Single Review: BOMBIN' by BRIM

 

Bombin’

By

BRIM

 

Bombin’ is the latest release from Unsettled Scores Records and comes hot on the heels of the debut Tracy Song.

Bombin’ was originally recorded back in 1985 and was the title track for the Dick Fontaine documentary of the same name which was originally aired on Channel 4 in the UK in 1988. Composed by David Toop and Performed by Brim (TATS CRU) and written by Brim and Bronx Style Bob (Rhyme Syndicate) the track was never officially released, that I am aware of.

The Documentary, which you can find on YouTube, focused primarily on the graffiti element of Hip Hop, although breakin’, Rap and Scratchin’ was all featured but, to a lesser extent. Alongside Brim, the documentary featured the likes of Bambaataa and UK artists such as 3-D (Massive Attack / The Wild Bunch) and Goldie (MBE), there are also excerpts from Style Wars as well. It followed some of Brim’s 1985 exploits in the UK from lecturing at Oxford to painting at public events and more. There was a lot of candid parts that focused on his interactions with people around the UK involved in graffiti and Hip Hop. It also looked at the political and racial aspects of life in the UK, with Wolverhampton and Birmingham featured, and how those struggles mirrored the struggles in New York. The documentary ended with Goldie visiting New York before ending back in the UK with the ultimate message that Graff Writers and Bombers, no matter where they come from, grew their artform from doing their best to create something positive from the tough and often impoverished inner city life.

Back to this release which brings the essence of those early days of Hip Hop back to us, and I can remember, as a 17-year-old, setting the video recorder to tape the programme and then eagerly watching it the following day. I am sure that the feeling I get from hearing this again, will be the same for many more of you out there that remember this Documentary and the music.

The 7 inch vinyl version features a Vocal Edit and Guitar Dub Mix Edit that has been edited by the labels creator DeeJay Skamrok and alongside that the digital release features the Full Length Vocal/Guitar Dub Mix, the Main Theme/Original Version and Bombin’ Beats. All of which have been remastered from cassette tape that was recently discovered in the collection of Bombin’ composer David Toop and is finally released here for the first time in its original form and features previously unheard mixes and verses from Brim.

I’ll kick things off with Bombin’ (Full Length Vocal – Guitar Dub Mix) where the bass and mix of electronic and scratch elements brings back that early electro/808 Hip Hop sound. There is also a rawness to the sound that very much echoes the vibe of the streets that graffiti grew from. Brim’s vocals have a slick flow and speak to you on the life of a graff writer, living for bombin’ the trains and dodging the law while seeking to bring some colour and brightness to the darkness of ghetto. Yo can feel the energy and the passion of Brim as he speaks on what it means to him being a writer, constantly practicing his art to be ready to get up on the next train or wall, in a constant battle with other writers to be bigger, bolder and fresher. The extended instrumental part of the track combines all the elements of what Hip Hop music was at the time and those guitar elements put you in mind of what Run DMC were doing too, with incorporating those rock riffs as part of the track. This is the version that was originally used in the Documentary.

Next up are the two tracks that have been edited by DeeJay Skamrok to form the 7-inch vinyl release. The Bombin’ (7” Vocal Edit) breaks the track down to size for the vinyl by losing the extended instrumental part of the full length version but keeping the essence of Brim’s vocals and that electro Hip Hop vibe, creating an edit for the A-Side that can easily rock both sides of the tracks. The B-Side Bombin’ (Dub Guitar Mix Edit) takes the instrumental elements of the full-length version and mixes them into the perfect instrumental version of the track. This edit is a solid soundtrack for the bombers and writers out there and you can feel the energy of being out, in the dead of night, getting your tags, throw ups and outlines done before moving onto the next piece, all the while looking over your shoulder for the cops…

The next mix here is the Bombin’ (Main Theme – Original Version) and, from the title, you might think this is the main version used for the documentary; however, only about 15 seconds of this version was ever used in the documentary, at around the 13:55 mark, just after the conversation with the old woman. This version is stripped back, losing the guitar elements and just keeping the bass, giving this an even more raw Hip Hop sound that will touch the hearts of anyone who was there back in the day, stirring up memories of the documentary or even their own early days of getting up or experimenting with tags and so on. For me, this is the version that stirred the most memories in me and my own days experimenting with tags and Graff, something I still do to this day.

Last but, not least is the Bombin’ (Beats) which brings you the basic beat that underpins all of the mixes and edits that have come before. There is something about that sampled hand clap from this and the Original Main Theme that just seems to scream early 80’s electro Hip Hop. I just get the feeling that this one is gonna be inspirational for producers out there right now, seeking to bring that old skool element back, perhaps Hip Hop needs to take it back before taking it forward?

 

If I’m honest, there is not much more you can say about this one except that this release is a crucial part of Hip Hop history that needed to be put out there and for DeeJay Skamrok / Unsettled Scores Records to be able to get this released is truly something special for the culture. In my opinion anyway.

