EP Review + Bonus: The B-Line EP Vol.5 & Sunshine Single by Specifik X Chrome

 

B-Line EP Vol. 5

By

Various Artists

Bonus – Sunshine by Specifik x Chrome

 

Now this review is probably gonna come as a surprise to most people as I have not told anyone I’m doing this one. The B-Line EP series has been going since way back in 2013, and I happen to own volumes 3 and 4 which were gifted to me by Specifik at the first ever Rope-A-Dope for being the unofficial photographer on the day. It is the B-Line EP series that gave me one of my favourite UK tracks to date, Painkiller by Chrome and Illinspired ft Whirlwind D and Super JB which featured on Volume 4.

These EP’s have always been packed with top notch Hip Hop bangers to really get your adrenaline levels ramped up, giving you an insight into the some of the cream of the underground UK Hip Hop scene.

As a bonus I am going to give you my take on the hot new single Sunshine from Specifik and Chrome, so keep reading for that little bonus. I’m not going to give you any insight into who features on this one so read on for the lowdown.

So, without further ado, let’s get into it…

 

It all kicks off with a track that has been resurrected from the early 2000’s, Microphone Mathematics comes from the one and only Krash Slaughta and features Louis Falasha, Remark and Bandog. As you can probably guess this one hits max levels from the get-go as Krash hits us with a pulse pounding mix of horns and an infectious beat, alongside a wealth of cuts, scratches, and much more getting your body moving and your head nodding. This one is a trat for the eardrums and gives you exactly what you expect by adding three mics together, then multiplying by two turntables, dividing between four legendary figures, and subtracting nothing at all. Working this all out means the answer is total enjoyment and the freshest thing since sliced bread. If you were in any doubt as to whether things might ease back after that, think again as a huge beat explodes in your ears for Molar Rameses from Beattrix featuring the man Junior Disprol. This one has your adrenaline levels pushing past the red levels as Junior Disprol seizes your mind and rips your awareness apart with the kind of lyrical mastery that is second to none. All the while the beat kicks, the cuts slice, and the samples bring in the one Kool Keith. All in all, this one pushes your heart to the point of bursting with its shear hip hop purity. Now its time to bring the pulse levels down a little but, increasing the energy that vibrates through the body as Specifik and The Doozer bring us The Grift with beat that literally shakes the walls and the very core of your being. The guitars add a nice little edge while the beep monitors your heart rate. This one has The Doozer laying it all about those who engage in the swindling of the masses. Dropping little nuggets of information that form a larger scale misdirection, sucking people into their propaganda without even knowing it. The message here is really not to trust anything to hear in the media or from sources that stand close to the powers that be. Next up is Whirlwind D, Franky Roar and Djar One with International Swagger. This one has a heavy but laid-back beat with an orchestral backdrop that puts you in mind of some James Bond, espionage vibes, while the cuts hit with laser like precision. Whirlwind D seems to slip into his Double Agents persona here delivering intricate and intellectual lyrics that appear to show the trio promote their Hip Hop swagger while keeping their cloak and dagger exploits well and truly in the shadows; their one focus to prove to the world that Hip Hop lives through B-Line Business. The A-Side rounds off with Dancin’ With Life by Chrome. Time to take things to a more funk fuelled vibe as the multi-layered beat gets the energy levels pounding big time with a huge dancefloor sound. Listening to this one is not just infectious but, it takes over your whole body and mind, helping you understand that, through the music, you can feel how it intoxicates us all the same, making us move to the beat and feel the positive vibes that can easily unite us all.

