' features a selection of smooth remixes and new exclusives. Hit Omar up on www.myspace.com/omarmusa for a copy. And talking about DJ Rush, don't forget to check out the new range of Spader wear that was recently launched at Globalize in the city. Big ups fellas.

Melbourne duo B wiv Deece have just released their EP Ritual Law giving the masses a taste of what is expected from their full length Rise In Peace in late 2009. B wiv's production is equally inspired by Bomb-Squad and mid '90s Pete Rock and sets the perfect backdrop for Deece's inspirational (and intelligent) musings. The EP has an original sound that is both refreshing and exciting. Don't miss their two new video clips from the EP on YouTube, displaying both professionalism and a much appreciated sense of humour. Check their music out at: www.myspace.com/bwivdeece.

Sydney veterans Hyjak & Torcha have returned with their long awaited Unregrettable LP on Obese Records, this time with Queensland's Mules handling the majority of production. Mules' soulful and knockin' beats create a perfect synergy for the two emcees to speak on their experiences, both personal and professional, since the release of Drastik Measures. Guest slots come from Murs, N'Fa, Eastcoast and SQZ. With welcome production assistance from Jase and Jetlag the album is an unmistakable step forward for the duo, consistent and mature, but with that trademark Hyjak humour thrown in for good measure.

For those who also enjoy sounds outside the main hip hop spectrum there has been a recent barrage of excellent releases from a variety of acts. Amon Tobin,

Doubleclick and Sway have teamed up for a dynamic grime inspired journey of Two Fingers. Diplo & Switch have released their Major Lazer LP full of kick ass digital reggae, bugged out dancehall and gut-wrenching bass. Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do pays homage to sounds of old as well as pushing forward with brand new ideas. Brilliant! Lynx + Kemo have released their incredible and versatile new LP The Raw Truth on Marcus Intalex's Soul:R inprint. Equal parts minimal d'n'b and deep dubstep, the album is essential for anyone into cutting edge electronic sounds. Adam Freeland has returned with his Freeland band for Cope, his new 'band-driven' LP. Featuring some very famous musicians, Freeland has unleashed a massive stadium sound, taking break-beat into new wholly-engaging territory.

In the live arena, Queensland duo Choose Mics hit up Transit Bar on Saturday July 11 in support of their forthcoming LP Beggars Can't Be Choosers. Producer Mules has recently been enjoying success with his work on the new Hyjak & Torcha LP. Can't wait to see the live show and hear some new Choose Mics tunes. Some other big names are coming to town shortly too, more news next time.

To hear music from the above releases and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM from 9:30 pm Tuesday nights, or stream at: www.2xxfm.org.au.

ROSHAMBO
roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

The legend official Brad Strut has returned with his brand new Fall Out Shelter/Rejuvenation EP/LP double CD which features new tracks recorded with producer Beat Butcha during Strut’s relocation to the UK. As expected, it is amazing quality once again from Strut, mixing his trademark LC style on tunes like No and Blasting Them with more mellow and introspective tunes like Believe and Looking At You. The release comes with a bonus LP entitled Rejuvenation which features a host of remixes of classic Strut tracks from the likes of M-Phazes, Trails, Simplex, Chemo, Beat Butcha, Ciecmate, Tornts, Mortar, Dazastah, Jehst and many more. Dopeness.
Obese records has had a prolific year yet again, predominantly launching their brand new signings and the latest release, the debut LP from Illy, which is another notch in the much respected label’s belt. Entitled Long Story Short the LP is a record about falling in and out of love, places, family, friendships and hip-hop all shaped by the unique privilege of being born and growing up in Australia. Enlisting the production talents of the super-prolific M-Phazes and Jackson Jackon’s J-Skubs for the majority of the album ensures a continuity of both sound and quality, and new comers J-Squared and Ta-Ku also supply worthy contributions. Guest slots come from label boss Pegz, Spit Syndicate, Solo, Phrase and N’Fa.

Elefant Traks’ super-group Astronomy Class have returned with their sophomore set entitled Pursuit Of Happiness. Sir Robbo and Chasm further explore their signature reggae based soundscapes with a welcome touch of soul thrown into the mix. Ozi Batla again takes up host mic duties following the success of The Herd’s Summerland release and continues to expressively display his insights about modern life and all its trials and tribulations. Ozi is joined by The Tongue, Vida Sunshyne, Diafrix, Kween G and Ash Grunwald who all contribute stellar performances. Another stellar release from the Elefant Traks camp and well worthy of your time.

