The Very Good Agency

YaHeard? Foreign Exchange – Connected

Few albums have stuck me the way Foreign Exchange’s debut effort did. The only thing I knew about the project before listening, was that the two masterminds had never actually met before releasing the album. North Carolina-based MC Phonte (of Little Brother), and Netherlands-based producer Nicolay, met on the Okayplayer (www.okayplayer.com) messageboards, where Nicolay emailed beats to Phonte, who dropped verses, and then the Dutch master mixed the final product. The result, Connected, is a lush 14-track hip hop symphony of wonderfully layered beats and potent lyricism.

At the time I purchased the album I had only just been introduced to Little Brother, and without much thought, ordered the album without having listened to any of it. What I got was easily the best album of 2004 for me. Nicolay crafts beautifully intricate, soulful landscapes, of which Phonte takes complete lyrical control, along with a whole host of friends such as Justus League cohorts Median and Joe Scudda, the sultry diva YahZarah, and his Little Brother partner in crime, Big Pooh.

The album kicks off with an interesting syncopated harmony which builds with the charming voice of YahZarah, and then drops into a typical Nicolay groove with her singing “Thank you for the music, thank you for right now”; once you’ve heard this album in its entirety you’ll realise just how appropriate this is. The next track, “Von Sees”, features Von Pea shouting out to all involved in the project, and really serves as a second introduction, before seemlessly blending into Phonte‘s first verse on the next track, “Raw Life”, where he comes in spitting straight fire alongside Joe Scudda. The journey continues with the following track, “Hustle, Hustle”, a smooth organ-driven beat with a deep bassline and funky horns on the chorus.

Perhaps the albums best track, “Let’s Move”, is up next. An amazingly layered mellow blend of multiple vocals and euphoric brass and string sections. This is easily an album highlight, guest Big Pooh and  Phonte express the woes of the independent musician, with Phonte delivering one of his finest lines: “My rhymes never dramatise, I applied for the job of rap nigga, but I was overqualified”. The appropriately titled “Nic’s Groove”, is up next. A smooth mid-tempo harmony and booming bassline, with Phonte and Big Pooh again trading verses, Pooh coming with one of the most creative rhymes I’ve ever heard: “Mental precipitation, without the weather reports, to forecast of predict my thoughts”.

Foreign Exchange featuring YahZarah – Sincere

The albums flow is infectious, with tracks blending into and complimenting each other, raising and lowering the tempo in just the right places. “Sincere”, “Be Alright” and “Brave New World” keep the vibe of the album rolling along nicely, and the final track “All That You Are” finishes things as strongly as possible; you won’t want the journey to end. I cannot tell you how many times I have listened to this, but I seriously consider it one of the most amazing hip hop albums i’ve ever heard. Even as I sit here now listening to it I’m looking forward to the next time I get to hear it. And it’s been out for nearly 4 years!

Despite the distance between the two artists during the production of this album, the final product gives you the feeling that they’ve been making music together for years. Connected will take you on a laid back ride through hip hop, electronic groove and soul, and have you nodding your head the whole way. Nicolay‘s beats are simply beautiful, elaborate and enchanting; you need to listen to this by yourself the first time to fully appreciate them. Phonte and family all do their bit throughout the album, but the man himself really shines, consistently ripping his verses to pieces with his silky flow and creative rhymes. And although at the time it probably seemed like a nice little side project, the critical acclaim this album has received has resulted in Nicolay and Phonte teaming up again for Leave it all behind, to be released later this year. Now that is good news to me.

That’s YaHeard? for the week, keep an eye out in coming weeks for an interview with Ohmega Watts collaborator and Lightheaded member, Braille.

Peace

You can check out more of Foreign Exchange at:

www.theforeignexchangemusic.com

…..Crack

Tags: Collaborations, hip hop

The Roots Rising Down?

Okay players, time for another bout of honesty, which may or may not lower your respect for me. I started this article a long time ago, shortly after the release of ‘Rising Down’, the tenth and latest album from Philadelphia hip-hop crew The Roots. It started as an album review, but as I found publicity material in certain publications, I became irritated and this piece has now turned into a dissection of methods used in modern journalism, and how information is disseminated through the mass media  with sensational hype and spin added.

