Moose Funk Squad – Hoof Prints Vol. 2 (Review)

The Moose Funk Squad weren’t content with just one release this year. They drop their second installment of the ‘Hoof Prints’ EP series, this time being produced solely by Pete Cannon, a month after the excellent first volume reached the public.

The EP is kicked off with ‘Do It’, a punchy, crisp banger with well-chopped samples and witty, intelligent lyricism. The soulful vocal snippets and textured, layered loops have great interplay, and the raps are on point as ever. The bass-heavy, trapped out ‘Getting Paper’ is a welcome switch-up; on ‘Hoof Prints Vol. 1’ and for the duration of the second installment, the Moose Funk Squad keep pretty tightly to their boom bap, traditional hip-hop roots, but this shows their energy, diversity and flexibility as they shut down a beat you would have never thought they’d vocal in the first place with precision and exciting performances.

The intensely gritty ‘Thought Sprouts’ changes the vibe drastically again, and Pete Cannon’s production is thoroughly impressive. His super-loud, consistently knocking drums provide a faultless backdrop for the Funk Squad’s charismatic verses. References to Taggart, shots to Chewits adverts and much more crop up on the fantastic ‘Shut Shit Down’ which features Kope, and EP closes on the appropriately titled ‘It’s Over Now’.

The Moose Funk Squad and Broke Records have dropped two superb projects here, and the short, sharp EP’s will be remaining in rotation for a long time to come. The vocals are entertaining and energetic throughout, and the production is complimentary, diverse and expertly handled. Hopefully these EP’s are the precursor to more music from the crew, but they’ll definitely hold us over until next time, no matter the duration of the wait.

By Sam Bennett

@TheRealPP

@LYTEWORK

@MooseFunkSquad

http://www.facebook.com/LYTEWORK

http://www.brokerecords.bandcamp.com

Moose Funk Squad – Hoof Prints Vol. 1 (Review)

Moose Funk Squad burst onto the scene once again to release two EP’s through established and renowned independent label Broke Records. They dropped their fifteen track mixtape ‘Moose Funk Vol. 1’ back in 2014, and two years on the world is definitely ready for some more of the Squad.

The EP gets underway with ‘Creepout’, and the instantaneously banging uptempo beat is funky, crisp and loud. Fourny P, Mnsr Frites, Jester Jacobs, Luca Brazi and Archetype trade verses over a P739 beat, which is the recipe for the entirety of ‘Hoof Prints Vol. 1’, and it’s a dish that is served up with michelin star results every time. ‘Habitat’ continues the energetic vibe with a booming beat with golden era leanings with silky cuts and groovy rhythms. The rhymes are delivered with charismatic, colourful flows and cocky deliveries and the feeling is real and authentic throughout.

‘The Spinach’ is flat-out rude, and the jazzy piano laced beat is perfect for the energetic rhymes; the music sounds so fun here, and it’s refreshing to hear a crew approach a project with such a carefree attitude. It definitely goes a long way towards making it as enjoyable and as memorable as it is. ‘Souvenir Mugs’ is a raw, funky track that backs witty lyricism; Luca Brazi spits ‘My bars are Messi like Barcelona/Your bars are messy like an arsehole is/You’re getting passed over’. The organic sound of the EP shines through and it’s a thoroughly rewarding project.

Broke Records have dropped a gem here; ‘Hoof Prints Vol. 1’ is a cohesive, original EP from some very talented and downright funny MC’s, and the production is 100 percent on point too. Vol. 2 is produced entirely by Pete Cannon (we’ll be dropping a review soon too), and your weekend will be improved tenfold by purchasing these two quality releases.

By Sam Bennett

@TheRealPP

@LYTEWORK

@MooseFunkSquad

http://www.facebook.com/LYTEWORK

http://www.brokerecords.bandcamp.com

Black Josh & Pete Cannon – Smoking Kills (Review)

Blah Records’ latest release is a five track EP from Mancunian MC Black Josh and veteran UK producer Pete Cannon. ‘Smoking Kills’ is a prime cut of the chilled out, soulful hip-hop Black Josh has been successful with thus far; the witty, uptempo lyricism and the nineties inspired production from Pete Cannon is consistently impressive, with smooth sampling and drums that compliment Josh’s flows perfectly.

