Best of 2008 pt 3

Finishing up on 30 tracks and related album/singles you should check out for 2008 (or maybe should have checked out is more appropriate?). Part 1 and explanation is here. As with the previous two parts, tracks are in no particular order and feature buy links, myspace links, short description and streaming audio.

Mighty Joseph – Legend – Urchin Studios

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I came across this album inadvertently and for once was quite glad for the random find. Mighty Joseph are Karniege and Vast Aire, whom a majority of rap fans would/should know from his Cannibal Ox days. This album isn’t far removed, lyrically, from what made Can Ox a bit of an underground success as Vast Aire still has a way with words that puts most MCs to shame. Overall though, the album isn’t anything amazing but it does have its stand out moments, including this track where the production and lyrics combine to offer more than just the standard hip hop fare. A beat ripped out of a NES cartridge and Vast rhyming about princesses, shells and pipes among other things. Bonus points for the ‘what the fuck you want a Happy Meal?’ rhyme and the ending chants of pad combinations. Kind of like an admission that even the most hardcore rappers are also nerds.

Onra – The Anthem – Bo Bun Records

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Coming a little out of nowhere, Parisian producer Onra put it down beat wise this year, starting with a CD called ‘Chinoiseries.’ An ode to his Vietnamese ancestry, the idea and execution couldn’t be simpler: he went to Vietnam and bought some crazy old Vietnamese pop records, he then returned to Paris and made a beat CD out of them, complete with crackles and cheesy, stereotypical vocal samples and instrumental loops. Thing is, it’s so simple and obvious it works. Look out for more from him in 09.

Paul White – For You & For Me – One Handed Music

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Another one that came a little out nowhere, Paul White dropped this 7″ on newly minted label One Handed Music following remixes for label mate Bullion. Fitting right alongside the string of producers that helped reshape hip hop’s production aesthetics during 08, his sound is dense and intense, deeply layered and difficult to resist. His bio says he is a successful library music composer, which would explain some of the samples and possibly the prog rock influences and synth lines on this particular track. One of the best 7″s of the year by far.

Quarta 330 – Sabacco – Hyperdub

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2008 was Hyperdub’s year without a doubt, and the last batch of releases before the end of the year only further cemented that. Quarta 330, the genius Game Boy wonder from Tokyo, returned to the label this time digging a little deeper than his first 12″ which was pure 8-bit mentalism. ‘Sabacco’ is warm and funky, combining 8-bit, dub and 2step elements. It doesn’t like any of the other releases on the label this year, and come to think of it pretty much every release on Hyperdub this year has been different from the previous or next and every one was/is worth your time and money, so I really suggest playing catch up if you missed out.

Ras G – Jus Feel – Poobah / P-vine

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Out of all the L.A based producers that have had a hand in reviving the beat in hip hop and pushing the producer to the front again, Ras G is one of the most singular in a way. His sound digs quite deep, soaked in dub, weed smoke and Sun Ra and rastafarian influences. Ras G makes beats that at first might sound similar to Madlib say (after all they both use an SP 303) but actually take the whole thing even further, often ignoring time signatures and other established templates to deliver fairly ‘out there’ moments. This track is fairly conventional then by his standards, a simple, warm and bouncy number taken from the ‘Beats of Mind’ compilation which regroups a bunch of his released and unreleased beats. Out of the box hip hop beats.

Scuba – Twitch (Jamie Vex’d Remix) – Hotflush

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This year is the year that the producer came back to the front in hip hop, lead by a varied bunch of worldwide bedroom dwellers who have showed that not only can hip hop still be exciting sonically, it can also make people move even when the focus is on the beats. Better known for delivering dark and fairly devastating electronic mayhem as Vex’d, alongside Roly, Jamie steps up solo here and proves that it’s not just the hip hop guys that can think out of the box when it comes to beats. ‘Twitch’ is a track of fairly ‘monstrous’ proportions, with a beat that moves along as if chained and whipped by the heavy bass, slowly progressing but never breaking into anything faster, hunched over while vocal samples and unpredictable synth melodies crash on top of it, like the ugly, unwanted bastard child of Joker and Flying Lotus. Over the top metaphors aside, this track just plain kills it. Look out for a solo EP in 2009.

