mooklife

6Blocc – Dark Side Of The Boom

Dubstepy, hip-hopy remix of the famous Pink Floyd album.

Abra – Rose

Synth pop vibes from the Awful Music camp.

Acre – Better Strangers

Noisy and experimental dance music.

Add-2 – Prey For The Poor

Soulful hip-hop.

Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman – Lice

Two of the best lyricists in hip-hop come together for a free EP.

Amine – Calling Brio

Hip-hop with some heavy beats and tribal vibes.

Apollo Brown – Grandeur

Hip-hop producer calls in a plethora of guest MCs to rap over his signature soulful beats.

Azizi Gibson – Prehistoric Till Death

Synth heavy hip-hop.

Bad Lucc – Breathe

Soulful hip-hop from the Jamla crew.

Big K.R.I.T. – It’s Better This Way

Southern hip-hop.

Blackalicious – Imani Vol. 1

Funky hip-hop from the West Coast legends.

Blended Babies – The Anderson .Paak EP

Somewhere between hip-hop and soul with some great beats.

Bones – Banshee, Frayed and HermitOfEastGrandRiver

Hip-hop / trap / grunge / indie genre hopper Bones hits us with more melancholy vibes.

Download Banshee For Free

Download Frayed For Free

Download HermitOfEastGrandRiver For Free

Botany – Dimming Awe The Light Is Raw

Interesting instrumental hip-hop.

Break – Simpler Times

Tech drum & bass.

Busdriver – Thumbs

Bizarre underground MC Busdriver taking things in a slightly less jovial direction.

Casey Veggies – Live & Grow

Hip-hop.

Cavalier – Lemonade

Off kilter jazzy hip-hop.

Cavanaugh – Time & Materials

Open Mike Eagle and Serengeti collaborate for a beautifully moody hip-hop album.

CGB – Think

Hip-hop with jazzy, golden age vibes.

Chase & Status – London Bars

Heavy weight D&B producers call in some big names from the grime scene.

Chinese Man & Tumi – The Journey

Bass heavy and fun hip-hop.

Chris Travis – Art Of Destruction

Dark, melancholy trap vibes.

Chuck Inglish – Everybody’s Big Brother

Hip-hop with a strong 80s gangsta vibe.

Constrobuz – Raw Dinner

Hip-hop instrumentals.

Curren$y – Canal Street Confidential

More smoothness from one of the most consistent and prolific hip-hop artists.

Current Value – Rocket Science

Heavy tech D&B.

Dam-Funk – Invite The Light

P-Funk.

Darkstar – Foam Island

Floaty electronica.

Da$h – 17 More Minutes and Skrewface

Hard hitting hip-hop.

Download 17 More Minutes For Free

Stream Skrewface

Delorean – Perfect Black

Southern hip-hop.

Diddy – MMM

Club friendly hip-hop from the veteran.

Dirty Dike – Sucking On Prawns In The Moonlight

UK hip-hop from the High Focus crew.

The Doppelgangaz – Beats For Brothels Vol. 3

Boom bap.

Doug Hream Blunt – My Name Is Doug Hream Blunt

Funk.

D.R.A.M. – Gahdamn!

Spacey hip-hop / R&B vibes.

Drew Lustman – The Crystal Cowboy

Amen break heavy electronica.

EarthGang – Strays With Rabies

Soulful Southern hip-hop with some lush beats.

Electric Wire Hustle – Aeons EP

Hip-hop infused electronic music.

Eric Dingus – Is There In Truth No Beauty?

Sparse and ambient hip-hop remixes.

Erick Sermon – E.S.P. Erick Sermon’s Perception

Hip-hop veteran back at it.

Ethereal – Final Fantasy and I Think I’m On Fire 1 & 2

Deep and drugged up hip-hop from the Awful Records camp.

Download I Think I’m On Fire 1 For Free

Buy Final Fantasy

Download I Think I’m On Fire 2 For Free

Falls – You Have Been Keeping

Dark and ambient instrumentals.

Father – Papicodone

EP of minimal hip-hop bangers from the Awful Music figurehead.

Finale – Odds & Ends

Detroit Boom Bap with an edge produced by Oddisee.

Fis – The Blue Quicksand Is Going Now

Atmospheric electronic noise.

FKA Twigs – M3LL155X

Experimental electronic R&B flavours.

FloFilz – Speakthru

Chilled instrumental hip-hop with a few guest MCs.

The Foreign Exchange – Tales From The Land Of Milk And Honey

Beautiful neo soul from Phonte and Nicolay. Taking the sound in some new directions.

Frank Nitt – Frankie Rothstein

Detroit hip-hop.

Freddie Gibbs – Shadow Of A Doubt

Freddie Gibbs back to his gangsta rap vibes.

Frenic – Monomyth: Separation

Intricate hip-hop instrumentals.

Friendzone – While You Wait EP

Instrumental cloud rap vibes.

Future & Drake – What A Time To Be Alive

Two of the biggest names in hip-hop give us an album full of bangers.

The Game – The Documentary 2

The Game’s big return delivers so great moments.

Gerald Jacobs – The Loudest Quiet

UK hip-hop.

Gillie Da Kid – Welcome 2 Gilladelphia

Hip-hop.

GOD – The Gospel

Crazy flows and some great trap beats.

Goldlink – And After That We Didn’t Talk

Forward thinking hip-hop.

goreshit – nrrv4

Heavy dance music with a serious hardcore influence.

Guilty Simpson – Detroit’s Son

Gritty Detroit hip-hop.

Hubert Davis – Framework

Chilled out instrumental hip-hop.

Hurt Everybody – 2K47

Futuristic hip-hop from Chicago.

Hyroglifics – No Drama EP

Tech D&B.

Iberian Juke – Iberian Juke & Friends

Great compilation of footwork and juke from around the world.

Illa J – Illa J

Somewhere between soul and hip-hop.

iLoveMakonnen – iLoveMakonnen 2

Bizarre R&B and trap vibes.

J-Live – How Much Is Water

Undergound hip-hop.

Jadakiss – Top 5 Dead Or Alive

Hip-hop.

Jakes – Deep In The Trench

Dubstep.

Jay 305 – Inner City Hero

West Coast gangsta vibes.

Jay Rock – 90059

Hip-hop.

Jeremih – Late Nights

R&B.

JGivens – Fly Exam

Jazzy underground hip-hop.

Jlin – Dark Energy

Intense footwork.

Joanna Newsom – Divers

Incredible return from the incredibly talented singer songwriter.

Joe Budden – All Love Lost

Hip-hop.

John Givez – Soul Rebel

Soulful mixture of R&B and hip-hop.

Jonwayne – Here You Go Pt. 1 & Pt. 2

High quality instumental hip-hop.

Download Pt. 1 For Free

Download Pt. 2 For Free

Junglepussy – Pregnant With Success

Hip-hop.

Kardinal Offishall – Kardi Gras Vol. 1 The Clash

Dancehall legend back with a more hip-hop heavy album.

Key – Screaming Dreams Prelude

Hip-hop.

Kirk Knight – Late Knight Special

Boom bap hip-hop fromt he Pro Era gang.

Kelela – Hallucinogen

Complex electronic R&B.

Knxwledge – H.S.PRT8.8, H.S.PRT9, WT.PRT9 & WrapTaypes

New instalments for two of the experimental producer’s album series and a compilation of some of his best reworks.

Kode9 – Nothing

Experimental electronic music with strong footwork influences.

Kool A.D. – O.K.

Huge underground hip-hop mixtape.

Name You Price Download

Kool Keith & Kurious – Don’t Know Why

Underground hip-hop.

L-Wiz – The Orange Tree

Funky down tempo dubstep.

LE1F – Riot Boi

Interesting album from the gay rap scene.

LHF – For The Thrown

Mellow house music.

G Herbo – Ballin’ Like I’m Kobe

Trap mixtape.

Lil Ugly Mane – Oblivion Access

Underground hip-hop.