UK born Nine High are set to release their debut self-titled LP on June 6 through Taos. The group is made up of three emcees: Fraksha, Scotty Hinds and Felony. The album features production from M-Phazes, Ghost Town, Jase and Lewis One.
Veteran emcee Lazy Gray returns on June 26 with his third solo LP The Soundtrack out on Karsiogenics/Shogun which is entirely produced by V who has sourced all the sounds from 1980s film soundtrack records, giving the album a consistent, deeply layered feel. Lazy’s new album has been heralded a decidedly unexpected work in that rather than being the sum of his experiences to date, it is firmly grounded in the present. Lazy has said that “this is a snap shot of ten months of penning thoughts, resulting in The Soundtrack. It’s not a soundtrack to my life, it’s more like I’m composing the soundtrack through what I do - make music - while the rest of ‘em are the actors and extras in the movie which plays out perpetually on this planet. Everyone’s playing their role, I’m just playing mine.” With DJ Dce on cuts and guest spots from Lenwun, Bigfoot, Jake Biz and Miss Brown, I can’t wait to hear the final product.

To hear music from all the above and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM, Tues nights from 9:30-11pm.

ROSHAMBO
roshambizzle@yahoo.com.au

Welcome to 2009, and the fantastic news that triple j Hottest 100 voters have acknowledged the rising quality of local hip-hop with some key places in the station’s recent yearly countdown. Both Pez and Drapht received top ten placings and artists like Bliss N Eso and Muph & Plutonic both received multiple spots. Congratulations to all are most definitely in order!

Over the holiday season there was a slew of quality local product released that might have slipped under your radar, so let’s get to it.

Locally renowned (and now half locally relocated) duo Dazed + Flawless have just released their debut self-titled EP. Featuring seven varied and engaging tunes plus instrumentals, the EP is a great introduction to D+F and bodes well for their forthcoming full-length this year. Check them out at www.myspace/dazedflawless to hit the boys up for a copy. Well worth it!

MC Litigate and Vince Vegas AKA Alexx The Kidd have just released their new single Icypole through Amphead and it’s a banger. Out of Melbourne, the fellas mix hip-hop, electro-pop, grime and soul in with their own individual styles. New, fresh and original - I’m keen to hear some new sounds from these guys soon.

Obese Records have unveiled the new EP from latest signing, Sydney’s Skryptcha, whose debut EP Left To Write is produced entirely by the mighty Chasm! The 22-year-old shows a lot of skill, promise and soul over this vibrant little release and is blessed by the depth and variation of Chasm’s beats. Another solid notch in Obese Records’ legendary belt.

Pang Productions have recently released the colourful and innovative new compilation Children of Captivity from emcee/producer J.Waters. Featuring a ‘who’s who’ of the Melbourne underground over an abundance of varied and synergistic collaborations, the LP is a heavy but truly inspired and rewarding listen.

Down to Hobart now and hip-hop/electro producer Crytearia, who has just dropped his debut production album Landscrape. Merging samples, infectious melodies, shimmering synths, organic recordings and hard-hitting drums, Crytearia exhibits a passion for the sound of old audio equipment and an ability to interpret his unique world through atmospheric beats. A blunted, genre-bending and engaging ambitious effort.

Live performance-wise, the summer heat is bringing the talent to Canberra, so mark these fine events in your diary please: for those who like their beats a little more in the Madlib/Dilla vein, the legendary Koushik (US, Stones Throw Records) will hit Transit Bar for a live/DJ set on Wednesday February 11. Don’t miss it!

Funkoars will obliterate the Transit Bar for the Canberra leg of their Hangover Tour on Thursday February 26 with Ciecmate + Newsense, Wax Lyrical and Buick in support. Get in early - this will be big!

Melbourne’s Phrase will be in town on Saturday March 7 at the Transit Bar and Muph & Plutonic return in April. Stay tuned. In massive news, the gigantic triple header of Downsyde, Drapht and Pez will hit the ANU on Thursday March 19.

And finally, for those who like their sounds a little more dubbed/ragga’d out, check out Dubwize & The Versonaires who invade the Transit Bar for the first Capital Dub Styles of 2009 on Friday March 6 – big sound and big vibes.

Attention, Attention! Canberra please make way for a self-confessed group of ‘mismatched maggot misfit motherfucking scientists’.

That’s right, Wax Lyrical have arrived on the scene with furious gusto and have wasted no time in making their mark on the live stage and putting chasm sized dents in pub fridges across our beloved city!  This scurvy seven man crew consists of MCs Alco Sudo, Syntactic, Gap, Punts, Top Nase, Garbagebum (who also serves as beat-creator) and DJ Cutsik. Whilst having only been kicking around Canberra stages for a year or so, the crew has already notched up an impressive array of high-profile supports, opening for the likes of Pegz, Vents & Trials, Drapht, Overproof and the Hospice Crew. Despite such supports, they are extremely humble about their success, admitting that it takes both time and experience to really make a mark on the local scene: “Our first couple of performances were pretty wack (and unfortunately we’ve got video evidence) but every gig we’ve played has been an improvement on the last and we’re getting better and better feedback.”

The initially smaller group formed in college with Syntactic, Garbagebum and Alco Sudo meeting by chance and sharing their disgruntled views about the social hierarchy and clichéd aspects of their environment, using the outlet of rap music to pen their first tune “about the school’s deficiencies such as metro footyhead wankers and facilities neglected by the political status quo.”