Take to flip the wax over and continue this ride with Paul Nice (Fabreeze Brothers) featuring AG (D.I.T.C. & Show and A.G.) with For Old Times Sake. A pounding beat and big horns combine with razor-sharp cuts to bring the kind of sound that gets the head nodding from the get-go and screams Hip Hop from the roof tops. AG brings that golden era Hip Hop lyricism, with a hint of braggadocio for good measure, making it known that sometimes, you just gotta do things one more time for old times’ sake. This kinda speaks for itself right here so enjoy. Now, you might think its gonna be hard to follow that but, now its time for the UK’s legendary Evil Ed to step up with Every Time, which features Habitat, Chrome, Cappo and Donnie Proppa, and that line up alone gets the pulse racing. The beat is heavy with a dash or two of cuts and a chilled out horn sound that gets the head nodding while bringing a focus to the lyrics. The message in this one is pretty simple and is all about the universal language of Hip Hop. The message is in the combination of the lyrics and the music that all comes together in one cohesive moment, just as the diverse peoples of the world can all come together, and it is the universal love of music that does it every time. Next Up is Miracle and Deeflux with I Forgot, bringing a heavy funk vibe to proceedings with a wicked beat with guitar and keys, combining with slick cuts for the kinda sound that gets you swaying. This one might sound like a little journey into one person’s forgetfulness but, there is a deeper part to this if you really listen to Deeflux. It speaks on how forgetfulness can be a precursor to something much more challenging for a family and it is important to be aware of this, because things such as dementia can affect us all so deeply. After such a deep edge to the last track, the B-Line EP Vol 5 rounds off with a due who got together back before B-Line Recordings, Specifik and Project Cee with The Medley. The beat on this one really takes you back to those early days. This one takes you places you might have forgotten as Specifik lays down some slick breaks that many of you will remember while Project Cee gives us the kind of lyrics that remind us of why we fell in love with Hip Hop in the first place. The Medley, which was originally recorded back in 2002 for live shows only between 2002-2004, is a reminder of what can be achieved by those who have a deep love for the music and what to create something out of that love for those who share that love, the love of Hip Hop…

 

What the B-Line EP Vol. 5 does is to take you from the shores of the UK, across the pond and back again. It gives you the kind of experience that, felt to me like experiencing the live Rope-A-Dope events on vinyl, it really had that vibe about it. It was a treat for Hip Hop music lovers that really felt like B-Line Recordings was putting out something for the fans as much as anything. This EP does not just celebrate UK or US Hip Hop but, brings you the kind of listening experience that leaves you breathless and wanting much more. This EP has the calibre of artists that gets you excited just by reading the hype sticker on the cover, just as each one has done over the years and yeah, I must get Vols 1 and 2 sometime too.

I’m not gonna say too much about this one because, for me, the EP speaks for itself, and I have probably said enough about it already. So, it you have heard this one already, then you will know exactly what I’m talking about, and if you have not heard it yet, then why not? You need to get on this one now, because this release is what B-Line Recordings is all about, giving you, the listener the best audible experience you can get, and reminding you that Hip Hop music is alive and well here in the UK and beyond.

The B-Line EP Vol 5 is available now and there are still a few vinyl’s out there so jump on this one quick.

 

Now it’s time for that bonus review of the latest single release from B-Line Recordings, Sunshine (Gotta Get Away) by Specifik x Chrome.

This one has a nice heavy beat with chilled out Guitar, bongos, Horns and more. When all combined this one has such an upbeat sound, especially with that sung chorus, that really does put you in mind of those summer vibes, listening to dopest beats. Chrome reminisces and takes us back to the eighties with memories of breakin’, electro beats, and playing your tapes so much they got distorted or broke. There will be many of us older heads out there who will be touched by this one, it reminds me of the days we would hop on the train from Southampton to London, to check out all the big stores for new trainers and then tour the independent and second hand music stores, trying to find the latest releases or something we had been wanting for a while. We even tagged the trains and buses along the way, because that’s what we did back then, those were the days…

Specifik and Chrome have really knocked this one out the park and created a single that is not just something that has that summer anthem vibe but, it really takes you back to a time when you were younger, had little to care about except what Hip Hop culture was all about.

For me, Sunshine (Gotta Get Away) takes the biscuit as the number one summer track. It is also out on a very limited run of 30 7” vinyl, so catch one of you can (Think these are now all sold out! Sorry Peeps).

 

I have to give huge shouts here to Shaun Dowling at Hip Hop Be Bop for giving me the chance to bring you my take on the EP and to Specifik for the single promo, which I just had to include here.

 

So, till next time, Enjoy the sunshine and the B-Line Business.

Steve.

LINKS

Grab Your Copies of Both Below:

https://thecoldkrush.bigcartel.com/product/various-artists-the-b-line-ep-vol-5-12-b-line-recordings-bln041

https://hiphopbebop.com/product/various-artists-the-b-line-ep-vol-5/

https://thecoldkrush.bigcartel.com/product/specifik-sunshine-gotta-get-away-featuring-chrome

Specifik on Bandcamp:

https://djspecifik.bandcamp.com/

Chrome on Bandcamp:

https://chrome.bandcamp.com/music

VIDEOS

Sunshine (Gotta Get Away)

 

 

 

 

Album Review: Revolutionary by Kema Vs Kings

 

REVOLUTIONARY

By

Kema Vs Kings

 

Revolutionary is the debut offering from the duo of Kemastry (CMPND) and producer King Boyden.