The opening track, ‘Everyday’, is a great introduction to the EP. With a subtle, relaxed instrumental backing Black Josh as he drops lyrics about his consistency and skill in the rap game, switching up the flows at a rapid pace; DJ Sammy B-Side also provides cuts on the tune. ‘Ohana’ follows, this track features frequent Black Josh collaborator, Manchester rapper Sleazy F Baby, also known as Wordz. The drums are solid; the simple, understated pattern is perfect for Josh to kick lyrics over, and the crisp sound is a testament to Pete Cannon’s production.

The multisyllabics, punchlines and flows that Josh displays on ‘Saggin’ are first class. This track features Dyslexis, and both MC’s drop verses packed with wit and intricate, effective rhyme schemes. The EP closes with ‘Know About It’, and the smooth brass samples and raw hip-hop drums compliment Josh as, yet again, he demonstrates an insanely tight flow, weaving all over the beat to great effect, as well as delivering a catchy hook.

‘Smoking Kills’ is a really strong project from Black Josh, and if you needed any convincing, it solidifies Pete Cannon’s place as one of the country’s top producers. With smooth, sophisticated, golden era inspired beats and uptempo flows, Blah Records have done it again.

By Sam Bennett

@TheRealPP

@LYTEWORK

@BlackJoshAPE

@PeteCannonBeats

http://www.facebook.com/LYTEWORK

http://www.blahrecords.com/

Filthy Funk – Funkin Hell (Review)

Bedford MC’s Dotz and Peterz join forces on ‘Funkin Hell’, as Filthy Funk. Their debut album is jam packed with multisyllabics, head nodding boom bap beats and dope features, including Natrill and Wordsmiff. Dotz has been making noise as of late, with a series of heavy battles, showing why he’s one of the best freestylers in the country, and this raw energy translates onto record easily, and Peterz’ style gels well as part of the duo.

Whether its on a straight up aggy vibe, such as on ‘Long Time Coming’, or whether Filthy Funk take on a more introspective, conceptual spin, as found on the Si Philli collaboration ‘Nobodies Fault’, they always hold it down on the mic. The subtle instrumental of ‘We Seem Fine’, which finds the two MC’s spitting about the struggle everyday people go through on a daily basis at the fault of the system, is well suited, and even in the early stages of the ‘Funkin Hell’ LP, Dotz and Peterz show their versatility.

The reflective ‘Back When I Was Young’, which has a video out on SBTV is a cool track with summer vibes. The soulful samples and crisp, 90’s drums match the fast paced, tight flows of both Filthy Funk spitters. ‘Thinking Again’ is one of  the standouts of the album, with a memorable, soulful beat, punchy kick drum and sick rhyme schemes. Natural joins Dotz and Peterz, and all three MC’s leave a lasting impression with their passionate deliveries and well structured lyricism.

The witty ‘Don’t Talk To Me’ is a nice addition, with a funny, storytelling feel, and the scathing ‘Clown Syndrome’ over a jovial D.Seize instrumental and featuring Wordsmiff follows in a series of strong cuts. ‘Pot Luck’ is a back and forth, uptempo track over a funky instrumental. Dotz and Peterz rap about a pretty hectic journey in the car with skill and descriptive, complex rhyming. The album closes out with solid, more chilled out cuts, and although these don’t catch my attention as much as the earlier bulk of the album, Dotz and Peterz are still dropping nice bars consistently, over well produced beats.

‘Funkin Hell’ is a dope album. Both Dotz and Peterz impress with their range of topics, and their flows and deliveries are always energetic and forceful. The features are spread out well, and they all perform well, and the range of producers, from Pete Cannon to Pro P to Phocus, all make for a cohesive, well balanced album. This is one that I’ll be keeping in rotation for a while.