Then known as D.A.F (Dope Art Foundations) the boys then met up with the rest of the crew, switched the name and the seven man hip-hop behemoth was formed. Being such a big crew, I was wondering about group dynamics and whether it is hard to agree on the direction of a tune or concept but found that the boys naturally “argue about every fucking thing possible, all the time” and that despite this, “respect and fraternal love” forms the backbone for this unnaturally perfect union. In fact, it is their diverse differences of style, character and experience that gives their music its varied and razor sharp edge. “We’ve got tracks about getting maggot and being outrageous, as well as tunes about politics, the music business and even about older ladies.”

To Wax Lyrical, hip-hop is their “music of resistance”, with Syntactic particularly commenting on this notion in relation to their Canberra experience, “I see [hip-hop] as a fantastic opportunity to cultivate a community, develop a self-sufficient culture and challenge and criticise the status quo. I see rhyming as a sophisticated form of expression that encourages an elevated development of the mind. When our language is sloppy, our thoughts are sloppy. Any pursuit that helps to develop our ability to express ourselves is also going to help us refine our thoughts and as a result, assist us in the day to day struggle.”

When not writing and recording material for an upcoming EP, the crew gave me some colourful examples of a usual ‘night out on the town’ for Wax Lyrical. Whilst being amongst some of the funniest stories I’ve heard, they are also quite scathing to the reputation of these upstanding young musicians and far be it from me to taint their already spotless reputations in this street press. However, let me stimulate your imagination by hinting that they have been known to sleep in shopping trolleys, poo on the curb of Northborne Avenue and consume extraordinary superhuman amounts of alcoholic beverages. All in the name of art and science of course!

Don’t miss your chance to catch Canberra’s next crop of emcee talent when Wax Lyrical play at the upcoming Rhyme Intervention 4 at the ANU Bar on November 15 alongside Terra Firma, Dialectrix, Scott Burns and many more, all raising money for the Cancer Council.

I’ve said enough about him in his column over the years, so I won’t harp on, but just to let you know, Madlib (The Beat Konducta) has a new album out on BBE as part of their Beat Generation series called WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip. It’s incredible and you need it.

October will see the release of two mixtapes from the BTE camp, Ciecmate’s Pre-Emptive Strike and Maggot Mouf’s Anonymous. Ciecmate’s release is a preview in lead up to February’s release of A Tale Of Two Cities by Ciecmate & Newsense and Maggot Mouf’s release is a bit of an introduction to Maggot and is mixed by Ciecmate and DJ No Name Nathan.

New Obese records signing Dialectrix has just released his new single Outcast from his upcoming debut album Cycles of Survival. Produced by Chasm, the tune combines harsh social criticism with an uprocking vibe and an unconformist ode to the creative process. Cycles of Survival is out October 18.

Funkoars new single Black Sally is available now via Itunes with an exclusive non-album b-side Don’t Take Me Home. You can hear the tune on their myspace as well! Their new album The Hangover is out on November 29 through Shogun.

Hailing from the ever-fertile hip-hop breeding ground of Adelaide come Common Cause with their newly released debut album With A Purpose. Fuelled by bluesy, smoky heavy drum beats, the album combines its gritty suburban golden era production with honest, relevant lyricism and undeniable chemistry.

To Melbourne and the debut album from Fluent Form entitled Chapters of Substance. mate, Trem, Must, Mizari, Geko, Doc Savage and Methodz, you know the sounds are kept gritty and banging.

The Winter Stormz EP is a collaboration between UK rap leviathan Doctor Freud and Melbourne beat magician Methodz; together they are known as Purple Storms. The EP brings together the raw yet comical vocals from one of the UK’s brightest up and comers with the sounds of one of Australia’s most recognised (yet underrated) beat makers Methodz.  Featuring the likes of Purpose, Fluent Form and Phatchance, with additional cuts form DJ Ilz, the EP is solid dope from start to finish.

Hot off the heels of their new album Music to Live By Adelaide’s Terra Firma have just been added to the already mighty Rhyme Intervention 4 lineup on November 15 at the ANU! As if you didn’t need another reason to attend!

Elephant Traks are presenting the Treadbare Tour featuring Hermitude & Horrorshow at the Transit Bar on Wednesday October 29.

To hear music from all the above and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM, every Tues night from 9:30 – 11pm.

Canberra’s only specialist hip-hop shop, Writers Block, has just had some nice renovations so make sure you go check out the new store soon! New stuff in the shop includes Reason’s new album, Myspherical CD, some battle records, and other assorted musical gems! They’ve restocked all the nozzles and have recently also got the full Montana Blackline range in stock. Some ill colours there, so pop in and make sure you are decked out ready for Spring! Check them out online at the Writers Block Shop website .