Little Simz – A Curious Tale Of Trials & Persons

UK hip-hop.

Lofty305 x F1lthy – Elise

Bizarre and floaty 808 heavy hip-hop.

Lucki Ecks$ – Freewave

Drugged out hip-hop.

Stream

Luv NY – Luv NY (Deluxe Edition)

Compilation of underground New York hip-hop.

Lymbyc Systym – Split Stones

Uplifting electronica.

Marc Renton – Out There

Tech D&B.

Marcus D & LA – The Golden Gun EP

Boom Bap.

Maxo Kream – MAXO 187

Trap.

Mbongwana Star – From Kinshasa

Tribal world music.

MED, Blu & Madlib – Bad Neighbour

Underground collaboration album.

Method Man – The Meth Lab

Wu-Tang legend back with another solid album.

Mick Jenkins – Wave[s]

Intricate and forward thinking hip-hop.

Mickey Factz – Y-3

Hip-hop mixtape.

Michael Christmas – What A Weird Day

Hip-hop.

Mindscape – Phantoms

Heavy D&B.

Milo – So The Flies Don’t Come

Poetic underground hip-hop.

Name Your Price Download Pt.1

Moresebya – Free Instrumentals 2015 Pt. 1 & 2 and ясновидение

Down beat hip-hop instrumentals from Russia.

Name Your Price Download Pt.2

Name Your Price Download ясновидение

Moss – Marching To The Sound Of My Own Drum

Hip-hop producer brings in a large cast of guest MCfor a boom bap style album.

Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire – Live Forever

Underground hip-hop.

Murlo – Odyssey

Complex instrumental bangers with a strong grime influence.

Mykki Blanco – C-ORE

Compilation curated by one of gay rap’s biggest names.

Naibu – Case Study

Liquid D&B.

Navie D – OPRA EP

Instrumental hip-hop.

Nef The Pharaoh – Nef The Pharaoh EP

Catchy Bay Area hip-hop.

Neroche – Elixir

Dark and moody instrumental hip-hop.

Nickelus F – Triflin

Hip-hop.

Nolan The Ninja – Fuck The Hype

Underground hip-hop.

NxWorries – Link Up And Suede

Knxwledge and Anderson .Paak team up for a soulful and jazzy EP.

Ohbliv – Raw Spirit Jewels

Instrumental hip-hop.

OG Boobie Black – The Boobie Trapp

Trap mixtape.

Opio And Free The Robots – Sempervirens

Jazzy hip-hop.

Pastor Troy – War In ATL

Trap mixtape.

Paul Wall – Slab God

Southern hip-hop.

DJ Paypal – Sold Out

Footwork with some real depth.

PeeWee Longway – Pounds Money Ammunition 2

Trap mixtape.

Pell – LIMBO

Hip-hop and R&B.

People Under The Stairs – The Gettin’ Off Stage Step 1

Boom bap hip-hop.

Potatohead People – Big Luxury

Synth heavy, funky instrumentals.

Prof – Liability

Underground hip-hop.

Pusha-T – King Push – Darkest Before The Dawn: The Prelude

Hip-hop.

Rabit – Communion

Ambient electronic noise.

Rapper Big Pooh & Nottz – Home Sweet Home

Soulful hip-hop.

Raury – All We Need

R&B and hip-hop.

Ray West & Kool Keith – A Couple Of Slices

Minimal soulful hip-hop.

Redman – Mudface

Hip-hop legend with a solid album.

Rich The Kid – Dabbin’ Fever

Trap mixtape.

Rich The Kid & iLoveMakonnen – Whip It Mixtape

Collaborative trap mixtape.

Rick Ross – Black Market

Hip-hop album with trap vibes.

Robb Banks – Year Of The Savage

Dark, 808 driven hip-hop.

Roots Manuva – Bleeds

UK hip-hop legend returns with an interesting album.

RP Boo – Fingers, Bank Pads and Shoe Prints

Frantic footwork.

RTKAL – Skunk Rock

UK hip-hop with ragga vibes.

Rustie – EVENIFUDONTBELIEVE

Rustie gets back to the sound of his early work with this album of bangers.

Sandpeople – Old Fruits

Jazzy instrumental hip-hop.

Scarface – Deeply Rooted

Hip-hop from the Southern legend.

SD – Just The Beginning

Trap.

Sean Price – Songs In The Key Of Price

Great underground hip-hop EP from one of the greats (RIP).

Semi Hendrix (Ras Kass & Jack Splash) – Breakfast At Banksy’s

Incredibly funky album from an unexpected duo.

Serial Killers (B-Real, Xzibit & Demrick) – The Murder Show

Hip-hop.

Sheek Louch – Silverback Gorilla 2

Hip-hop.

Sir Michael Rocks – Populair

Fantastisc futuristic hip-hop.

Slim Thug – Hogg Life Vol. 3 Hustler Of The Year

Southern hip-hop.

Smino – BLKJUPTR and S!ick S!ck S!ck

Innovative hip-hop EPs.

Download BLKJUPTR For Free

Download S!ck S!ck S!ck For Free

DJ Smokey – Evil Wayz Vol. 3

Psychedelic trap instrumentals.

Soul Chef – Good Vibes LP

Soulful instrumentals with some strong guest MCs.

Styles P – A Wise Guy And A Wise Guy

Hip-hop.

$uicideboy$ – Black $uicide Side C, $outh $ide $uicide, My Liver Will Handle What My Heart Can’t

Dark cloud rap vibes.

Name Your Price Download Black $uicide Side C

Name Your Price Download $outh $ide $uicide

Name Your Price Download My Liver Will Handle What My Heart Can’t

Supreme Ace – Trill Influence

Soulful hip-hop mixtape.

Talib Kweli – Fuck The Money

Free album from the underground hip-hop legend.

Talib Kweli & 9th Wonder – Indie 500

Underground hip-hop.

Termanology – Term Brady EP

Underground hip-hop.

Thelem – We Ain’t The Same EP

Dubstep.

Tim Jones – Everyday

Gangsta R&B vibes.

Tom Misch – Beat Tape 2

Instrumental hip-hop.

Toro Y Moi – Samantha

Interesting mixtape of instrumentals from the chill wave artist.

Tsu Surf – Newark

Hip-hop.

Twista – Livin’ Legend

Hip-hop EP from the fastest rapper alive.

The Underachievers – Evermore The Art Of Duality

Underground hip-hop.

Vanilla – Origin

Instrumental hip-hop.

VDon – The Opiate

Underground hip-hop.

Vibes Only Crew (v.o.c) – v.o.c EP2 vol.1

Footwork.

Wave Racer – Flash Drive

Synth heavy dance beats.

The Weeknd – Beauty Behind The Madness

R&B.

Wiki – Lil Me

Underground hip-hop from the Ratking MC.

YG, Blanco and DB Tha General – California Livin’

West Coast hip-hop mixtape.

Yo Gotti – The Return

Trap.

Young Thug – Slime Season 1 & 2

Mixtapes packed with bangers.

Download Slime Season 1 For Free

Download Slime Season 2 For Free

Yung Simmie – Basement Music 3

Laidback trap vibes.

Zero T – Golden Section

Drum & Bass.

2016

2 Chainz & Lil Wayne – Collegrove

Hip-hop.

AG Da Coroner – Sip The Nectar

Underground hip-hop.

Allan Kingdom – Northern Lights

Synth driven hip-hop / R&B.

Anderson .Paak – Malibu

R&B / soul packed with sunshine vibes.

Audio Push – Inside The Vibe

Hip-hop.

Average Rap Band – El Sol

Bizarre hip-hop from Australia.

AyOh – MillennialComicBook

Instrumental hip-hop.

Baby Killa – Baby Killa

Instrumental trap.

Bas – Too High To Riot

Hip-hop.

Black Kray – Soulja Luv Rari World

Cloud rap.

Blu & Ray West – Crenshaw Jezebel

Mellow and jazzy hip-hop.

Boosie Badazz – Thug Talk

Trap.