By Sam Bennett

@TheRealPP

@LYTEWORK

@FilthyFunkUK

@OfficialDotz

@OfficialPeterz

http://www.facebook.com/LYTEWORK

http://www.filthyfunkuk.bandcamp.com

Lunar C – Not Good At Life (Review)

Bradford’s Lunar C has been making real moves in the industry as of late. He’s made the transition from battle rapper to music maker with ease, impressing with his tight flow, impressive multisyllabics and witty lyrics. This 4 track EP, entitled ‘Not Good At Life’ serves as a reminder of just how dope he can be, in preparation for a mixtape and album to follow next year. The EP features production from Pete Cannon and Hashfinger, as well a heavy verse from Big Shizz.

The EP gets under way with the excellent ‘Smash Things Up’. The wonky beat, courtesy of Pete Cannon backs Lunar as he switches flows and drops humorous and technical bars over the hard hitting kick and snare and infectious, left-field synth lines. The video is well worth a watch as well; Lunar causes havoc around Leeds city centre, and his witty approach comes across well in the music itself. The title track of the EP follows, and this finds Lunar C spitting about his lack of enthusiasm, but considering his prolific musical output, I’m not sure how much I believe the statement. The WY representative seems to know where he impresses most though, proclaiming that he’ll ‘stick to being the best rapper that ever lived’.

‘Square One’ is a more serious offering, and it’s nice to see the versatility that Lunar possesses being showcased, even on a 4 track EP. The chilled, west coast influenced instrumental suits Lunar’s consistent flow, and the melodic hook is also a great addition. Big Shizz, a member of Rascals, the East London crew, drops a dope, frantic verse, and impresses as the only feature on ‘Not Good At Life’. The final track of the EP is Hashfinger’s remix of ‘Miley Einstein’. He also produced the original, but this is a more menacing version; the wonky feel of the original version worked well, but Hashfinger’s reworking gives the track a much more aggressive feel. Lunar rides the beat impeccably, with impressive flows from start to finish.

‘Not Good At Life’ is a dope little EP. Lunar C is definitely becoming a force to be reckoned with, and I’m excited to see what he’s got in store for next year. The hard hitting production is solid and cohesive, and Lunar’s well structured bars are always delivered with precision. Everybody, log onto iTunes and support the campaign.

By Sam Bennett

@TheRealPP

@LYTEWORK

@LunarCFT

http://www.facebook.com/LYTEWORK

Dr. Syntax & Pete Cannon – The Hifi Club – Leeds – 27/07/14 (Live Review)

I’ve seen Dr. Syntax live a couple of times before, always playing with The Mouse Outfit, and every show has been a slick, lively affair. I’ve been a fan of Pete Cannon’s production work for a long time, and his contributions to various albums and mixtapes have often been my favourite tracks, so I was looking forward to seeing them perform a set together, and their gig at The Hifi Club in Leeds was rather eventful.

Pete Cannon, looking like he’d walked straight off the plane on arrival from some beach resort, donned in the classic hip hop attire of pink shorts and a white vest, took to the decks, and Dr. Syntax launches into ‘We Ain’t Going Nowhere’, a track from The Mouse Outfit’s ‘Escape Music’ album. This track sounds just as big tonight as in a full band setup, and definitely starts to attract the attention of a somewhat distracted crowd. The Sunday Joint is packed with students during University term time, but tonight is more of an intimate affair, which is acknowledged by Synners. I can’t help but think that the true wittiness and relevance of the lyrics of ‘My House’ was slightly lost on tonight’s crowd, despite this, the flow was on point and the multi’s delivered with tight precision.

‘Meltdown’ follows, and this banger from Syntax’s LP with Tom Caruana shakes the low ceiling of HiFi. ‘Middle Class Problems’, taken from tonight’s performers’ ‘Killer Combo’ album, is next, and I have to say Quinoa is most probably the best topic of a rap verse for a very long time. This track is one of my favourites from the album, and the deadpan delivery of ‘I’ve got a gay dog’ cracks me up every time, and seeing it in the flesh was no exception.

Next comes the first hilarity. A girl from the audience manages to catch Dr. Syntax’s attention, and asks a really fantastic question: ‘Do you do any reggae?’. Thought that was worth mentioning to be honest.

