It Wasn’t Love....It Was Sport Rapping
By Graphic Bars
Exclusive Pre-release Review
Not too long ago, I was given the pleasure of an exclusive
review of the Planet of the Fakes Album. Now I am again honoured to bring you
another exclusive.
This time I have bragging rights again as only the second
person, other than Graphic Bars himself, to hear his album in its final form.
Am I humbled or what.....
I interviewed Graphic Bars a little while back and you can
find that here on the blog. Graphic Bars hails from Brighton on the South Coast
of the UK. Brighton has a long history within UK Hip Hop and is the place I
attended my first every Hip Hop Gig, The 87 Def Jam Tour. So, for me it is not
surprising that this guy connected with the whole Hip Hop culture.
I have been impressed by the first three singles that he has
put out and have been eager to hear his first full length excursion into the
Hip Hop world. With those first singles featuring Remark, DJ Tones and Merlin
from Hamburg you just get the feel that this first release is gonna be well
worth a listen...
So, let’s see what Graphic Bars has to offer:
First up is Deep
Waters featuring Production by Merlin and Cuts by Remark. The track hits
you square between the eyes and makes’ you realise what you are letting
yourself in for. Graphic Bars rough and gritty delivery fits perfectly with the
banging beat sprinkled with orchestral samples that, for some reason, made me more
aware of being close to the south coast and the sea. Graphic Bars also shows he
is willing to give singing a shot and to be honest it works well on the track,
good to see a different vocal range.
Up next Is There
Enough? A track all about feelin’ good and at peace But, also about what
would it be like if this feeling could be harnessed? Would the powers that be
try and profit from it? Production again comes from Merlin and this track was
last single release put out by Graphic Bars before the album.
Graphic Bars first single is up next, Now Let’s See How They Run. A dope beat laced with violin and a
drizzle of cuts galore. This track is all about the shit that goes on around us
and how life just seems to suck you dry. But, you can turn it around. Reflect
it back at those who would see you down and see how they run. Production comes
from Merlin, Cuts by DJ Tones and guest vocals from Remark.
Train up a Boy like
Wood to a Fire, A track rooted in how the powers that be are selective in
what they tell us, how they tell us and when. Tell someone enough bullshit and
eventually they will believe it. It’s happening, everyday, we are told what’s
right and what’s wrong because what they say makes them richer and keeps us as
sheeple. Well, we are waking up and we know the truth! Production is from
Merlin with Remark on the cuts this time around.
Scenic Route, Graphic
Bars takes us on a poetic journey of how he got from there to where he is now
and how he came to be Graphic Bars. Again the beat is banging with Merlin’s
production and Remark crafts the cuts for your listening pleasure.
What They Did, A
bit more laid back but, no less hard hitting. Real life is hard hitting and you
have to ask yourself who are the mindless Zombies, when you look around you
each day? Production is by Merlin with cuts by Remark.
Like Swords in Water,
Has one simple message, don’t sit still and think its all fine. Keep yourself
fluid, question what you know, what you have learnt. Keep your mind active and
don’t think for a minute that everything you have been told is the truth...
This message was brought to you by Graphic Bars & Merlin with Merlin’s
production and Remark’s cuts.
Seen Through Fog,
all about the 80’s, this track capture’s those times in a way I’ve never heard
before. If, like me, you remember those times, then you will feel this track
for sure. Production is handled by Merlin.
The penultimate track on the Album is Graphic Bars second
single Behind the Blind’s. A track
that is all about what goes on inside ourselves and turmoil we hide. We all
pull the blinds so that others don’t see in, to what is really going on... DJ
Tones provides the cuts and Merlin, the Production.
Last track is Sport
Rapping. A light hearted track that is all about Graphic Bars flow and
lyrical dexterity, Just for fun, Just for the love of it or should that be the
just for the Sport of it? Fuck knows, I liked it anyway.... Getting funky on
the production was Merlin.
There are times when reviewing is fun and times when it’s
frustrating as fuck. Doing this review had both. I must have listened to this
album ten or twelve times in the last week or so and when I came to write up
how each track made me feel or what I was getting from it, I found it very
frustrating at times to find the right words. Each track just seemed to speak
for itself without any help from me. Now that’s well cool as it shows a
maturity and skill from Graphic Bars words. However, it’s hell when you want
the reader to feel what you are feeling. After all, my words might be the
difference between you buying or not buying this album....
If my track by track rundown has not given you enough, let
give you some more observations.
Graphic Bars has his own style a rough and rugged hard
hitting wordsmith who takes his lyrical story telling straight from life, from
what he has and continues to see happening in day to day life. He handles the Mic
exceptionally well and craft’s the type of message that we all know only too
well. For me, this is the mark of fine Emcee. Someone who has taken time to hone
his skills and deliver a style that is Hard but, also true to life and
inspiring.
I agree that it also help’s when you collaborate with the
likes of Remark (who has put more into this album than you know), DJ Tones
(with the dope touch) and Merlin (Who’s production is seriously on point here)
but, make no mistake, as awesome as their input is into this release, their
quality takes nothing away from Graphic Bars himself who has fired a well aimed
warning shot across the bow of UK Hip Hop.
With other projects in the pipeline, this is not the first and last time you have heard the name Graphic Bars.
Don’t just take my word for it though?
The Album is independently released on 27th
October and you can pre-order from the Graphic Bars website on the link below.
I want to give a huge thank you to Graphic Bars for allowing
me to have the promo so, that you all can get my thoughts.
Enjoy listening,
I’m outta here,
Peace...
Steve Rider
Infinite Sounds UK
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