As I see it, rumour and speculation have become the main ways to promote artists and draw attention. After reading an article in the June edition of U.S hip-hop magazine ‘The Source’ (apparently the mainstream ‘hip-hop bible’) I wondered why all information has to be communicated so simplistically.

I will admit the article does attempt to talk about the issues that the album deals with as it quotes ?uestlove, who states “(the album) gives detailed psychological explanations on why and how methods of violence are used in everyday society from justifiable to domestic to national”. The writer acknowledges the themes explored by The Roots can be difficult to explain and that they create music for the sophisticated listener, but the main focus of the piece is on a possible break-up of the band. The evidence used to justify this speculation is that the group has existed for 17 years (so they must have to break up soon), and that only two of the group members showed up for a press conference.

It couldn’t be possible that some musicians prefer recording and touring to attending promotional appearances? Black Thought tries to explain that they have all been touring extensively for many years, and most of the crew members have “outside endeavours” apart from the group, and even possibly lives. This means that media duties are left up to ?uest and Thought to complete, but it’s a bit to early to say the sky is falling. Just because people don’t want to talk about themselves to reporters endlessly, doesn’t mean they lack commitment to the music.

Should I have expected more from a magazine full of adverts for expensive jewellery, cigars and penile enhancement devices? As it’s obviously not just a commercial tool and has the best intentions of their readers at heart…. not!

I can understand that the themes The Roots focus on can be too complicated for the mainstream media to try an analyse for an audience being continually dumbed-down, but if they have to resort to sensationalism why not base it on fact. For example if I wanted to cause a stir, but remain factual, I would draw attention to the video for ‘Birthday Girl’ which stars a teen XXX award winner Sasha Grey, and contains some unusual phallic innuendo. The video was leaked and created attention online, some were confused and some were outraged. The clip could be interpreted in several ways; to me it seems they are trying to draw attention to a culture of increased sexuality that children are being confronted by. It’s a tough pill to swallow but nowadays there is seemingly no age which is too young to be “sexy”.

At least discussing this I am focusing on something real (the video) and debating an actual issue, instead of just filling up column inches with speculation. So what if no member of The Roots has been shot or in an under age sex scandal, it doesn’t mean we have to assume that every album is either a comeback or a send-off. I mean someday they will break-up but it will be for many and varied reasons, but in the meantime they are still making some damn good music.

Find some real information for yourself at:

The Roots Website

“When I spit it’s something like a psychology exam
If you stand where I stood, you could probably understand
How that mic feeling like a million dollars in my hand
It’s the silence of the lamb, go and cop another gram”

(75 Bars (Black’s Reconstruction) – The Roots)

…Yossarian

Tags: hip hop

Pete Philly and Perquisite

Amsterdams’ newest addiction Pete Philly and Perquisite have enjoyed yet another amazing month. Yesterday Pete and Perq recieved the prestigious ‘Amsterdamprijs’ award out of the hands of Amsterdam mayor Job Cohen at the ‘Muziekgebouw aan t IJ’.

The award, which is the most important art award of the city, goes out every year to those artists who contributed in a special way to the arts and to putting Amsterdam on the map. On the award the guys have said “we’re very honoured and want to thank the Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst and the city of Amsterdam for this big recognition. …and of course a big up to everyone that was there yesterday at the award show!”

This award rewards the chosen artists significantly financially as well as the prestige it offers. The award is just the newest of a string of honours the duo have received in the past year, and only acts to solidify Pete Philly and Perquisites’ position as ambassadors of the Netherlands to the world. What a great way to return from recent European festivals Sziget and Lowlands which are pictured below for those of us who were unable to take the day off work… Is there anything these guys can’t do?

Pete Philly and Perquisite at Lowlands Festival

Pete Philly and Perquisite at Sziget Festival

You can check out more of Pete Philly and Perquisite at:

www.myspace.com/petephillyandperquisite

www.petephillyandperquisite.com

… bs

Tags: Festival, hip hop, Jazz

Jackson Jackson – The Fire is on The Bird

Australia has produced another quirky, innovative, laid back bunch of performers in the new form of Jackson Jackson. Based in Melbourne, Jackson Jackson began as a side project of Harry Angus, who is best known for his role in The Cat Empire, and producer Jan Skubiszewski, who Angus met through working together with The Cat Empire. Thankfully, this side project album ‘The Fire is on The Bird’ avoids the common situation where artists simply reproduce a familiar sound under a new name. The only similarity between these two groups really… is how unique they are.