Sky Pictures are a new local production house of media graduates from CIT looking to promote local talent. For their first major creative project they have produced a music video for local hip-hop artist Double A, which they are launching on Friday September 19 at Monkey Bar in the City. Keep an eye out for the clip and Sky Pictures!
Sydney’s Sceptic and Dseeva have recently dropped their debut LP entitled Hip-Hop Psykosis. Showcasing a raw Sydney sound, complete with Public Enemy style drums, an old school aesthetic and raucous shout-along chorus. The album is chocked with suburban street tales and a jubilant love for the hip-hop elements. Sceptic and Dseeva will be doing some shows in Canberra later in the year, so keep your eyes peeled.

Out of Melbourne’s hip-hop underground steps Pez with his debut album A Mind of My Own. Out on October 4 through Soulmate, the 14 track opus is full of stories of unfulfilled dreams, childhood nostalgia, political disconnection and unconditional love. Entirely produced by multi-instrumentalist Matik, and featuring musical contributions from members of TZU, The Cat Empire, Blue King Brown and fellow Soulmate signee 360, A Mind Of My Own is highly original and extremely accomplished.

Sydney’s LookUP crew have just released their new mixtape Look UP In The Sky mixed by DJ Mathmatics. Rather than having the emcees rap over jacked beats, the crew has assembled a barrage of all new quality material from the likes of crew members Scott Burns, Bingethinkers and That’s Them. The mix also sees collaborations with friends such as Swarmy (Overproof), Tommy Illfigga, Benji (PK Crew) and S-Dub.

Live wise in Oct/Nov, don’t miss the mighty Illzilla, who are in town on September 26 to promote their amazing debut LP Wasteland out now through Shock. They will rock a free show at Transit Bar, so don’t miss one of the most incredible live bands in the country!

Spring Break hits the ANU on October 18 featuring A-Love, Axe Aklins + Danielsan, Josie Styles, Harlequin and Stunami. No stranger to Canberra stages, this will be the first time ACT audiences will be able to see A-Love rock live with three piece band Lost Evidence, and in a collaboration set to be seen in Canberra, Axe Aklins will be joined by Koolism’s Danielsan on the wheels of steel. The night will also showcase live graffiti art from the Writers Block Crew and giveaways from the boys at JDY clothing.

Rhyme Intervention 4 is back on November 15 at ANU Bar with its biggest line-up yet to raise money for the Cancer Council. A few of the stars taking the stage are Dialectrix, Last Credit, Social Change, Mind Over Matter, Scott Burns + Mathmatics, Mata + Must, Class A, Maggot Mouf and a whole host of others.  With added graff demos, give-aways and trademark RI BBQ, you’d be a damn fool to miss out on this massive show supporting a worthy cause.

To hear music from all of the above and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM every Tues night from 9:30pm.

WHAT: LIVE HIP-HOP, BABY…
WHERE: TRANSIT BAR
WHEN: FRI SEP 26

TZU blew you away? Muph & Plutonic knocked your proverbial little socks off? Well on September 26, Transit Bar continues to bring to you the finest in Australian hip-hop with the arrival of another one of Australia’s most promising crews - Illzilla! With their debut album Wasteland sounding regular sirens on Triple J at the moment, the boys are also gaining a reputation for being one of the livest shows in the country, fronted by the incredible lyrical dexterity of emcee Mantra. Coming from a divergent range of musical backgrounds, Illzilla fuse reggae, old-school funk, blues, classical and rock with their own unique brand of hip-hop. Having performed at Falls Festival, Pyramid Rock, the Roots, Rap and Reggae Festival, Illzilla are now looking to bring their vibrant and powerful sound to Canberra. Featuring the renowned Casual Projects in support, prepare for live hip-hop at its very finest! Entry is free you goons!

I’ve been looking forward to Music To Live By, the second album from Adelaide’s Terra Firma for a minute now and it will finally be officially available on August 30 through Shogun. The album is produced by Simplex and features the entire Certified Wise collective (including Hilltop Hoods and Funkoars) and also legendary Bronx MC Percee P. Music To Live By has been touted as a collection of personal musings, inextricably ensconced in the culture of hip-hop music and the mindset behind it.  Can’t wait!

I’ve been blown away by the debut record by Sydney’s Horrorshow, The Grey Space, which has just been released on Elefant Traks. Rising from hip-hop’s tremendous undergrowth, Horrorshow exhibit both wisdom and quality of style beyond their young ages. The Grey Space is intelligent and beautiful music, full of deft lyricism, honest social observation and dry humour. On The Grey Space, the pair of vocalist Solo and producer Adit take centre stage, limiting guest appearances to their Sydney affiliates Fame and Spit Syndicate, who contribute heat with their guest appearances, complementing their respective tunes perfectly. Add No Rides Left to the mix, which is one of the best tunes I’ve heard in a long time and you’ve got a near-classic! Don’t miss out on this one!