Chris Travis – The Ruined

Cloud rap / trap.

Chuuwee & Trizz – The Smoke Out & Amerikka’s Most Blunted 2

Hip-hop.

Name Your Price Download The Smoke Out

Buy Amerikka’s Most Blunted 2

Count Bass D – Dwight Around Your Lips & Instantly New

Hip-hop.

Buy Dwight Around Your Lips

Buy Instantly New

Cozz – Nothin’ Personal

Hip-hop.

Crimewave – fvckcrimewave

Heavy and dark hip-hop.

Download The Owner’s Manual For Free

Curren$y – The Owner’s Manual & Weed & Instrumentals

Mellow hip-hop.

Download Weed & Instrumentals For Free

Curren$y & Alchemist – The Carrollton Heist

Hip-hop and producer dream team with a great mixtape.

D-JaySremm – Trail Mix

Hip-hop.

David Banner – Before The Box

Hip-hop.

Daz -N- Snoop – Cuzznz

West Coast legends bring the funk.

Denzel Curry – Imperial

One of hip-hop’s most promising young MCs with another great release. Brutal bars and fantastic production.

Domo Genesis – Genesis

Mellow hip-hop.

Dream Junkies – Good Religion

Hip-hop.

Elzhi – Lead Poison

Long awaited return from the Slum Village MC.

Father – I’m A Piece Of Shit

Minimal and dark hip-hop.

Flatbush Zombies – 3001 A Laced Odyssey

Hip-hop.

French Montana – Wave Gods

Hip-hop.

Future – Evol & Purple Reign

Trap.

Download Purple Reign For Free

Buy Evol

Hernän – Passing Levels EP

Footwork.

The Hip-Hop House – Mixtape Vol. 1

Scottish hip-hop mixtape.

Hodgy – They Watchin’ Lofi Series 1

Hip-hop.

Hus Kingpin – #HOKTRE (House Of Kingpin – The Revamp Edition)

Underground hip-hop.

Iamsu – Kilt 3

hip-hop.

iLoveMakonnen – Drink More Water 6

Bizarre trap and R&B vibes.

Iman Shumpert – Shumpman The M.D.

Hip-hop.

Ital Tek – Hollowed

Dark electronic music.

Ivan Ave – Helping Hands

Jazzy hip-hop.

Jace – Jace Tape

Hip-hop.

Jacquees – Mood

Smooth R&B.

Jahlil Beats & CRMC – New Levels New Devils

Hip-hop.

Jake One – PrayerHandsEmoji

Instrumental hip-hop.

Jazz Cartier – Hotel Paranoia

Hip-hop.

Joell Ortiz – That’s Hip-Hop

Hip-hop.

J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League – J.U.S.T.I.C.E. For All

Hip-hop.

Kamaiyah – A Good Night In The Ghetto

Hip-hop.

Kanye West – The Life Of Pablo

Highly anticipated album from one of hip-hops biggest names. I’m sure everyone has their opinions on this by now.

Kano – Made In The Manor

UK hip-hop / grime

Kendrick Lamar – Untitled Unmastered

Collection of unreleased tracks from hip-hop’s golden boy.

Killa Kyleon – Blessed To Raise Hell

Hip-hop.

Kilo Kish – Reflections In Real Time

Not sure how to classify this, some hip-hop vibes, bit of spoken wide style vocals, some singing, kind of alternative indie pop stuff. Whatever it is it’s a fun listen.

Knxwledge – HEX.9.8

Twisted jazzy reworks of classic R&B and hip-hop.

Koi Child – Koi Child

Funky hip-hop with a live backing band.

Kool Keith – Total Orgasm

Underground hip-hop.

THE KXNNEDYS – Any Last Requests

Hip-hop.

Kyo Itachi & Ruste Juxx – Meteorite

Underground New York hip-hop.

Lecrae – Church Clothes 3

Hip-hop.

Le$ – Dreamcast

Hip-hop.

Levelz – Lvl 11

UK hip-hop with big influences from grime and D&B.

Lex Luger – Lex Luger Experience: The Tour Vol. 1

Instrumental trap.

Lil Yachty – Lil Boat

Bizarre, synthy trap style hip-hop. You’ll either love it or hate it.

Lofty305 – Ice Cream World

Psychedelic cloud rap vibes.

Lord Sizzle – The Numerous Aromas Of Lord Sizzle

Cloud rap.

Free Downoload

Lucki Eck$ – Son Of Sam

Dark and drugged out hip-hop.

Migos – YRN 2 (Young Rich Niggas 2)

Trap.

Mix Master Mike – Magma Chamber

Legendary turntablist with a great mix.

Nature – Target Practice

Underground hip-hop.

NEDLOG ERA – SGLP

Hip-hop.

Nef The Pharaoh – Neffy Got Wings

Bay Area hip-hop.

Nick Grant – ’88

Hip-hop.

N.O.R.E – Drunk Uncle

Hip-hop.

Nyck Caution – Disguise The Limit

Hip-hop.

Oddisee – Alwasta

Hip-hop.

OG Maco – The Lord Of Rage

High energy hip-hop.

One Be Lo – The Original Born Ones

Hip-hop.

Open Mike Eagle & Paul White – Hella Personal Film Festival

Creative underground MC and UK super producer team up for some lush funky vibes.

P.E.A.C.E. – The Green Mile

Hip-hop.

Peewee Longway – Mr Blue Benjamin

Trap.

Planet Asia & DJ Concept – Seventy Nine

Hip-hop.

Prodigy – RIP 1, 2 & 3

Free bundles of unreleased tracks from the Mobb Deep legend.

Download For RIP 1 Free

Download For RIP 2 Free

Download For RIP 3 Free

Quelle Chris – Lullabies For The Broken Brain

Strange and melancholy instrumental hip-hop.

Raz Simone – Trap Spirituals

Hip-hop.

RJD2 – Dame Fortune

Hip-hop producer with an interesting, genre defying album.

Rome Fortune – Jerome Raheem Fortune

Electronic hip-hop / R&B

Rubble Kings

Hip-hop soundtrack to the documentary on New York gangs.

Samiyam – Animals Have Feelings

Instrumental hip-hop.

Saul Williams – MartyrLoserKing

Rapper / poet with more innovative music that’s hard to define.

SBTRKT – Save Yourself

Smooth electronica.

Skeme – Before 4eva

Hip-hop.

Smoke DZA – He Has Risen

Hip-hop.

Soundz – Sheets EP

Smooth R&B.

Stalley – Saving Yusuf

Hip-hop.

Statik KXNG (Statik Selektah & KXNG Crooked) – Statik KXNG

Boom bap hip-hop.

Taso – Cold Heat Vol. 1 & 2

Footwork.

Buy Vol. 1

Buy Vol. 2

Tim Gent – For The Love EP

Hip-hop.

TM88 – 88 World

Trap.

Torae – Entitled

Hip-hop.

Tre Capital – I Can’t Die Yet

Hip-hop.

Trapo – She EP

Hip-hop.

Stream

Vampsterdam – PTSD

Dark and twisted trap vibes.

Vic Spencer & Chris Crack – Who The Fuck Is Chris Spencer?

Chicago MC duo with some interesting soulful hip-hop.

Westside Gunn – Flygod

Underground hip-hop.

Yo Gotti – The Art Of Hustle

Trap.

Young Dolph – King Of Memphis

Trap.

Young Thug – I’m Up & Slime Season 3

Two new albums / mixtapes from the divisive but brilliant trap innovator.

Buy I’m Up

Buy Slime Season 3

Yung Lean – Warlord

Cloud rap.

Zelooperz – Bothic

Strange, high energy hip-hop from Bruiser Brigade.

Youtube playlist with a track off each release here

Music Round Up – August 2015

Music

Another few months have passed since my last round up and there are even more fantastic releases coming out every week. This year has been great for hip-hop and we’ve had an abundance of sublime funk and soul releases in the last few months on top of that. Once again I’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to, open your ears and get a load of these. As usual most of these releases came out in the last 3 months but some came out longer ago and I was late listening to them.