Jackson Jackson manage to deliver a type of cheeky music that is very representative of the relaxed Australian humour, most obvious in the songs that they use very limited instrumentals, and yet carry your interest with random tales over downbeat old school drum tracks. The fusion of electronica, folk, hip hop and fun also reminiscent of many of the genres you would have been hearing in any major Australian city over the last ten years, just not usually played together.

Surprised by the initial positivity to the album Angus told “When we finished the album we realised that it was a lot more acceptable to our peers than we thought it was going to be. We thought it was really out there, but everyone seems to think it’s not too strange.”

Well I think it’s kinda strange, but that’s a good thing yeah?

Jackson Jackson – Cats, Rats and Pigeons

With some funky beats, a nice mixture of instruments blending (especially the accoustic guitar), and plenty of smooth beat doctoring, the album is extremely varied and appears to cover a lot of ground for just one album. Its nice to have lyricism which manages to touch on issues… but all the while not taking them too seriously taking the time to make fun tracks or one’s which are thought provoking  like “A hairy man in a waxed man’s world”. An album for chilling, driving, in the office, on the tram, and i’m sure pretty soon, in summer backyard BBQs all around Australia where it belongs.

Jackson Jackson Track by Track

You can check out more of Jackson Jackson at:

www.myspace.com/jacksonjacksonmusic

and for anyone who has missed them, it’s well worth checking out The Cat Empire:

www.myspace.com/thecatempire

…bs

Tags: Australian Artists, folk, hip hop

YaHeard? Y Society, Travel at your own pace

I’m all about quality feel good hip hop. The kind you can put on and listen to and enjoy every track. And when I come across these kinds of albums, it really reminds me of why I started listening to hip hop. This weeks Ya Heard? looks at Travel at your own pace by Boston based duo Y Society, comprised of Insight, on the Mic, and Damu The Fudgemunk (unusual name, I know) on the boards and dropping some turntable wizardry. The title is certainly appropriate given the way Insight’s flow perfectly combines with Damu’s laidback beats. What results is a positive energetic brand of hip hop that is fun to listen to. What more do you expect from and artist on Tres Records, featuring labelmates such as Giant Panda and the Lightheaded crew, and founded by Thes One of People Under The Stairs.

Obviously influenced by the likes of Pete Rock and CL Smooth, Gangstarr and A Tribe called Quest, Damu and Insight work off each other amazingly in what is a truly dope MC and DJ combination. Insight‘s flow is noticeable from the first track, “This is an introduction”, where he rolls along rhyming with ease and finesse over a jazzy beat. The production style Damu brings to the table is a bit of a mixture of DJ Premier, Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow; hours must have been spent digging for the crisp drum loops and ingenious samples worked into the albums production.
And Damu‘s skills on the decks are evident throughout the album, dropping tight scratches regularly in reply to the lyrical bullets from his partner in crime.
“Hole in your pocket” kicks off with an old funk sample that grabs your attention instantly, before dropping into an tight head nodding beat laced with Insight’s laid back rhymes. The track is about the importance of staying positive in the face of financial difficulties, and is littered with some beautifully appropriate samples that are torn up by Damu. In “Good Communication” the duo trade blows with their respective tools, barbed verses from Insight are rebutted by Damu’s consistenly dope sample selection and beatmaking. Other album highlights include “Never off (On & On)”, “Good Communication”, “Scientist” and “Dizzy”.

Damu of Y Society – “Travel At Your Own Pace” vinyl mix

All in all, this is an awesome album by two very talented artists. The jazzy boom-bap based production and depth of lyrical creativity takes you on a pleasant ride that will have you bouncing the whole way. Staying true to what hip hop is all about is important in this day and age, well to me it is anyway. And with that in mind I encourage you to listen to Travel at your own pace; from Insight’s lyrics and subject matter, to Damu’s beats and scratching, it effortlessly displays everything that is good about hip hop.

For more on Y Society check out

www.myspace.com/ysociety

or look them up at

www.tresrecords.com

…Crack

Tags: DJ, hip hop