On August 16, Sydney based label Grindin’ released their new Grindin’ Remixed record with the mighty M-Phazes remixing artists on the label’s roster – a first for Australian hip-hop. The album features a variety of artists from across the globe including OC, Jehst, Mystro, Kohndo, P-Money, 4 Corners, Move.meant, Foreign Beggars, 13th Son, Muneshine and many more! Dopeness.

Melbourne’s Reason is indisputably an icon of Australian hip-hop. Personifying both quality and standard as one of Australia’s true veterans of the underground scene, Reason was the first artist signed to Obese Records and released the label’s first record, titled Solid, in 1999. Now he is set to continue his trademark social commentary on his forthcoming EP The Tides Are Turning. Featuring a selection of Australia’s finest producers and MCs including Debris, Trials, Pegz, Pressure, Dazastah, Ciecmate & Newsense, Ghost, Vame and Lazy Grey, the EP is out August 30 through Obese. And, whilst on Obese, big ups to both Dialectrix and Thundamentals from the Blue Mountains who are the latest signings to the label.

Choose Mics consist of UK emcee Haunts and Gold Coast producer Mules. They’ve just released The Pre Album on Formula records, their preview release to spark interest in an official debut which is coming soon. Over 21 tracks the duo display their versatility in both production and lyrics by delivering a head-nodding album. Mules’ beats are smooth as butter and Haunts’ lyrics portray both intelligent messages and cocky braggadocio.

I’ve also just managed to get my hands on a copy of Tasmanian duo Mdusu & Dameza’s Can We Get A Soul Clap! It’s been out for a few months now, but it’s a very impressive debut album. Producer/emcee Mdusu is a true talent, handling all the production and the vast majority of the albums lyrics and Dameza is a beast on the cuts. At 20 tunes, the record is ambitious in length but it never feels overlong or laboured, with versatility in production and songwriting styles taking the listener on a real trip! Mdusu excels with his down-to-earth storytelling and self-conscious lyricism! Expect big things from this duo in the future.

To hear music from all these releases and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM, Tues nights from 9.30 to 11pm.

Big news this month is that Muph and Plutonic are just about to release their highly anticipated third album …And Then Tomorrow Came on Obese Records. Their third full-length record together is highly original and incredibly mature, pushing boundaries with its first class production which radiates with live instrumentation and head-nodding style. Muph’s deeply conscious approach to song writing has again progressed and we hear a man both at ease with his craft, but also not content to rest on his laurels. Muph and Pluto will push themselves further into the spotlight with their new album. …And Then Tomorrow Came is one of the most accomplished records I’ve heard in recent years. A future classic.

Tomohawk, one third of Perth’s legendary Clandestien, is also just about to release his debut solo album A Bitch Named Hip Hop through Shogun. With his much heralded lyrical intensity, Tomohawk uses the album to personify hip-hop as a woman – a multifaceted goddess with whom he shares a love/hate relationship. The album is entirely produced by Dazastah of Downsyde, who has assembled the record as a continuous mix. The album heavily features both Layla and Porsah Laine, who each contribute their own personal slant on the album’s concept. A Bitch Named Hip Hop is one of the most superior concept albums Australia has witnessed to date and also comes with a 12 page booklet of original illustrations by Tomahawk himself! A must buy!

Brisbane producer V has just cooked up a new vinyl EP simply entitled V-EP which combines his multi-instrumentalist talents with some of Australia’s best emcees including BMA, Thorts, Urban Monk and Lazy Grey.

Hot off the heels of the brilliant Mankind album with Thorts last year, V has now joined the Karsniogenics Records camp in Brisbane, so expect big things from him in the future. The limited edition EP is out now!
Straight out of the Blue Mountains comes Two Toes with their debut album Cooking with Caustic out July 10, distributed through Obese Records. Comprising of MC Joe New (Former Down Under Beats Crew MC/2004 JJJ Unearthed winners) and producer Caustic Yoda (ex-BlindHoarse), the album is a mixture of pulsing club anthems, thick funk riffs and dark jazz with a strong emphasis on live instrumentation. The album also features Thundamentals, Dialectrix and Host Manifest. The Blue Mountains is bubbling with talent at the moment, so don’t sleep on this one.

Tour wise, the almighty The Herd hit ANU Bar touring Summerland on August 8 with their unpredictable eight-person dynamic and a backdrop of visuals decorating the stage! Should be massive! The legendary True Jungle Souljahs continue their onslaught of quality gigs at the moment by bringing you a night full of class-A hip-hop beats and the fine art of turntable trickery with the return of the ACT DMC Championships for 2008 at The Greenroom. With Newsense hosting, and support entertainment from $2 Scratchies, Dazed & Flawless, Carts2Deadly, Rhyministers and Maggot Mouf it is sure to be mega.

To hear music from all these releases and more, tune to The Antidote, Tues nights from 9:30 – 11pm on 2XX 98.3FM.