21 Savage – The Slaughter Tape

Very solid trap mixtape packed with bangers featuring production from Metro Boomin’ and Zaytoven.

2econd Class Citizen – A Hall Of Mirrors

Mainly instrumental trip hop style compositions with accomplished use of drum samples. Reminiscent of DJ Shadow.

6Blocc – Trapped In My Mind EP

Bleak, sub heavy dubstep.

88 Ultra & No Merci – Para Bellum

Swirling, 808 heavy melodies laced with bewitching vocals.

The Alchemist – Israeli Salad

The Alchemist never really makes a misstep with his music and this release is no different. Built entirely of samples from Israeli music this collection of beats has that signature Alchemist sound that will keep your head nodding.

The Alchemist – Retarded Alligator Beats

Another lovely collection of boom bap instrumentals from The Alchemist.

All Caps – Independent Variable

Bandcamp has become such a massive gold mine for hip-hop. I have found so much great music on there by randomly clicking on albums. This is one of my favourite recent finds. The beats on this release are catchy yet obscure and complex using a mixture of samples and synths. The intricate flows from All Caps are a real joy to listen to as he rides the beats perfectly.

All These Finger – Offerings

A huge collection of dope beats created over the last 7 years from an incredible up and coming producer. This guy needs more exposure because he has a real talent for making beats. Jazzy and spaced out with just the right amount of bounce.

Allen Halloween – Hibrido

Portuguese rapper with an interesting album containing a satisfying mixture of vibes. I have never heard rapping in Portuguese before but Allen Halloween makes it sound incredible with a guttural cadence to his voice and a slurred flow.

I’m struggling to find a place to buy/download because all of the sites are in Portuguese but I’m sure you can find somewhere if you try hard enough.

A$AP Rocky – At Long Last A$AP

This album seems to have fans fairly divided, many want more of the old Rocky and other are happy to see the evolution of him as an artist. I’m really enjoying this album, I think Rocky still hasn’t reached his full potential but ALLA is definitely a step in the right direction. The LP flows amazingly from track to track, taking things slow then getting hyped again just at the right moment and with an overarching tone that ties it all together. Lyrically there isn’t anything particularly impressive but Rocky’s flow is on point as always and he rides every beat with confidence, from bangers like ‘Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2’ to spaced out tracks like ‘West Side Highway’.

Audio Push – My Turn II

Audio Push have been steadily making a name for themselves recently with a stream of solid releases. This is a nice little EP that shows what the duo can do on the mic over some established beats like ‘Fuck Up Some Commas’ and ‘Shook Ones’.

Bilal – In Another Life

Bilal has been at the forefront of neo soul for years now and his latest album ‘In Another Life’ is the work of a truly accomplished musician. The instrumentation on the album has a raw funk to it but carries a certain complexity that makes it stand out. Bilal has a charisma in his voice that few vocalists do and when you hear it you know you’re listening to a star.

Blanco – Molly Amber

An interesting and catchy EP that will have you singing along in no time.

Bones & Drip-133 – HateToBreakItToYou

Bones has been putting in even more work and reaching almost Gucci Mane levels of prolific this year. The amazing thing is that it’s nearly all of a very high quality. This short release is rather mellow compared to a lot of his previous work with Bones doing a fair bit of singing over some soothing beats.

Bosco – Boy

Enchantingly beautiful R’n’B vocals over smooth trap beats.

Cashy – Holographic Art

Fun trap EP with some interesting synth heavy beats.

Chris Travis – See You There

Chris Travis is further refining his signature melancholy trap sound. If this guy continues improving at this rate he is going to be very popular in a few years.

Chevy Woods – The 48 Hunnid Project

Nice little EP of stomping trap tunes.

Cousin Stizz – Suffolk County

Sturdy trap tape with some fantastic wonky sounding beats.

Curren$y – Cathedral

Curren$y consistent as always delivers yet another marvelous release brimming with his usual laidback vibes.

Czarface – Every Hero Needs A Villain

I wasn’t a huge fan of the first album from this underground rap super group but this second outing is a very enjoyable listen. Gritty beats packed with guitar samples and hard raps is a match made in heaven.

Dam-Funk – STFU

Modern P-funk icon releases a futuristic instrumental EP to keep us happy while we wait for his album.

Daye Jack – Soul Glitch

As the album title suggests this album is packed with soulful yet glitchy beats composed of soothing samples and bubbling synths. Daye Jack’s style fits flawlessly with the instrumentals as he switches between rhythmic spitting and smooth singing, reminiscent of Chance The Rapper.

Declaime – Southside Story

Declaime is one of those rappers whose character shines through when he raps and you almost feel a personal connection to him, as if he’s speaking to you directly. On Southside Story we see Declaime at his finest, kicking his spiritual raps over some plodding jazzy beats.

Deniro Farrar & Young God Of BSBD – Cliff Of Death II

Deniro Ferrar has a certain sadness in his voice which fits perfectly with Young God’s dark trappy beats.

Denzel Curry – 32 Zel / Planet Shrooms

I really enjoyed Denzel Curry’s last album Nostalgic 64, but it felt like he was still finding his feet musically and a few of the tracks just didn’t quite hit the spot. Denzel has definitely come in to his own on this release and created a fresh, exciting sound. This release was labeled a “double EP” which at first seemed strange to me but after listening I completely understood as the two halves of the release have distinct sounds. ’32 Zel’ features almost 8 bit sounding synths, rapid 808s and some seriously aggressive raps. As you can imagine, ‘Planet Shrooms’ is more psychedelic and laid back, floating along over sweeping synths Denzel rocks a smoother flow. Overall this is one of my favourite releases so far this year, everything sounds so well thought out, from the beats to the distortion on the vocals, it’s simply magnificent.

Dizzy Wright – The Growing Process

Smooth, radio friendly vibes, I expect Dizzy Wright to be big in not time at all.

Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment – Surf

There was a lot of confusion surrounding this album as some people thought it was Chance’s solo album but turns out it’s actually by one of his friends and only features Chance. This was a let down for a lot of people and although I’m not in love with the release it definitely has its moments. Bursting with jazz vibes and good times, this album is a fun listen although a little directionless at times.

Dom Kennedy – By Dom Kennedy

Dom Kennedy continues to keep West Coast gangsta alive, his raps are slow and fluid while he flows on chunky G-funk-esque beats. Sometimes keeping things simple works so well and this is a great example of that.

Don S. – Live Or Exist

Fresh and soulful boom bap.

The Doppelgangaz – Parts Unknown

New York duo back with a sweet little EP that really bumps.

Dr Dre – Compton

You’d have to be living under a rock not to have heard about this album and you’ve probably already made up your mind about it. Half the people I’ve spoken to are disappointed and the other half think it’s a superb return for Dre. I’m personally a bit disappointed, it’s a good album but it pales in comparison to Dre’s previous releases.

Dub Pistols – Return Of The Pistoleros

Legends on the British electronic music scene for years, Dub Pistols return triumphantly with a sublime mix of dub, reggae and jungle. Pure good vibes.

Durrty Goodz – Vintage 3000 Vol.2

UK MC showing his versatility over a varied selection of beats, some familiar and some fresh (or at least I have never heard them before). From straight up hip-hop to garage to grime, Durrty Goods kills it.

Edwin Briscoe – Edwin vs Briscoe

Jazz musician releases his debut album, bringing in other musicians and vocalists to put together some beautiful soul, funk and jazz.

Eska – ESKA

It’s hard to describe Eska because her music is so unique. It sounds like a mixture of Roy Harper, Cat Stevens and Joanna Newsom but with a hell of a lot more soul thrown in. Absolutely stunning stuff.

Father – Who’s Gonna Get Fucked First

Explicit lyrics, slurred raps and minimal electronic beats. The future is here, the future is Father.

FreshtillDef – Delirium EP

Frantic and crisp footwork.

