Queen Bee is the latest single from the recently released Beekeepers LP Apiculture and a bit of a banger. Musically coming off like a collision of The Freestylers and The Heavy, it finds rapper Mystro exploring the growing distance between him and the missus (“Oh I should have put a ring on it?/ Well, you’re lucky if I even put a fake bit of bling on it”) and one of the album’s highlights
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Monthly Archives: May 2011
THE BEEKEEPERS: Queen Bee – Single (2011) + Video
ATMOSPHERE: The Family Sign – Album (2011) + ‘Just For Show’ video
Angstie Boys alert! Minneapolis emo-rappers Atmosphere will shortly be dropping what is something like their tenth studio album. As with the last few albums from the group it pushes the boundaries of the Atmosphere sound and this time they’ve gone all nu-disco. Nah, just kidding – from what I’ve heard of it, production-wise Ant has been using
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DANIEL WANDERS & TOBIAS KIRMAYER PRESENT: Feeling Nice (Tramp Records)(2011) + tracklist
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There’s a rich irony to be enjoyed in the fact that the word ‘rare’ is one of the commonest words in the titles or subtitles of funk compilations. However, since Daniel Wanders and Tobias Kirmayer have come up with 12 hot dancefloor cuts for Feeling Nice that haven’t already been compiled to within an inch of their lives (far from it, in fact) you can take these two very much at their word when they say ‘rare.’
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ALDO VANUCCI: Party Breaks Vol. 2 – EP (2011) + ‘Mysterious Sneakers’ free download
‘Fatboy Slim’s crate digger’ Aldo Vanucci, known far and wide as Plymouth’s 14th best DJ, is back and this time, Matthew, he’s come as pop slag. Is that Sean Paul I can hear? Crooklyn Clan? A bit of Duck Sauce? KC & The Sunshine Band? Yup, it all goes in the blender with some rather large beats. Vanucci, you have no shame. When playing out, out, it’s probably best to save these until everyone’s
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SERGE SEVERE: Back On My Rhymes – 2011 (Album) + ‘Can’t Stop Won’t Stop’ video
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Ok, so not covering Back On My Rhymes, the second album by Serge Severe, might be the second glaring oversight I’ve made this year following my recent discovery of a T Bird solo album which, like this, also came out in January. Mind you, given that
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RORY HOY: Tonite EP (2011)
Rory Hoy comes straight outta Knaresborough again (no, really), sidesteps the temptation to go ghetto and wobble up the bass and comes through with some booming nu funk heat on this latest drop from Big M. Old school funk and hip-hop samples aplenty vie with Rory’s nutty production stylings and are all set to ensure (as always) some fairly pneumatic dancefloor action
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RAY LUGO & THE BOOGALOO DESTROYERS: Mi Watusi – Album (2011)
With the debut single from this (Swingy Boogaloo) in the wings, the full album itself, Mi Watusi, is due to drop a month later and finds Ray Lugo in full salsa caliente de New York mode channelling the spirits of the likes of Ray Barretto, The Lebron Brothers and king Tito. Honestly, it’s like the golden era of Fania Records resurrected.
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T BIRD: T Bird Is Good For You – Album (2011) – free download
Amazingly, this has been out since January. For those not in the know, let me explain that T Bird a.k.a. Tim Crane is the gravel-voiced front-man of criminally underexposed Texan heavy funk and soul outfit T Bird & The Breaks whose funky soul bomb Esmerelda from the 2009 debut, Learn About It recently featured on the monkeyboxing mixtape Filthy Rhythm, Dirty Soul
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MR FANTASTIC: Harvey’s Bristol Cream – Album (2011)
Ahhh Bristol! Famous for riots, slavery and talking like a pirate. Not to mention scrumpy, the mere vapour of which can remove paint and for sherry that according to local legend tastes smoother than the local milk – hence the name ‘cream.’ Oh yeah, and quite well known for beats too, usually heard emanating from clouds of herbal smoke. Enter Bristol-based producer Mr Fantastic, a.k.a Justin Harvey
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