Lots of new music out at the moment, and first up is Broken Tooth’s newest signing Gargoyle with his new album Saintsinner. Produced by Gargoyle himself with guest beats from Tornts and French beatmaker I.N.C.H, the album stays true to the grimy sound Broken Tooth is renowned for. Gargoyle’s style is captivating and highly original, exploring the dark side of Australian life, spinning tales of decrepit characters and casting his eye, often with scathing observation, at the world around him. Saintsinner is out now through Shogun.

Hot off their killer appearances on the Red Tape Renegades album last year, Brisbane’s Pure Product have released their debut full-length album. The Eviction Notice is predominantly produced by The Optimen’s Sammsonite and Dats and is a continuation of the brilliant sounds found on The Optimen’s Boomtown record of a few years ago. Pure Product give you that straight-up, no-nonsense lyrical hip-hop, and The Eviction Notice runs the gamut from topical to personal to conceptual, succeeding on all counts. Rich in wordplay and honest in delivery, The Eviction Notice is well worth your time. It’s also out now through Shogun.

Pioneer of British hip-hop Chester P (Task Force) has caught my ears yet again, this time with his debut solo album From The Ashes which is now out through Rawdog.  The record is aptly titled, as the first version of the album was lost in a house fire of album producer Louis Slipperz. Instead of being defeated by the tragedy, Chester saw the turn of events as a challenge and created an even better record than he had initially. Filled with both humor and melancholy, From The Ashes is an extremely accomplished record, conceptually intelligent and always pushing forward with new sonics and ideas. Chester’s storytelling is again impeccable and the album is banging from start to finish. You need it now.

Giant Panda’s debut album Fly School Reunion was one of my faves a few years ago when it was released, knocking my speakers to bit with its true school and funk aesthetics. Like the recent Time Machine release, Giant Panda have developed their record for the now, casting a nod to their original sound while pushing it towards the future. Their new album Electric Laser, while still banging and completely head-nodding, has juicy electro samples embedded in the tunes and the album as a whole was recorded on analog tape, which makes for an extremely fresh sound. Electric Laser is immediate, original and essential.

To tour news now, and Canberra favorites The Herd will be back in town on Friday August 8 at the ANU to promote their brand new album Summerland. With The Last Kinnection and new Elephant Traks signing Horrorshow in tow, I can’t wait.

The State of the Art boys are back with a furious vengeance with a triple-header album launch at the ANU on Friday July 25.  Drapht, Mind Over Matter and 360 will all be launching their brand new albums in what will be a riotous night of quality hip-hop. Local professionals Alikeminds, House Of Reps and Wax Lyrical will all be in support and if that’s not already reason enough to be there, then I really think there is little hope left for you!
To hear great music from all the above and more, tune to The Antidote on 2XX 98.3FM, Tuesday nights from 9.30pm.

For all those into their sounds a little bit more slang from the dirty south side of things, you’ll be excited that the legendary Bun B is about to drop his second solo LP II Trill. Featuring the who’s who of UGK affiliates, Young Buck, Chamillionaire, Lil Wayne, David Banner, Rick Ross and of course the late Pimp C, the guest-heavy album is definitely booming. Production comes from Chops, J.R Rotem, Cory Mo, Mr. Lee, Scott Storch, DJ Khalil and Blackout Movement amongst others.

Slum Village’s Elzhi has just dropped a downloadable mix-tape to coincide with his recent tour around Europe. Entitled Euro Pass, the release is a precursor to his much anticipated solo album due out in August this year. Predominately produced by Black Milk and featuring fellow Detroit heavy-hitters Royce Da 5’9, Phat Kat and T3, Elzhi proves why he is one of the best to do it at the moment, with complex lyrical dexterity and heart-felt songwriting.

Time Machine’s new single The Groove That Just Won’t Stop is a mega-party anthem that’s been filling my speakers for a minute now. Don’t miss it! It’s taken from their upcoming second album Life Is Expensive which is out May 20 on Glow In The Dark, with local distro by Shogun.

Sweden’s Looptroop Rockers have just released their newy Good Things, further expanding on their politically-charged sound, adding the welcome sonics of live instrumentation, more singing and even a Bon-Jovi cover! The album is massive sounding, repays repeated listens and is full of potential classics. Keep an eye for a new DVD from Promoe shortly, too.

Kidz In The Hall have dropped their new album on Duck Down entitled The In Crowd. It features Sean Price, Buckshot, Black Milk, Guilty Simpson, The Cool Kids, Bun B and Pusha T. The Kidz traverse a variety of styles and sounds, always with tongue-in-cheek humour. Check out the video for Driving Down the Block on YoutTube! It’s dope.