Future – DS2

Future has been on an incredible roll recently, consistently putting out high quality music. It’s more of the same here for Future but that’s far from a bad thing. The production here is sublime, most of the beats are made by Metro Boomin and Southside and their combination of complex riffs that dance over deep basslines is a treat to listen to. Future’s signature leaned out style continues to be enjoyable as he rambles on about women, money and drugs but often in a self aware and introspective manner.

Gangrene – You Disgust Me

The MC / producer dream team of Oh No and The Alchemist return with another filthy masterpiece. Both are more than capable on the mic but it’s the beats that really shine on here, they’re gritty and intricate with skillful sample use.

Ghostface & Adrian Younge – Twelve Reasons To Die II

Ghostface continues his run of decent albums as he collaborates with Adrian Younge for a second time. Ghostface certainly isn’t as hungry as he used to be but he can still put together a consistent album.

Greavous – Greavous EP

A fresh selection of beats from a new and interesting beat maker. Drawing samples from a number of different genres and lacing them with intricate rhythms.

Gucci Mane – Trapology

I have no idea how Gucci is still releasing so many mixtapes while he’s incarcerated but I’m glad he is. This is one of his more consistent tapes, featuring guest appearances from Riff Raff, Jadakiss and Father.

Gunplay – Living Legend

Gunplay goes hard on this album. Plenty of trap bangers and a few smoother tracks to let you catch your breath.

Handbook – Thank You

Glorious jazz and soul beats.

Hemlock Ernst & Madlib – Trouble Knows Me

When I heard Madlib was secretly working with an MC on a new release all sorts of ideas ran through my head for who I wanted it to be. It turned out to be a guy from an indie synth pop band called Future Islands, which was certainly unexpected and although I was disappointed in a way it’s cool to hear someone new. Madlib does his thing as always and Hemlock Ernst is more than capable of doing those beats justice.

Hezekiah – Dreams Don’t Chase Themselves

Uplifting, soulful hip-hop.

The Internet – Ego Death

Chilled out and funky in all the right ways. This is the kind of album you want to relax to on a summer night.

Jamie XX – In Colour

Jamie XX releases his second album and proves how versatile he is as a producer. The album is a beautiful mix of dance genres, taking you on a journey through a variety of musical landscapes, all put together impeccably.

Jazz Cartier – Marauding In Paradise

Canadian MC Jazz Cartier delivers an entertaining mixtape that jumps between high energy trap and some deeper, more melodic tracks. Jazz Cartier has a fantastic style, going from a buttery smooth flow to maniacally yelling.

Jean Grae – iSweatergawd

One of the best MCs in the world, Jean Grae always brings something interesting to the table. This album sees Jean dropping her precise and complex rhymes over some off-kilter beats.

Jeremiah Jae – The Decline Of Black Anakin

Beautifully monotonous soul beats under Jeremiah’s hazy flow, perfect as always.

Buy and listen here

JME – 48 Hour Mixtape

Grime legend puts together a mixtape in 48 hours. Rough around the edges but well worth a listen.

Stream the mixtape in full here

John Milk – Treat Me Right

The funkiest of funk music with a great vocalist hitting those high notes. There’s something mesmerising about this album.

King Los – God Money War

Solid hip-hop album with a nice selection of beats and some thoughtful lyrics. Good easy listening.

Large Pro – Re:Living

East Coast legend doing what he does best. There’s no pushing of boundaries here but there’s no need to, a solid boom bap album.

Lil B x Chance The Rapper – Free (BASED FREESTYLE MIXTAPE)

They said it was coming and nobody believed them but here it is. It’s funny that after all this waiting for some new chance and a lot of people disappointed with his work on Surf we get a mixtape from him and Lil B of all people. Anyway, it’s a great listen with some nice, lo-fi, soulful beats that are perfect for the meandering freestyles that Lil B and Chance drop on this tape.

Lil Wayne – Free Weezy Album

One of the best releases from Lil Wayne in the last few years. Nothing new style wise but a decent album nonetheless.

The album is available exclusively as a stream on Tidal.

Limewax – Always & Never

Limewax gives us a huge collection of tracks showcasing his abilities as a producer. Track after track of absolute filth gets a bit much but there is a nice variation in style here from more traditional jungle to dark tech step. Put this on loud and scare your neighbours.

Locksmith – Lofty Goals

Mellow hip-hop album with some intriguing beats.

L’Orange & Kool Keith – Time? Astonishing!

L’Orange has been on an absolute roll for the last few years, putting out an abundance of superb beats and working with some amazing rappers. Here we see him step a little outside of his usual style as he works with eccentric rap legend legend Kool Keith. I haven’t heard Kool Keith sound this good in quite a few years, his unique flow works perfectly over these dusty sample based beats.

Lucki Eck$ – X

One of the most interesting young MCs active right now, Lucki Eck$ makes intensely dark and personal music. His delivery sounds extremely lazy and stoned out, oozing with despair, which when put on these menacingly basic beats creates an unsettling atmosphere.

Lynx – I Am Lynx

Marvelous tech DnB. Grinding basslines and clicky drums, immensely satisfying music.

M. Stacks – Broad Based Audience

Wonderfully soulful beat tape.

Mac Mall – Legal Business?

Bay Area veteran pays homage to his debut album ‘Illegal Business?’. 808s and chunky synths, classic Bay Area vibes.

Main Attrakionz – 808s And Dark Grapes III

The popularity of cloud rap was short lived it seems but this album might be the one to bring the movement back. Such a lusciously space age album; vocally twisting between rapid fire raps and slurred mumbling. Friend Zone hold down the production for the album, concocting unbelievably euphoric beats that take you to another world.

Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money

He may have been defeated by Drake in this recent beef but Meek Mill’s latest album has a lot of great moments. Meek is better when he’s going hard and he definitely brings it on some of these tracks.

Miguel – Wildheart

Dreamy RnB which at times really pushes the genre in some different directions. Miguel shows how inventive he can be.

Mishka NYC – W3NDCH3LL – Slap, Space and Soul

Urban clothing label Mishka NYC has been putting out some stellar instrumental compilations lately and this new series is one of the best yet. Showcasing talented producers from Chicago, these three mixtapes give us a magnificent ensemble of instrumental hip-hop. Mostly chilled out vibes here with lots of seductive horn riffs and syrupy synths.

Name your price downloads here, here and here

Mr Cheeks – Raised

Lost Boys member returns after a ten year hiatus and gives a solid hip-hop album with some fun tracks.

Mr Key & Greenwood Sharps – Yesterday’s Futures

This album brings some much needed originality to the UK hip-hop scene. Everyone loves a good boom bap beat but the UK scene has been flooded with the same old standard flows over slightly jazzy head knod beats. That’s what makes this album so refreshing, the instrumentals here are stunning; complex percussion layered with textured synths, reminiscent of the tunes coming out of the ‘future garage’ scene a few years ago. Mr Key gives us the kind of depressingly honest lyrics that only British MCs can and really makes this one of my favourite hip-hop albums of recent years.

Mr Lif, The Polish Ambassador and Ayla Nereo – Terra Bella

Underground rap legend Mr Lif gets together with producer The Polish Ambassador and vocalist Ayla Nereo to put together a joyfully melodic and uplifting album.

Myka 9 & Factor – Famous Future Time Travel

Myka 9 is one of the most underrated rappers on the West Coast, his gentle and fluid voice is instantly recognisable and he has one of the fastest flows in the game. Here we see Myka 9 teaming up again with producer Factor to give us an album full of buttery smooth and funky hip-hop.

Nacho Picasso – Blunt Raps 2

One of my favourite releases to date from Nacho. A bit more up beat than a lot of his work, Blunt Raps 2 sees Nacho at his best, spitting in that charismatic drawl he’s known for over some bass heavy and often euphoric beats.

Nicolay – City Lights Volume 3 : Soweto

Dutch producer of Foreign Exchange fame hits us with a silky smooth and synth filled album with tasty South African vibes.