Before I get into things, here is a quick low down, for those who don’t know, about Kemastry and King Boyden.

Kemastry (Brighton) was a member of the pioneering Brighton based Team Dreebs and also the VooDoo Collective. He formed CMPND in 2018 alongside Wundrop and Vitamin G, and shortly after this they were signed to High Focus Records.

King Boyden (Oxford) is a Hip Hop producer who dropped the Suave Es Todo mixtape back in 2013 which featured, among others, Cappo. His production has also featured on a number of releases by  Inner Peace Records in the UK.

Now you have some idea of who these guys are, lets get to the task at hand. Revolutionary dropped back at the beginning of March this year (2025) and comes on the back of Kemastry facing jail time for criminal damage during a protest against Elbit Systems, the largest manufacturer of arms for Israel. It was these sustained protests that eventually let to the company losing its UK export licence.

The inspiration for this release comes from some deep sources and is noted in the press release material: Drawing inspiration from Kendrick Lamar’s Section 80, Huey Newton’s Revolutionary Suicide, the passion and power of Fred Hampton’s teachings, the nihilistically enlightened philosophy of Jim Carrey, conversations on apathy between Earl Sweatshirt and his mother, and the spiritual wisdom of Kekishrew Sidhwa’s Zoroastrian beliefs, Revolutionary is an attempt to inspire revolution and offer solutions to both simultaneously rebel and find peace.

With such a huge focus on huge subjects such as BLM matters, Police brutality and the drive to free the Palestinian people, alongside some incredibly powerful philosophical and spiritual beliefs and beyond, you really get the feeling that this album is going to be a very powerful release, and that’s even before you actually listen to it!

Alongside the production from King Boyden there are a few features to note from CMPND crew mate Vitamin G, Rawz and DeSide.

With all that said, its time for me take a deep dive into Revolutionary and give you my thoughts…

 

The album is only six tracks long, which some might feel is only EP length But let’s not judge here and get straight into it with Stankotic. This one features Vitamin G and Rawz alongside Kemastry, bringing us a deep beat that is back with some melodic piano vibes which gives this the kinda sound that grips your focus while still letting you nod your head. This one really seems to speak on the who so many people are just apathetic to the struggles of others. But its not just the struggles of others, it is also how those in a place of power conduct themselves and paint themselves as having a valid reason for doing what they are doing, even if they are perpetrating a genocide against an entire nation. They make themselves look to be the victim and therefore to validated in what they are doing. These types of behaviours go on at all levels of ruling and governing bodies throughout the world in the so called developed world. Its time to be mindful and to drop the apathy, then we can really see the truth of what is going on around us. Up next is Section 80 (I am Revolutionary) which has a proper head nod vibe to it with horns in the background carrying you along and giving the sound a deeper edge. Section 80 refers to the powers police have to stop and search you if they suspect a crime might be, or about to be, committed. But, this track goes beyond that at looks at society and all of the things that happen or are perpetrated against us, that can push us to the point where we say enough is enough, its time to stand up and make our voices know, and when you do this, you revolutionise your thinking and you seek to revolutionise what happens in society around you and they way you are treated, and you become revolutionary. Pantarei switches the sound and the flow, taking on a more modern type of sound with keys taking the forefront and a fractured beat that only pushing forward to bring more strength to the words. This one is almost a spoken word track where the focus looks at the flow of life and how everything appears to be collapsing around us. Society exploits the most vulnerable and marginalised among us, with those who have the money, keep the money and make everyone else pay, eventually pushing many to the point of no return in many ways. One way out of this is a way that is juxtaposed to what you hear but, is the very definition of the title of the track. Pantarei comes from the philosophy of Heraclitus, the 6^th Century Greek philosopher, and is all about the flow of life and the fact we are all constantly changing, and by that definition we can change for the better just by changing our thoughts, our intentions, and focusing on a better future, if we don’t do this, then life will continue on a downward spiral to its ultimate end.

