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://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)
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