OG Maco – Tax Free EP

OG Maco back yet again, this time teaming with producer Pablo Dylan (Bob Dylan’s son) who provides some hard trap beats.

Om Unit – Torchlight vol. 1

Om Unit has a real knack for making dangerously heavy tunes that don’t really fit in to a specific genre. Somewhere between dubstep and footwork this EP packs a punch with some crazy tribal vibes.

Omen – Elephant Eyes

Magnificently mellow hip-hop featuring guest appearances from Bas and J. Cole. Omen has a liquid flow and some interesting lyrics.

P Money – Money over Everyone 2

While everyone is going crazy over Skepta, Wiley and JME, P Money put out this savage mixtape. Saying this is hard is an understatement. Almost back to back bangers, this is what grime is all about.

The Palmer Squares – In Context

A nice complex mix of beats and some sick flows.

Papoose – You Can’t Stop Destiny

Back in the mid 2000s Papoose was set to be the next big thing, I’m not sure what went on but that never happened and he almost faded in to obscurity. He’s not quite as hungry as he sounded back then but this is a solid New York hip hop album with some quality beats and Papoose still goes in at times.

Pete Rock – Petestrumentals 2

A solid selection of boom bap instrumentals from the master.

Plies – Ain’t No Mixtape Bih

Decent trap mixtape with some heavy tunes.

Quelle Chris – Innocent Country

This album is perfect underground hip-hop, mainly dark beats with a twisted boom bap style. Quelle Chris always brings it on the mic, his flow is intricate and precise but he goes wild when he needs to.

Raider Klan – Raider Klan The Mixtape 2.75

The Raider Klan crew come together and make some dark trap tunes.

Ras G – Raw Fruit Vol.4

Otherworldly beats that bump just right, crafted from some crazy samples.

Retchy P – Finesse The World

An intensely bleak album that sees Retchy P spit with anger on ominous beats driven by crisp drums.

Rich Boy – Featuring

A solid hip-hop album with commercial appeal and star studded list of features.

Saga & The Alchemist – Saga Ghanoush

Saga drops some sturdy raps over The Alchemist’s fantastic ‘Israeli Salad’ instrumentals.

Shahmen – All In The Circle

Shahmen’s guttural verses blend perfectly with these lusciously melancholy instrumentals. A very complete sounding album of no nonsense hip-hop.

Skyzoo – Music For My Friends

In my opinion Skyzoo is one of the most technically proficient MCs active right now. His flows are buttery smooth but he can go hard when he needs to. His lyrics are varied and eloquent but still heavily emotive. New York needs more of this back to basics hip-hop. It’s not pushing boundaries, but not everything has to, sometimes it’s great to listen to someone who just does straight up hip-hop, and does it flawlessly.

ST 2 Lettaz – Good Day In The Ghetto

Menacing trap album that oozes sub bass.

Statik Selektah – Lucky 7

Keeping the golden age alive, Statik Selektah crafts magnificently soulful boom bap beats that hark back to the 90s but still sound incredibly fresh. Statik always brings in the best guest MCs and this album is no different, featuring Rapsody, Sean Price (RIP one of the greatest ever), Ab Soul and Skyzoo.

Stevie Stone – Malta Bend

Heavy and gritty hip-hop that would bang in the club.

StewRat – Break

StewRat takes stunningly soulful samples and flips them in a really fresh way. The live sounding drums really drive these tracks.

StewRat – SunRise

On this release we see the up and coming producer take to the synths to create some cinematic soundscapes loaded with 808s and eery sounds.

$uicideboy$ – YUNGDEATHLILLIFE

Lo-fi dark hip-hop vibes with some amazing 808 led beats.

Sway – Deliverance

Sway is one of those guys who should have blown up a long time ago but never quite broke through. Hopefully this will get him a little closer. Radio friendly UK hip-hop that keeps its integrity and intelligence.

Ta-Ku – Songs To Make Up To

Following on from the sublime ‘Songs To Break Up To’ this EP is velvety smooth from start to finish.

Tim Gent – Clarksville Nights

A soothing mixtape that sees Tim Gent rap and sing with finesse over beautiful beats.

Tim Rogers & The Bamboos – The Rules Of Attraction

Catchy funk tunes bringing the party vibes.

TM88 – Sacii Lyfe

Producer TM88 of 808 Mafia drops one of my favourite trap mixtapes of the year. TM88’s drum sounds are dark and industrial sounding, which combined with his grinding sub bass creates some really savage tunes.

Tory Lanez & WeDidIt – Cruel Intentions

Rapper / singer Tory Lane collaborates with super producer collective WeDidIt on this smooth and intricate sounding EP.

Tree & Vic Spencer – VicTree

Tree holds down the production on this superb release. The @MCTREEG EP is one of my favourite releases of recent years and although I enjoyed Trap Genius I was really craving more of that soul trap sound. Fortunately we get that on this EP with the erratic and raw Vic Spencer on the mic. This release is stunning and gritty at the same time, you can here that Chicago footwork sound in the way the beats are put together and it really works.

A Tribe Called Red – Suplex

Funky electro vibes to get the party jumping.

TUT – Preacher’s Son

Jazzy and mellow mixtape from a promising young MC.

Two Fingers – Six Rhythms

Heavy hitting dance music dwelling somewhere in the middle of trap, dubstep and electro.

DJ Vadim And Sena – Grow Slow

Good vibes on this electronic, reggae, soul style album.

Van Hunt – The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets.

Every now and then I hear an album that just blows my mind with it’s ingenuity, that takes me out of my usual listening experience and brings me somewhere completely new. This is one of those times. Although I can hear a large array of influences on the album (from straight up funk to Bowie-esque glam rock) the finished product is highly unusual and unlike anything I’ve heard before. Do yourself a favour and get this album in to your life.

Vince Staples – Summertime ’06

I’m not as impressed with this album as many people seem to be but it definitely has its moments. The album would benefit from being shorter as being two discs long there is some filler in there. Still, the high points on here featuring some magnificent production from Clams Casino make it worth the listen.

Warren G – Regulate… G Funk Era Part II

It was weird to see releases from Dre and Warren G in 2015 but it definitely makes me happy. Whereas I was expecting a lot from Dre and was disappointed I wasn’t sure what to expect from Warren G but was pleasantly surprised. The G Funk is certainly alive on this release and it really hits the spot.

Yap – Airtight

Listening to this EP it’s strange to think that Yap was once the lead singer of nu metal band One Minute Silence. There is a lot of acoustic folk music out there but there is a certain clarity to Yap’s voice that makes this release stand out. Breathtakingly soothing music.

Music Round Up – May 2015

Music

A little late again but I’m back with another huge round up of what’s been released recently, and boy it’s a good one. We’ve been blessed with an abundance of funky sunshine vibes just in time summer as well as some real bangers to keep the party going. Most of the releases have come out since the beginning of April but there are some older releases that I didn’t get chance to check out in time for the last round up.

As always I’ve included a short description, a link to listen to a track from each release on Youtube (where possible) and a link to buy/download. You can find all the tracks in one Youtube playlist here.

Abstract Rude – Keep The Feel: A Legacy of Hip-Hop Soul

Abstract Rude has been a big figure on the West Coast underground scene for a long time now so it’s great to see him come out with such a solid album at this stage in his career. This is actually one of my favourite albums from Abstract Rude, packed with smooth, funky vibes and some sublime posse cuts, featuring an obscene verse from the always impressive Busdriver.

ATF x Doc Heller – Doc Fingers

Instrumental hip-hop layered with lush synths and plodding drums.

Audio Push – The Good Vibe Tribe

Audio Push got me interested with previous releases but I found some of their tracks a bit underwhelming and hoped for more from them. Thankfully they delivered in a big way with this new mixtape. There is a perfect blend of styles on this mixtape from chilled Quest-esque vibes to up beat, club friendly flavours.

Billy Woods – Today, I Wrote Nothing

I’ve been a fan of Billy Woods for a while now but this album really blew me away. Destined to stay criminally slept on, Woods has crafted a moody masterpiece as he spits his vicious, almost spoken word style raps over dark jazzy beats. Please do yourself a favour and listen to this.