Shogun has just released the second in the Battlehogs mixtape series, this time hosted by Brad Strut. The release comes with a full-length DVD complete with artist interview, music videos, live and behind-the-scenes footage, as well as exclusive tunes from Trials, Mortar, Androit Effusive, Mnemonic Ascent, Delta and Swarmy to name a few. The CD is mixed by DJ Kansel and DJ Juice and is extremely fresh.
Sydney’s Mind Over Matter will be dropping their debut album Keep It Breezy on Nurcha Records in June.

Their single Proud is out now, complete with a choir, and promises big things for the album. Vast Aire even pops up on their too, so make sure to check for the release when it drops Obese Records’ newest signing Spit Syndicate have also just released their debut single Here Today, Gone Tomorrow from their forthcoming Towards The Light LP. Produced by M-Phazes, the tune is an epic soul-drenched celebration of living in the moment and further adds to the expectation that these guys will be massive!

Good Buddha’s new album Hit The Sky Running is out now through Inertia and continues their journey into melding funk, reggae, soul and hip-hop. Throw in a bit of psychedelia and you’ve got another brilliant release from the veterans.

To hear music from all of the above and much more, tune to The Antidote, on 2XX 98.3FM from 9:30pm Tues nights.

Veteran UK emcee/producer Braintax has just released his third and final album on his very own Low Life imprint, a label that has been synonymous with quality hip-hop from the UK for many years.

Self-consciously titled My Last and Best Album, the record is the perfect accompaniment to his previously two albums and is the perfect conclusion to Braintax’s solo career. Time will tell if his retirement from the mic is permanent (Jay-Z, anyone?) as he turns his hands to the business side of his label. The album is entirely produced by the brilliant and versatile C-Swing (aka Emmanuel) and takes in a variety of influences including Sa-Ra and Slum Village as well as the usual dusty funk associated with Joey Brains. My Last and Best Album is out now through Low Life and is simply brilliant from start to finish.

Following on from the excellent Boston supergroup Special Teamz (Edo.G, Slaine & Jaysaun) is the next hip-hop supergroup eMC. Comprising of Masta Ace, Wordsworth, Punchline and Strickin, their new album The Show is out now through M3 Entertainment. The Show features a loose narrative of sorts, much like previous Masta Ace solo albums, and features production from Nicolay, Marco Polo, The Are, Ayatollah and Frequency. Sean Price and Little Brother also show up on guest duties.

Travelling the country as part of Uni-Fied, Bliss N Eso have also just released their third and most dynamic album to date. Flying Colours is full of the vivid poetic imagery often associated with the trio. The album is rich with soulful production and showcases their original sound while also demonstrating an impressive growth in production, lyrical maturity and subject matter. The album was recorded in three different continents over 12 months and features Illmaculate, Debaser, Hyjak, Phrase and a 20-piece African choir! Beats come from Bliss, M-Phazes and Hattori Hanzo.

Perth emcee and Syallabolik’s crew member Drapht will drop his third solo LP Brothers Grimm on Obese in May. Possessesing one of the most unique voices in Australian hip-hop, Drapht could easily rest on his style alone but this new album presents an artist not afraid to push boundaries. Brothers Grimm is an uplifting album destined to capture the imagination with catchy hooks, intelligent wordplay and consistently phenomenal production. Produced by Trials with guest production from Plutonic Lab, M-Phazes and Simplex, the album is sure to impress when it drops.

Something a little different now from Tres Records! C.R.A.C (aka Crass Knucks) is a new project from Blu (from Blu & Exile fame) and Ta’Raach. Their album The Piece Talks is an exercise is style and innovation (check out Buy Me Lunch!). Channelling a multitude of genres, all doused with that distinct Detroit sound, C.R.A.C represent the forefront of a new sound of hip-hop, which refuses to recycle the same old formulas! Loving it!

Other bits and pieces that I’m digging lately that are also little left of hip-hop centre are new albums from Gnarles Barkley (The Odd Couple), Cut Copy (In Ghost Colours), Hot Chip (Made In The Dark) and The Presets (Apocalypto).

To hear music from all these releases and more tune to The Antidote, Tues nights on 2XX 98.3FM from 9:30pm

On Wednesday 9 April, the UCU Refectory was transformed into a messy pit of depletion by Australian dance legends Pnau. From the epic opening build up into the sonic boom that is Wild Strawberries, Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes held the swarming crowd in the palms of their well-party-worn hands, turning the venue into a mini-Stonefest of sorts. It was an unusual but highly-satisfying night and while the vocals were perhaps a little swallowed up by the intense sound levels, the live drums hit hard in time with live-visuals playing above the stage. It all made for a highly enjoyable viewing experience! And, there was no doubt that the very young crowd had an absolute ball, showing their appreciation through a number of colourful and aesthetically pleasing methods and items:

a) Skin: both women and men alike flaunted a variety of different shaped and toned flesh - boobs, bellies, arms, booties and lanky legs gyrated happily along with the booming percussion!

b) Gurns - I seriously haven’t seen jaws shift like that since Deebo got ‘knocked the f*ck out’ in ‘Friday’.

