Smoke On The
Water
By
Joe Blow
Smoke on the Water is a six track EP that was
released back at the beginning of May this year through Veteran Records. Due to
unforeseen circumstances, I have had to delay the review until now.
Joe Blow is a veteran of the South Wales Underground and an
emcee, producer and DJ. Smoke On The Water sees him teaming up with
legendary Cardiff producer AckoBeatzuk, who produces the project, and the
equally legendary DJ Jaffa, who provides all the cuts and scratching. Just
looking at that line-up makes you want to stop everything and hit play.
This review will be the first time I have featured Joe Blow
on his own solo project. However, I did feature him as a guest on 4Dee’sShots Fired album from 2023. Joe had a very early introduction to music as
his mother would put a radio under his pram as a baby to help him sleep. Later
he would play records from his brothers’ collection, on his brothers’ turntable
while he was out, and would still do the same but, on his own turntable once he
had one. In fact, it was discovering the 12 inch single of RUN DMC’s My Adidas,
that would influence Joe’s musical tastes and dress code from that moment
onwards. Later, Joe would go on to form the group Undecorated Veteranz,
alongside 4DEE and the late DJ Stagga. Now, with over thirty years in the game
Joe Blow is looking to cement his place in Hip Hop history…
The EP kicks off with Break Away where strings take
the forefront, with a sprinkle of horns, over the solid head nod beat. This
creates this vibe that brings feelings of summer days and sun filled winter
getaways. Here Joe cleverly spins stories that are full of retrospective
insights that speak of the situations and people you have to break away from in
order to walk forward in life and your career. This is something that we can
all associated with as we look back on our lives. There is a lot here that speaks
on making the most of your life and always walking forward even if there are
things and those you have to leave behind to do that, never let yourself get
held back. Ride or Die sees the drums softened into the background as
guitar and horn vibes take centre stage. This gives the whole sound a vibe that
has that mariachi feel to it. Here that storytelling vibe speaks deeply on
connecting with that special someone. A person who is more that just a
significant other but, who is your best friend and has your back, no matter the
situation. Less of a love story and more of a dedication to a love that runs
deep. This is all finished off with some classic cuts from DJ Jaffa. We move
into the half-way point of the EP with Super Nova. This one has a heavy
guitar sound which gives this one a rock rap sound that tears the speakers open
with the force of sun at the end of its life. This one is a platform for Joe
Blow to set the stories and messages aside and literally just go all in and
drop some insatiable bars that show the quality and intricacy of his wordplay.
So, sit back and slap this one on and just bounce to it…
We cross the tipping point easily with Count Of Three
where organ notes, guitars and psychedelic vibes merge with banging drum beat
to give us the kinda sound that transcends the traditional sound of 3D world,
taking you places unknown. Here we find Joe letting go of the world around him,
not to just spit some sick rhymes but, to open up to the fact that sometimes to
find the peace in the world it takes the smoking of a certain plant to aid
taking to that place where you can that let go of reality and darkness in the
world and find another place where you can find that peace and write the right
rhymes. There is a feint air of the psychedelic vibe on Ten Outta Ten,
where the beat is mixed with a harpsichord sound that helps blur the edges of
reality once more. Here Joe is laying out all his cards on the table with a
dash of braggadocio as he drops bars that tell us exactly what he is all about
and how the work that goes into those bars makes that a solid Ten Outta Ten
every time, and after listening to this one, I think you’ll agree. The Ep ends
with High Noon, this one has a heavy sound that has this sound that
seems to invade your mind with needle like sounds that keep you focused on the
words while the cuts vibrate those needle like sounds, bringing a sound that is
like funk on sci-fi. With this one the get the sense that Joe is basically
saying that there comes a time when you have to stand and face what’s in front
of you or maybe what’s within you? Whatever
it is that you stand and face, and for whatever the reason is, even if it is
for a life of peace, you need to stand and face it for you, because you can’t
face it for anyone else. This is his and your high noon, the point that
everything has been flowing towards…
There is no doubt here that Smoke On The Water is a solid
masterclass from Joe Blow. It has everything you could want from witty rhymes
to complex wordplay, with polished flows too boot. Joe perfectly demonstrates why
he is a veteran in the game. He does not let up or play safe but, gives
everything 100%, giving us a release that stand up as one of the best so far
this year; and if we are speaking of it being one of the best, then can’t
overlook DJ Jaffa on the cut, who always delivers, or incredible soundscapes from AckoBeatzuk,
who has delivered a variety of sounds, all of which are rooted in the Hip Hop
sound.
There really is not a whole lot more I can say that what I
have already done so but, if you enjoy this one as much as I did then you will
find yourself coming away from that with adrenaline buzzing through your veins
and a deep desire to listen again while searching through Joe’s back catalogue
on Bandcamp to see what else you can sink your ears into. This EP does do that;
it makes you want to hear more from all involved. But what it does more than
anything is to well and truly cement Joe Blow’s status into the annuls of Hip
Hop history, not just in Wales or the UK, but into Hip Hop as a whole. It’s a
bold statement I know but, there is just something about that witty, no
nonsense style that says he deserves to be there.
So, if you have not heard this one yet, then I humbly advise
you to give it a listen now, because you won’t regret it and will probably love
it.
My humble thanks go to 4DEE for giving me the chance to
bring you this one. Also, a huge sound out to Wordplay Magazine for the
insights I gained through their interview with Joe.
I’ll see ya next time.
Steve.
LINKS
Get the EP from Bandcamp Here:
https://joeblow1977.bandcamp.com/album/smoke-on-the-water
Joe Blow on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/
Joe Blow on Insta:
https://www.instagram.com/joeblow01/
Smoke On The Water YouTube Playlist:
VIDEOS
Ride or Die (ft DJ Jaffa)
High Noon (ft DJ Jaffa)
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