It was great to hear ‘Grotty’ included in the set. This is an absolute smacker of a song, and Synners & Pete both deliver their verses with clear enthusiasm and enjoyment. Although the crowd might not have been the perfect audience for ‘My House’, the topic of ‘Hire Me’ was probably more up their street. Syntax didn’t let up, running through so many absolutely banging hip hop tracks, and it was excellent to hear ‘Max Miller’. This was one of the first tracks from Benny Huge to catch my ear, way back on the Self Taught album.

Then comes another hilarity. Without breaking a sweat, Dr. Syntax freestyles some good humoured disses at a member of the crowd, after the member of the audience tried to gain his attention mid song. Of course, it turns out tonight is his birthday, and Synners manages a very good save, encouraging the entire room to give the guy a round of applause. A master of the stage!

Immediately getting back on track, Dr. Syntax won over any doubt left in anyone’s mind, with a tongue twisting acapella. This audience might not have been filled with a hardcore hip hop crowd, but it takes a truly dope lyricist to silence a room and keep everyone in the crowd hanging on every word, and that’s exactly what happens.

As the end of the set draws closer, Dr. Syntax & Pete Cannon raise the energy levels, finishing on ‘Weed & Ale’. The crowd go nuts for the DnB drop at the end of the track, and it’s the perfect closer. This was a great set of live hip hop from one of the UK’s best rappers and one of the UK’s best producers.

By Sam Bennett

@TheRealPP

@LYTEWORK

@RealDrSyntax

@PeteCannonBeats

@HiFiClubLeeds

http://www.drsyntax.eu

http://www.thehificlub.co.uk

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Phili ‘N’ Dotz – Phili N The Dotz (Review)

Si Phili and Dotz are two prolific spitters with great reputations individually. This album sees them team up to provide some real, authentic UK hip hop. 

Phil N The Dotz is an album from respected freestyler and battler Dotz, and Si Phili, a member of the legendary Phi Life Cypher crew. The albums beats bang throughout, and the blistering lyricism and relentless flows from both rappers mean that this album is an absolute barfest.

Tracks like We Stay, over an instrumental immediately identifiable as a Leaf Dog production, find Dotz and Phili trading verses back and forth packed with multi syllabics and hard hitting punchlines. Tracks like this come across so well when you have two rappers going all out on a beat, and it’s great to hear a veteran of the scene and a younger MC standing side by side, both displaying a fantastic ability for writing rhymes.

Phili N Dotz lace the album with some well placed guest appearances. Lyrical Gun Slingers finds Dotz and Si spitting alongside Blak Twang and Phoenix Da Icefire over an anthemic beat. Blak Twang is someone i’m a big fan of, and his back catalogue is one of the strongest in UK hip hop, so it’s great to hear him drop yet another sick verse. Let Ya Mind Breathe sees the two MCs again drop verses over a Leaf Dog instrumental, and this time the High Focus artist drops a tight verse. Leaf appears again on the fantastic Illest Rocks, along with Klashnekoff, Wordsmiff & Verb T. This is the standout track for me, the vibe that’s created from a well structured posse cut is one that sums up the essence of hip hop music.

Phili N The Dotz features some really well crafted instrumentals, produced by the cream of the crop of UK hip hop. Pete Cannon contributes two beats; The War Dance is a track with a hypnotic loop perfect for Dotz & Si Phili to drop their lyrics on. Leaf Dog produced 5 tracks, and his soulful, boom bap hip hop lends itself perfectly to Dotz’s style, and Si Phili’s tone and charisma really make his verses stand out. Training For Battle Rap is a perfect example, with the aggression in both MCs flows making it impossible to not nod your head along with the hard hitting drums.

This is a really dope album. It’s always exciting to hear the result of two MCs coming together for a project, and Si Phili and Dotz have made an album that is quite clearly pure hip hop in its rawest form. With fantastically executed rhymes delivered over blistering instrumentals, this is 16 tracks of straight up bars.

By Sam Bennett

@TheRealPP

@PhiliNDotz

@OfficialDotz

@SiPhili

http://www.philindotz.com