c) Tinny ‘Holding-Up’ – Tinnies were often seen held high, shimmering amongst the pulsating lasers.

d) Tinny Stomping – after holding said tinny high, I saw a group of dripping males stamp ‘pon them in jubilant appreciation. There was a definite sense of reckless abandon, as if Pnau’s music had unleashed a carefree Wednesday night defiance! It seemed as though no one had anything important to do on the impending Thursday morning.

e) Allan Sko’s Bulge - although but one part of a joyous whole, the BMA chieftain, along with his dearest beloved, risked losing all available body fluid by packing into oversized Strawberry and Dead Dove costumes respectively and two-stepping the stage with aplomb. Allan’s sweaty packed-bulge post jig was truly something to behold and will be hard to top in ‘08 as Celebrity Bodypart of the Year.

Supports Breakbot and Van She also both held it down. Breakbot was more than apt at hurling out some big rattlers early on and in between live sets. Crowd favourites Van She once again ran through their repertoire of enjoyable tunes, although the sound was intensively high during their set, forcing much of the crowd out to the chilly air to repair their damaging eardrums. Even as Pnau finished and as droves of revellers found themselves herding off to the vomitus caverns of The Lighthouse, it seemed that the party was indeed ‘not over’. This was credit to the performance of the headliners leaving everyone satisfied, filled with that warm ‘drunk-happy’. One young girl was heard to screech, “Do you think Nick Littlemore will go to The Lighthouse?” Going by the mania of proceedings I really would not have been surprised if he did! Wouldn’t that have been something.

Plenty of recommendations this month! The Roots release their new album Rising Down later this month, but to tide you over, check out their new videos for ’75 Bars and Get Busy with Dice Raw and Peedi Peedi on the net at Videos On Smash. Both tunes are heavy. Also check out the new Rick Ross and Jay-Z tune Maybach Music from Rick Ross’ newy Trilla. Produced by J.U.S.T.I.C.E League, it’s incredible!

Anyone that saw A-Love perform recently at ANU will attest to the DJ skills of Mathmatics from Newcastle. I grabbed a copy of his new mix-tape Deejay Mathmatics: B-Boy Throwdown Vol. 2 and it is the niceness. Track him down on Myspace to grab one.

Locally, Canberra based hip-hop group Kash Boys have just released their debut album The Birth, with production from Israel and the Nu Firm. You can grab a copy at Landspeed now.

Hired Goon member Billy Bunks has caused a stir with his debut single The Devil’s Clay about throwing poo at people (check the video on Youtube). He’s just released his album Spit & Gristle and it delves deeper into his self professed ‘booze bastard’ derelict style. Produced by Nick-1 from Brisbane, the album has a deep mid-’90s rap influence for Bunks to dirty the mic with his tales of urban depletion, liquor abuse and anti-social behaviour.

Akrobatik is back with his second full-length and it’s killer. Every track is brilliant, showcasing a variety of topics, sounds and styles. Ak sounds hungrier than ever and with beats from Illmind, 9th Wonder, Da Beatminerz, Hezekiah and J-Zone, did you really expect anything but class?

Speaking of class, the legendary Pete Rock has returned with NY’s Finest on Nature Sounds. A must-have addition to his impeccable back catalogue, the album is another soul-drenched and refined beat-chopping exercise in dopeness from the master, featuring collaborations with Jim Jones, The Lox, Redman, Little Brother and Raekwon to name a few. NY’s Finest is in stores now.

In the same league as Pete Rock are D.I.T.C heroes Show & AG. They’ve just dropped a brilliant EP Live Hard in anticipation of their new LP. Seven tracks deep, plus instrumentals, it conjures that classic boom-bap sound typical of the duo; smooth, crisp and neck-snapping. Plus, AG still has one of the best voices and deliveries in the game.

Now for some other snippets! Only Madlib would have the audacity to remix an album that’s barely six months old, and yet he’s done just that with Percee-P’s Perseverance. The Remix album is out now and is booming. Eykah Badu’s new record New Amerykah is brilliant and features production from Madlib, Sa-Ra, Kariem Riggins and 9th Wonder. Fat Ray + Black Milk’s The Set-Up is another speaker devastating outing from the Detroit masters and The Don Kool G Rap has a new EP out entitled Half A Klip. Finally, J.Dilla’s lost classic Jay Loves Japan is finally available and you must have it. Enough said.

Show wise, the Unified Tour is coming to town at ANU on April 16 featuring Bliss N Eso, Funkoars and The Winnie Coopers. Local boys Casual Projects are garnering nation-wide appreciation for their new sounds and will launch their second album No Rest at ANU on April 18 with Ro and D’O and The Andi & George Band in support. The boys also repped on The Kerrie-Anne show recently. That’s hip-hop right there!

To hear dope music from all the above and more tune into the 2XX 98.3FM’s The Antidote from 9.30pm Tuesday nights.