Here we have two formats that true Hip Hop heads will love. The vinyl version encapsulates the sound and physical media that we all grew up with and anything that is resurrected or discovered languishing in obscurity, needs to have that vinyl format, even if just for nostalgia. The digital version allows us to have those expanded versions and mixes in a form where we can enjoy them but, that would need a vinyl album format to be made available in physical version. Now there’s a thought?

What is crucial about what Unsetted Scores Records is doing with this and its previous release, is giving new live to tracks that might otherwise have been lost to time and it is important to bring these back for the enjoyment of many more generations to come. Bombin’ being made available now is not just going to hype up us old skool heads but, will give the younger generations another slice of Hip Hop to enjoy and draw inspiration from.

Everything this release is took be back to that seventeen-year-old me, enjoying the music but, more than that I can now here Brim’s lyrics and every word of those lyrics, feeling the energy and just how much he put his personal experiences into every line so that we know exactly what it is to be a writer, bombin’ and owning the lines.

If anyone has any confusion regarding the naming of the tracks, this comes down to how they were originally named when received from David Toop. I’ll let DeeJay Skamrok explain: When David Toop sent me the tracks the original version was titled “Main Theme” and the one used in the film was simply titled “Dub Guitar Mix”, no mention of a vocal. Not wanting to mess with the original titles I just made slight changes but now I’m wishing I’d called the Main Theme something like “Original Demo”. So, I hope that helps clear things up a little for everyone.

I also have to shout out Exile who has done a wicked job recreating the logo from the documentary and bringing it back for the cover.

This is one to be celebrated as it shows the universal nature of Hip Hop, even then nearly 40 years ago, uniting people of all creeds and colours, across boundaries and oceans, just as it does now.

My humble thanks to DeeJay Skamrok for giving me the chance to reminisce and bring you my thoughts on this one and for his comments and information that helped no end in just polishing this one off.

Bombin’ is available now so grab those physicals before they sell out.

I’ll see ya next time,

Keep on Bombin’…

Steve.

LINKS

Grab you copy Here:

https://www.unsettledscoresrecords.com/

or here

https://unsettledscoresrecords.bandcamp.com/music

Unsettled Scores Records on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/unsettled_scores_records/

Brim on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/brim1tatscru/

Unsettled Scores Records YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@UnsettledScoresRecords

VIDEOS

Bombin' (Full Length Vocal - Guitar Dub Mix)

BOMBIN' Original Documentary 1988

Album Review: Lost In The Loophole by Frisco Boogie

 

Lost In The Loophole

By

Frisco Boogie

Its great to have Nottingham emcee Frisco Boogie back on the blog. I last featured him back in October last year with 50 From The Cradle and since them things have definitely been moving forward for him. This year he signed to Montener The Menace’s Hidden Hobby Records and his first release for the label is this nine track album, Lost In The Loophole.

As always Frisco Boogie does almost everything himself on this one, from writing and production up to arranging and, obviously, performing. He even designed the artwork too; you can’t get much more multitalented than that! The only thing he does not do is mixing and mastering, which is handled here by Mark Gamble. There are also features from DJ Glibstylez and the Local Healers to spice things up a little.

So, join me as I get Lost In The Loophole with Frisco Boogie…

 

Our journey into the loophole begins with Frisco Boogie’s most recent single release Lost. This one is really the album’s title track and has a heavy drum beat that is backed by this nerve tingling piano loop that brings your focus directly into the music and the lyrics. As you nod your head to the beat you can easily get lost in the music, which is really the whole message here. We live in a society where getting lost in anything is a challenge as we are often connected to the world in some way, shape and form but, music is something you can truly get lost in, no matter your tastes. As we get further into the loophole, you realise that things will come back around, the Same ol’ Same. The beat here keeps the heavy head nod beat but, the keys and electronic vibes bring a lighter vibe. Frisco Boogie tells it as it is, which is the fact that life is a loophole. We go through life, day to day, experiencing the same things, in the same places, going round in circles. Even holidays are only a short respite from the same ol’ same ol’. Piano notes draw you into Silence, a nerve-jangling mix of piano, drums and flute that has you questioning what’s going on. Featuring DJ Glibstyles on the cut, here we find Frisco Boogie detailing the value of those moments of silence; these moments can be the most valuable thing for us as choosing what you feel inside over a snap decision of reaction, can be the one thing that changes the outcome of where things will lead you and those around you, it can be the difference between a positive or a negative outcome. Just think about it, shutting up might be the best thing you ever did…