Bones – Powder

Bones continues to improve with every release and this mixtape is probably my favourite of his so far. The production is cleaner than a lot of his other releases and he’s really mixing up the styles throughout. His usual rapid fire flow over murky trap beats is still present but what’s really interesting is the early 90s indie rock sounding tracks Bones has put together. On tracks like ItAllComesTogetherInTheFinalAct and ModestGoals I almost feel like I’m listening to Pavement’s classic album Slanted and Enchanted, but the addition of 808 drum samples make these tracks incredibly fresh.

Bones – YouShouldHaveSeenYourFace

Yet another great Bones release. This one is rather synth heavy with a cloudy vibe.

Camp Lo – Ragtime Hightimes

Underground legends Camp Lo prove they’ve still got it on this one. Sticking with their usual smooth but funky style, Ragtime Hightimes is perfect for a sunny day session.

Chris Travis & Robb Bank$ – No Trespassing

A fantastic EP from two guys who have impressive chemistry together when putting out these dark and cloudy trap vibes.

Cities Aviv – Your Discretion Is Trust

More minimal than previous releases, “Your Discretion Is Trust” sees Cities Aviv take things in a slightly different direction but still pushing boundaries. Coarse and experimental, this is a challenging listen but fantastic for anyone looking for something a bit different.

Clear Soul Forces – Fab 5ive

Clear Soul Forces have an incredible ability to create golden age style hip-hop but with an edge that keeps things sounding fresh and original. An immensely enjoyable listen.

Curren$y – Even More Saturday Night Car Tunes

All Curren$y is good Curren$y and this little collection is no exception.

Curren$y – Pilot Talk III

The long awaited sequel to Pilot Talk II (one of my favourite albums ever) is finally here and is exactly what we all wanted. Beats so laid back they’re almost falling over and Curren$y’s signature buttery flow will never get old. Curren$y is extremely prolific and never disappoints but he really brings his A game here.

Dr Yen Lo (Ka) – Days With Dr. Yen Lo

Some albums take multiple listens to really appreciate, their complex subtlety needs time to settle in your head in order to decipher the product properly. All of Ka’s releases fit in this description and it’s one of the main reasons he will probably never get that much fame despite his accomplished rapping ability. The beats are atmospheric and minimal with little percussion while Ka’s raps meander rhythmically over these simple backdrops.

Earl Sweatshirt – I Don’t Like Shit I Don’t Go Outside

I’ve never been a massive Odd Future fan so I wasn’t all that excited for this release but after hearing it I have started to see Earl’s appeal. The cadence of Earl’s voice that put me off before seems to be a bit toned down here, making his delivery sound more relaxed. This change in flow and excellent choice in drudging beats make this my favourite Earl release by far.

DJ EFN – Another Time

Producer DJ EFN brings an all star cast of rappers together over his underground hip-hop beats.

eMC – The Tonite Show

Masta Ace, Wordsworth and Stricklin return with a solid concept album.

Evil Needle – Reminisce

Soothing, intricate beats.

Fortune – Venha Comigo

Floaty and soulful 808 powered instrumentals.

Fredo Santana – Ain’t No Money Like Trap Money

Solid mixtape from the trap heavyweight.

Future – 56 Nights

Future has been on a roll recently, putting out some fantastic material. After the more melodic Beast Mode mixtape Future is back to his dark, trap style as he slurs over 808 Mafia beats in the way only he can. There is a hidden depth in a lot of Future’s lyrics that put him ahead of the pack, along with his braggadocios party lines we see in to his deeper side with lines about addiction and stress. You’d be making a big mistake if you overlooked Future as a standard “gangster” rapper because he really is one of the most exciting acts in hip-hop right now.

Georgia Anne Muldrow – A Thoughtiverse Unmarred

Trippy and soulful hip-hop release from the Georgia Anne Muldrow. Although she’s usually a singer you wouldn’t know it with how relaxed she sounds spitting rap verses.

Gucci Mane – King Gucci

With so much Gucci Mane releases coming out all the time it’s hard to keep up. This is one of his more accessible mixtapes with superb production from the likes of Metro Boomin and TM88.

Gucci Mane – Trap House 5 (The Final Chapter)

Gucci Mane’s work rate is second to none and this latest release in the Trap House series is one of his better collections of pure trap greatness.

Hermitude – Dark Night Sweet Light

Space age electronic instrumental hip-hop.

ILOVEMAKONNEN – Drink More Water 5

I really wasn’t sure about ILOVEMAKONNEN when I first heard him. His sound is definitely not for everyone but there is something really interesting about what he’s doing. This mixtape includes a number of catchy trap and club style tracks featuring Gucci Mane, Migos and Rome Fortune but also has some strange, messy piano lead tracks that ILOVEMAKONNEN croons over. Now ILOVEMAKONNEN definitely is not the best singer but he has a quality to his voice that strikes a chord with me. At times on this tape I get a Daniel Johnston vibe in the sad, off key ballads like Leave U 4 Myself. I’m definitely interested to see where he takes his sound from here.

J-Live – His Own Self

J-Live is one of those guys who consistently releases good music but remains deep underground in the world of hip-hop. His latest album is highly lyrical as always and features some well crafted boom bap beats. Bonus points for the fantastically ridiculous album cover.

J-Zone – J-Zone Instrumental Box Set : The Headband Years 1999-2006

J-Zone is one of my all time favourite artists, one of hip-hop’s most underrated acts and one of the best producers of the early/mid 2000s. I like this guy, a lot, so I am happy as hell that he’s delved in to his back catalogue and released a massive collection of his instrumentals. This album is full of classic beats from tracks like Eatadiccup, Bum Bitch Ballad and Ho Kung-Fu. All of these tracks bump so do yourself a favour and buy it now.

Jazz Spastiks & Rebel To The Grain – Unkut Fresh

Chilled out, jazzy hip-hop bringing the good vibes.

JME – Integrity

Grime legend with an excellent album featuring some older tunes and a bunch of a new ones. The next wave of grime is in full swing!

Jonwayne – Jonwayne Is Retired

Jonwayne’s beats are a real joy, interesting and crisp. He’s a stellar MC too and this EP is him at his best; perfect underground hip-hop,

The Knux – Eleven

Funky and innovative hip-hop with live sounding beats.

Knxwledge – HS8.8

The latest in my favourite series of albums ever. “Hexual Sealings” never disappoints, Knxwledge just has this way of making insane jazzy remixes and I cant get enough of it.

Knxwledge – Hud Dreems

One of the best producers making music right now. Knxwledge is really pushing boundaries with his insane, jarring jazz beats. Having already amounted a huge catalogue of music to his name, this is Knxwledge’s debut full length LP on Stones Throw and is an amazing way to introduce himself to a wider audience.

L’Orange & Jeremiah Jae – The Night Took Us In Like Family

L’Orange is quickly making a name for himself as a producer to watch closely and Jeremiah Jae has been releasing delightfully strange music for the last few years. This wasn’t a teaming that I had really though about until I heard they had an album in the works but it makes perfect sense when you hear it. The instrumentals are sculpted from old ghoulish jazz samples while Jeremiah’s meandering flows paint a crime noir movie in your mind. This is one of those magical producer/rapper pairings up there with the likes of Madvillain.

Lil Ugly Mane – Third Side Of Tape

The elusive Lil Ugly Mane back with another ensemble of twisted beats.

Lofty305 X Wonderland – Liquit Dinosaur

Lofty305 is a truly unique figure. I think of as the rap game Sonic Youth. Like Sonic Youth, his sound is abrasive and discordant, his singing and rapping is not what most people would consider accomplished but there is genius to it, and a raw emotion that shines through in his experimentation. Every one of Lofty’s releases has a different feel to it and this latest offering is full of dark 80s sounding synths put together in a unique fashion over lo fi 808 drums. Far from easy listening, but excellent music for those who like their artists to push boundaries.