Starkey – Gutter Music – Planet Mu

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Where Joker has been one of the most exciting UK producers in 2008, Starkey could easily be his American equivalent with an equally unique and refreshing approach to bass-heavy electronic music and synth melodies. If Joker was Wiley stuck in an elevator with Cameo, than Starkey somehow managed to corner Wiley and get him to jam with George Clinton and Funkadelic after a few too many spliffs. This track is taken from his debut album for Planet Mu, ‘Ephemereal Exhibits,’ showing off his knack for infectious, and off kilter, melodies and a mix of electronic influences from straight up 4×4 beats to disjointed bassy half-step. Considering he’s been at it for a while now, it wouldn’t surprise me if you heard a lot more from him in the new year, especially following the support he’s been getting this year from the likes of Mary Ann Hobes and others. Gutter indeed.

The Bug – Ganja feat. Flowdan and Killa P – Ninja Tune

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The Bug’s ‘London Zoo’ album was a couple of years in the making but proved to be well worth the wait, with its interpretation and take on London’s sound system culture and urban sounds set against an apocalyptic backdrop of hard hitting drums and chest rattling bass. While pretty much every song on the album would be worth mentioning, I decided to go for ‘Ganja,’ which is actually only available with the 4th album single and was another dubplate favourite for the best part of one year before its release this summer. Tapping into the same energy as the other album tracks that feature Flowdan, this is a rowdy anthem that has London stamped all over it, best enjoyed on a big system but just has energizing in the headphones while walking the streets. ‘London Zoo’ rightfully earned album of the year and various accollades in most places I’ve seen so if you haven’t yet I suggest you get on it.

The Roots – Rising Down feat Mos Def and Styles P – Def Jam

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‘Rising Down’ was The Roots’ 8th studio album. Which says a lot about their longevity and ability to actually stay on top of the game in a way. I remember listening to their debut when I was a young teenager, and I can’t say the majority of rappers and groups I listened to back then are still anywhere on my radar in terms of new releases. While their sound has evolved and taken on different shades over the years, one thing has remained constant: The Roots are goddam funky. From the intro bars the title track reminds you just why these guys have been around for so long, and the addition of Styles P and Mos Def on the mic is the proverbial icing on the cake. Apparently they’re the new house band for a late night U.S talk show in 09 meaning no more live tours for a while, shame as their live shows are some of the best I’ve ever seen but also nice move.

Trimski – Thief in the Night – Soul Food

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Trim aka Trimski aka Trimble is without a doubt one of the most talented and interesting MCs to come out of the grime scene since grime blew up and went back below the radar of most people. His ‘Soul Food’ mix CDs have been like snapshots into a sligthly disturbed but fascinating mind, guided by the kind of rhymes and delivery that most MCs, regardless of genre, could never make work. Volume 3 of ‘Soul Food’ came out earlier this year, and this track is a firm favourite with some outstanding production from Radioclit, lifting ridiculously catchy samples and melodies from North African music, and the kind of lyrics that catch you so unaware first time round you’re pressing replay 3 times just to make sure you heard it right. Volume 4 in 09 hopefully, considering he’s already got 30 of them done or something.

Et voila, 30 tracks that have made my year a particularly good one musically speaking. This is by no means a definite list but more like a snapshot of what was for me some of the best music of 2008. Most of the albums these tracks are taken from are well recommended, some more than others, but you could definitely do worse than checking them out. Hopefully you enjoy as much as I did. Look out for a Rhythm Incursions podcast to go along with this in the coming week. Adieu 2008, bonjour 2009, innit.