The Local Healers feature on the next track, March which has an infectious sound of another head nod beat, alongside hand drums and more that give this the kind od vibe you can drift away to. There is powerful message behind this one too, it is a celebration of the women in your life and the strength of their feminine energy. We will all have a special woman in our lives who bring a strength and power that guides and lifts us up. For some, it is just their mother, and for others it could also be your wife, friends and more. For me there is also a deeper message here, you can go beyond the respect and love for those women and find the strength of your own feminine energy, just because you are a man does not mean that you do not have that energy within; let the women in your lives help you to find it and all it brings. With such a powerful message still raw in your mind, a heavy beat kicks in and the drums, keys, guitars and vocal samples, bring an uplifting sound that still keeps you moving with Karma. This is a short little track that looks at the outcomes of our choices when those choices are made with less than positive intentions. In fact, karma comes with all the choices we make, it is just our intentions that decide how the karma affects us. Violin notes bring in No Answer, with xylophone, guitars and a solid drum beat, the vibe is one with a reflective edge. This one looks at all those times we sit and question what’s going on around us, our mind swimming in a see of questions but, try as we might, there seems to be to answers forthcoming from inside, even as we look externally for something that will help form those answers, nothing comes and those questions continue to float around, deep in our mind awaiting the time when an answer may be forthcoming. There is a short jazzy skit at the end of the track that is different to the vibe of the track and it kind of jumps out and surprises you, just like an old question arising or the sudden answer to an old question finally falling into place…

Field Of Crows hits with a pounding drum beat and sampled vocal sounds that give this one a questioning vibe, following on quite nicely from the last track. Frisco Boogie muses over questions of what it would be like to see through the eyes of a crow or even to be a crow. These are questions that scientific study of these birds is only beginning to give us insights to. Crows exhibit many of the traits that we humans do so, perhaps we are not that different? Maybe it would be a good thing to be able to experience how animals and birds see humans and how we treat them, as it might teach us a thing or two and help us treat them and each other in a better way? With those interesting thoughts in our heads, we move into the penultimate track of the album Turmoil In The Trenches. Horns, bass and keys compliment the beat, bringing with it a contemplative vibe. We find Frisco Boogie sat on a park bench, taking time out to watch as the loophole continues around him. Here he watches as life passes by and sees the turmoil that exists in the flow of the moment; a place where we all live, side-by-side but, not passing like ships in the night but, with a tension between us that brings with it a sense of not knowing what’s coming, either from other person directly but, also from outside, indirectly, with so much turmoil around us, sometimes you just have to sit on that park bench and take some time, just for you. The final track of the album is also the first single that was released, One Question. Eerie keys bring us into this one with some vocals that pose the one question we all come back to at some time in our lives; as the beat kicks in Frisco Boogie opens up in depth about not just that one question but, all the things that bring you to that moment, that question, go back over all those moments that brought you here to this single most important question and ask yourself, if you could relive one moment that would express everything about you before this point, where would you take yourself…

 

After listening to this album, you kind of find yourself thinking about things, questioning if you are really living in a loophole, and if you are is there really going to be a moment in which you come back to the beginning once more or will you reach a moment in which the loophole appears to end with one final question? In fact, is this life, this loophole just an on-going series of questions, some with answers and some without? Perhaps that is the purpose of this album and it’s a very ingenious concept, to leave the listener with more questions. It is also a very healthy energy, the more we keep our mind active the healthier it remains and if we have to question everything; then perhaps that what we do?

I love music and I do enjoy that listening to music allows you to get lost anywhere you want, there are no borders when it comes to getting lost in music, and more than that, I love it when the music I listen to gives me something to get my mind buzzing with thoughts and questions because that allows me to become creative with my words and Lost In The Loophole is one of those albums that does that, leaving you questioning everything long after the last beat and the last word have passed by.

I mean, even if you set aside how this album may affect you, you are left with an enjoyable album that has Hip Hop music at its core. Every beat is for those that enjoy the head nod style boom bap sound and will keep you moving from top to bottom, even if you chose not to immerse yourself in the deeper meaning of the tracks. You will also find that Frisco Boogie has an adept way of using his wordplay and insightful lyrics to good effect across the entire album. The appearances by DJ Glibstylez and Local Healers add the icing to the cake or the jam in the sponge, if you will, giving the album an extra dose of flavour that works so well but, first and foremost this is crafted by Frisco Boogie who knows exactly what he wants and expertly crafts it from words and music.

Overall, however you chose to listen to the album and whether you chose to immerse yourself in it or not, just enjoy it. This is a superb album for Frisco Boogie to bring as his debut on Hidden Hobby Records and shows why he is such a great signing for the label. Lost In The Loophole is most definitely one not to sleep on, in my humble opinion.

Lost In The Loophole is out now.

I’ll see ya next time, maybe with more questions, maybe not…

Steve.

LINKS

Get Lost in the Loophole on Bandcamp Here:

https://hiddenhobbyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/lost-in-the-loophole

https://friscoboogie.bandcamp.com/album/lost-in-the-loophole

Stream on Spotify Here:

https://open.spotify.com/album/

Hidden Hobby Records Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/hidden_hobby_records/

Frisco Boogie Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/friscoboogie/

https://www.facebook.com/friscoboogie

https://www.youtube.com/@friscoboogie11

Lost in the Loophole YouTube Playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kSsFaF5Ub8RghpXjWffJ89EytLt7EGA-w

VIDEOS

LOST

Silence ft DJ Glibstylez

Turmoil in the Trenches