Ludacris – Ludaversal

Big time Southern veteran back on top form.

Lyrics Born – Real People

Lyrics Born has always been a fantastic MC with a crazy flow and a charismatic delivery. On his latest outing he has turned his attention away from hip-hop and further in to funk. He still raps on many songs but Lyrics Born is singing more than usual on this album and has brought in a skilled line up of New Orleans funk musicians to deliver an authentically funky album to keep you vibing through the summer.

Mayhem NODB – Gassum The Mixtape

Hard hitting grime and UK hip-hop out of Birmingham.

Mello Music Group – Persona

The best record label of the last two years (at least) with a beautiful sample of what their acts have to offer. Featuring the likes of Oh No, Apollo Brown, Rapper Big Pooh, Open Mike Eagle and many more.

Mike G – Verses II

Odd Future member gets all spacey on what I think is his strongest release yet.

MishkaNYC – Jetlag and Seasick

MishkaNYC put together another superb compilation of beats made by producers from all around the world.

Free download here and here

Mr. Green – Live From The Streets

Producer Mr. Green came up with the truly inspired idea of going around, recording street performers and other street sounds, then sampling these sounds to make beats for an all star cast of underground MCs to spit on. A truly unique vision that has translated in to a wonderful listening experience.

Nappy Roots – The 40 Akerz Project

Underground hip-hop group keeping it fresh 20 years after forming. Some amazing beats that at times draw on dance music sounds while the group show they can still hold their own lyrically.

Oddisee – The Good Fight

The king of modern boom bap with a perfectly smooth album. Lyrically and instrumentally refined, Oddisee is a future legend.

OG Maco – I Made This Shit Before You Guessed It

OG Maco’s work ethic has been incredible this year, putting out releases month after month with varying sounds on each. This short EP has a more traditional hip-hop sound to it compared to much of his other work and really shows Maco’s versatility.

OG Maco & Zaytoven – OGZAY

Yet another release from OG Maco, this time teaming up with heavyweight trap producer Zaytoven. This EP does what it says on the tin, OG Maco dropping his slurred flow over Zaytoven’s signature bass heavy, piano driven beats.

Oh No & The Alchemist – Welcome To Los Santos

Two of the best producers in hip-hop, Alchemist and Oh No team up to drop a GTA themed album with an all star cast of rapper dropping guest verses. This album didn’t quite live up to my expectations and I could have done without the indie rock style tracks but there are some sublime songs in here that really some up that West Coast Gangster vibe that GTA is all about.

Olos – Reverse Psychology

Rock/rap crossovers go wrong so often that it’s easy to overlook them all, but you’d be making a huge mistake if you missed these guys. Sounding something like a UK hip-hop version of Rage Against The Machine, Olos blend accomplished musicianship with high energy charisma. If these guys don’t blow up soon there is no justice.

Planet Asia and DirtyDiggs – Nautica Nagas

Planet Asia is always best over soulful beats and it doesn’t get much more soulful than this.

The Purist – Pyrex Scholar Masters

This album sounds like the soundtrack to a Blaxploitation film, with beats perfectly built from funk samples and guest features from Roc Marciano, Freddie Gibbs and Tree among others. Pyrex Scholar Masters is one of those albums that flows excellently and the tone of the whole album is very consistent without feeling samey, we need more albums like this.

Raekwon – Fly International Luxurious Art

Certified hip-hop legend still doing his thing. Far from classic but more than worth a listen for any hardcore fans.

Rapper Big Pooh – Words Paint Pictures

Like Danger Mouse did in the early 90s, for the last few years Apollo Brown has been drafting in underground legends from the shadows and bringing out the best in them. The latest to accompany Apollo Brown’s fantastically soulful beats is ex Little Brother member Big Pooh, and as expected the outcome is sublime.

Raz Simone – Baby Jesus

Intense and moody beats make a perfect back drop for Raz Simone’s often hard and always sincere raps.

Raz Simone – Cognitive Dissonance Part 2

A nice mix of heavy trap vibes and some deeper more emotional tracks. An interesting and dark listen, Raz Simone is definitely someone to watch going forward.

Red Pill – Look What This World Did To Us

I don’t think Mello Music Group are capable of releasing a bad album and Detroit MC Red Pill is no exception to this. “Look What This World Did To Us” is more of what we have come to expect from the label (this is far from a bad thing); insightful lyrics and soulful beats.

Rich Homie Quan – If You Ever Think I Will Stop Going In Ask RR

Rich Gang member continues to go in (you know he will never stop) over some amazing trap beats. One of this years most fun mixtapes.

RJD2 and Sugar Tongue Slim – STS x RJD2

This album was my first time hearing Atlanta MC Sugar Tongue Slim, and what better introduction than a collaboration with RJD2? STS’s rap style sounds somewhere between Andre 3000 and Devin The Dude but he’s far from a copy cat. RJD2’s luxurious beats set a perfect back drop for the varied subject matter that is covered by STS throughout this album, I cant wait to hear more.

Robb Bank$ – 2phoneshawty

Strange, spaced out trap.

Rocko – Expect The Unexpected

Wonky trap vibes.

Sinitus Tempo – Egocortex

Interesting and soulful hip-hop instrumentals with a complexity that makes them stand out from the rest.

Snoop Dogg – Bush

It’s crazy to think that Snoop Dogg has been making music for over 20 years now and he’s still reinventing himself and coming out with fresh sounding music. Last year saw Snoop move away from the reggae he had been making recently and in to funk with his overlooked but incredible “7 Days Of Funk” album produced by Dam Funk. This year he’s carried on down the path to funk and recruited Pharrell Williams to produce a full album. The end product is a superb summer album packed with good vibes, fun lyrics and catchy tunes.

SpaceGhostPurrp – Money Mendoza

Soon after this release SpaceGhostPurrp apparently changed his name to Money Mendoza, I’m not sure how I feel about that because I loved his previous moniker but this tape is my favourite thing I’ve heard from him in a while. Lo-fi trap at its best.

$uicideboy$ – Gray/Grey

Cloud rap mixtape with some incredible beats.

Towkio – .Wav Theory

Chance the Rapper affiliate Towkio drops a nice little EP. You can feel that Chance influence but Towkio has his own individual style, utilizing complex, future garage style percussion.

Tuxedo – Tuxedo

Super funky, soul singer Mayor Hawthorne teams up with hip-hop producer Jake One to create a beautiful album of infectious feel good music.

Twista & Do Or Die – Withdrawal

Do Or Die’s solid flows and Twista’s mind-bendingly fast raps over fresh beats.

Twit One – The Sit-In

Serene and soulful instrumental hip-hop.

Various Artists – Movin’ Forward – A Tribute To DJ Rashad

It’s been over a year now since one of music’s greatest losses. DJ Rashad is gone but will never be forgotten. This exceptional EP, lead by Machinedrum is a great way to remember the legend.

Versatyl – Summer Grooves Vol. 2

Magnificently produced hip-hop beats, a perfect soundtrack for a sunny day. Versatyl flips soul samples with such beauty that you’ll have this collection on repeat for the whole summer.

Young Chop & King 100 James – Fat Gang: The Mixtape

Hard hitting and grimey trap mixtape.

Young Fathers – White Men Are Black Men Too

Young Fathers continue to venture further away from hip-hop with their latest release which I can only describe as some kind of lo-fi indie pop/rock. Leave it to a hip-hop group to make one of my favourite rock albums in years. This is a unique, interesting album with varied and accomplished lyricism.

Young Thug – Barter 6

Following a strange decision to name his latest mixtape after Lil Wayne’s famous series of albums, a brief spot of rap beef and a legal threat we got to hear the latest selection of Thugger tracks. Less hype than much of Young Thug’s output, Barter 6 gives us some classic tracks with a more mellow vibe but still packed with the signature insane flow we’ve all come to love (or hate). Great musicians often polarise their audience and Young Thug is a prime example of this, you cant deny that he’s bringing something different to the table though.