Happily brings an upbeat vibe from a solid head nod beat and a background of xylophone notes bringing a chilled element. That upbeat vibe from the beat is mirrored across the lyrics, as Kemastry delivers a couple of verses that speak to you on a higher level, asking you to look past all that negativity that invades your life every day; and to really live you live in the best way possible, being the greatest expression of your true self. Let go of the apathy and the agony and find that spiritual expression of who you truly are and let that be your guide on the path of life. The positivity continues with New Dawn, where DeSide joins the journey with us. Here the chilled beat, keys and guitars all combine to bring a sound that reflects the fact that the sun has broken through the dark clouds and in now shining upon us with a loving warmth. This one has a reflective vibe to it, looking back at all the struggles and the hurdles that life places in front of us, and speaking on how we overcome those that truly show who we are as a person and the strength and resolve we carry to express our true selves. Beyond that is shows who we as a part of the one true people, the one true tribe that live on this earth. It is a selfish lust for power that has created divide and separation but, when you truly consider everything, we are all one. Rebel (Ms Hills Outro) is the final track of the album and brings a chilled kind of sound where the keys and faint sound of horns lift you up before the soulful vocal sample carries you to a place where you listen intently to what is being said. Here we are treated to the words that define what it is to Rebel while simultaneously finding peace. This may seem like a strange concept to understand but, speaking out and standing up for what you truly believe, does not always mean fuelling the fire of rage and taking a violent stance to make your point; you can still Rebel from a place of inner peace, because then you will be able to find the most powerful way to make you point heard without harming anyone, and this will make a point that can be felt the world over, in all the hearts of those who can feel…

Now, normally in summing up I would begin by talking about the impact the music and words had on me but, I just want to take a slight detour here. There has been a lot of talk, recently, about albums being released that have a short overall runtime with multiple short tracks; and I am sure that some might say that about Revolutionary. However, whether you consider this to be an album or EP length, one thing that is without doubt here is that Revolutionary packs more into its six tracks and twenty one minute runtime, than many full length albums do. Kemastry packs so much into this album you forget the timings because it is speaking to you on a higher level, one that stays with you long after the last bar has been laid down.

There is an impact here that will not fail to touch you, the depth of the words and the emotive nature of the beats, will have you returning to this one time and again. Revolutionary is infused with a passion and a strength that you can literally feel in the depth of your being. It will get you thinking about the world around you and those who are the victims and those who are the perpetrators. It will have you thinking of how you can best take a stand while still feeling and promoting a supreme level of peace, and it will also make you realise that there is a time for taking action, which is not always with a show of force, but that’s not to say that the use of force does not have its place for the revolutionary who is seeking to make a point.

Kemastry brings some deeply emotive story telling with intelligent wordplay that entertains as much as it instructs and supports. The realism here that comes from personal experience, something that is invaluable when you are speaking to people about the subjects that the album touches on; that authentic energy helps you feel how much this one comes from a place deep inside and is delivered with a desire to help people as much as it does to serve as an open book on how to find peace but still be a revolutionary.

The words are the backbone and the brain of this album, but the body is the solid production from King Boyden, who brings classic Hip Hop production tinged with elements of modern vibes and many other influences which all combine with Kemastry to give us a spiritual revolutionary figure, infused with everything that is needed to be a true wise man in the world. That wise spiritual creation brings together those other elements, who guest on the album, who each bring a depth of storytelling that further strengthens and deepens what this album achieves.

Revolutionary is one you do not want to miss. It is an album that opens you up to knowledge and a new way to stand up and speak up on the injustices that you see around you.

There is also a zine that is available alongside the album. It features artwork from China Rose Jordan (who also did the album artwork) and inspirational quotes and insights from Kemastry. It comes with a digital copy of the album too. So, be sure to check that out too if you can.

Revolutionary is out now and is waiting for you to listen in.

 

My humble thanks to Kemastry for giving me the chance to bring this one to you.

 

I’ll see you next time.

Peace out.

Steve.

LINKS

Get your copy on Bandcamp Here:

https://kemastry.bandcamp.com/album/kema-vs-kings-revolutionary 

Kemastry Linktree:

https://linktr.ee/Kemastry

Kemastry on Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/donald_surfaces/

 King Boyden Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/king_boyden/

https://www.facebook.com/KingBoydenBeats

VIDEOS

Rebel (Ms Hills Outro)