Album Review: The Craft by K-Saulz & Diffhop

 

The Craft

By

K-Saulz & DiffHop

 

It was way back in March of 2022 that K-Saulz and production duo DiffHop dropped The Abstract Arsonist EP, a release that lit a fire under the floor of the UK scene, making people sit up and take notice of the guys from South Wales. They also released a single, Stranger, in July that year, keeping up the hype from the EP.

Now the guys are back, on Bard Picasso Records, and this time with a full album, The Craft, to treat us to more of their brand of Hip Hop. With one single, Lost In Space ft BMellow & Harkos, already under their belt, this release promises a wealth of boom bap beats and slick rap vocals.

Let’s not hang around here and get straight into it…

 

Puzzles is the little intro here that gives us this little soundscape that is rooted in guitar notes while it gives us a little insight into what is to come as the sampled vocal describes how words form the basis of rap and how getting deep into how you use words is the foundation of the emcees craft. Words are like blank jigsaw pieces and the emcee is the one crafting something special from what is before him. From there we move straight into the albums title track, The Craft. Opening with a sample from Silence Of The Lambs, it features Brighty and DJ Jaffa on the cut; the beat drops with drums, bass and a heavy violin sample, which gives this a deep atmospheric vibe. The Craft is, of course, the art of emceeing and of taking a jumble of words, phrases, similes, and metaphors, and then creating something that has meaning, depth and can be instantly relatable or enjoyed by the listener; and all done to a beat that helps to solidify the message or that sense of fun that is being conveyed. With just a brief moment to consider what the craft of emceeing is and what it means to the emcee, we are catapulted, by words and music, beyond the confines of the planet, to where we find ourselves Lost In Space. The one track to have features and where we find BMellow (UK) and Harkos (US) joining the crew. A heavy beat and strings combine to create the kind of soundscape that helps you imagine floating in the endless universe or just closing your eyes and floating within your own mind. How you see it is your choice as the emcees spin tales that are as at home in the here and now as they are as the memories of those floating aimlessly among the stars.

An uplifting, chilled out vibe of Keys, drums, and strings, brings a thoughtful air on Pulverise while the pounding beat keeps you moving. Clever wordplay sees K-Saulz spin an audible kaleidoscope around what it is to live our lives. Listening to the words that twist and turn in your mind really is like the ups and downs of daily life as you do your best to makes ends meet and get the most from every moment. Ahead of the Game is another short skit that continues the narrative from Puzzles, further elaborating on the process of writing and creating as an emcee. Strings and drums are the main component of the soundscape for Silence is deadly, this creates a vibe that seems to have you on edge as you listen. This fits perfectly as this one is all about the anticipation, the pause before something happens; in that moment anything is possible as the mind awaits what is to come, sometimes knowing and sometimes unknowing, that brief moment is the place where dreams can be born and crushed or where a moment of peace seemingly becomes the opposite what it truly is…

Nightmare On Self Street has this sound of keys, drums and strings that creates this deep dark vibe. This perfectly fits with this tale of the dark and confused moments in the mind, where nothing seems to fit or make sense and we begin to question everything around us; just until that moment we wake and wonder if that nightmare was all just a dream or if we did just live it? These moments where we question our sanity can often lead to moments of clarity, we just need to write it down and try to understand the true meaning behind it. Synth vibes draw us into Crossbone before the beat drops and gets your head nodding to this brooding sound that wouldn’t be out of place in a horror movie. Featuring Dick Dastardly and DW Smith, the whole track is like an unapologetic, X-Rated brutal assault on your eardrums and your mind. There are no punches pulled and no fucks given on this one, and the more you listen the more it sounds like John Carpenter meets Hip Hop, so enjoy. Crazy Chicks, featuring A Gent Orange, then drops with an easier going sound that has a bit more a tongue-in-cheek vibe about it. This one is like an alternative love story that focuses on the kind of women you can’t help but, love even though they might not be the most trustworthy; there is just something about them that’s gets you hooked every time.

Let Me Tell You has that summer vibe about it with an uplifting soulful vibe of drums, guitar, and strings. The vibe here is all about those days when your parents were away and you were home alone and so you got a huge party organised, one that goes so well, at least to start with, before quickly spiralling out of control into a 24-hour session that you realise has gone so bad when you parents pull up in the driveway. Saxophone and strings help us float into The Dark Passenger, featuring The Honest Poet, then the beat drops with a piano heavy sound and bringing a deeper thoughtful vibe. This is an emotive tale of addiction and broken, fractured relationships and how they can so deeply affect all those around them. As much as this shows the pain and suffering that can be caused, especially within the family unit, it is also a cautionary tale that shows we all have a choice to make; we can bury our own pain, or we can share it with those around us and let them help us find a road to recovery. The penultimate and last full track of the album is You Made Me which has a deep emotive sound created by Keys, strings, harp, and drums. A beautiful track that explores those who make us who we are, from our children, our mothers, our wives, these are the ones who can be so close to us and make us look at who we are, changing us to one of the truest expressions of our true self. The moments we share with our loved ones are the moments which can change our lives for the good and for always. The album ends with the Outro Skit – Doom, wise words on inspiration from MF DOOM.

 

The Craft is a rollercoaster ride of sound and content that explores just how expressive the art of rap and Hip Hop music can truly be. You can almost sum it up in that one sentence alone, although there is a lot more to it than that alone.

What K-Saulz and DiffHop (Dave Pearce & Lee Hardy) have is to explore not just what it is to be an emcee and how they do what they do but, also what it means to be an emcee, someone whose craft is to play with words and meanings, and then to create entertaining and expressive music that connects with the listener. If you truly think about it the emcee has to connect with the producer, the DJ, the guest artists and the listeners; without those connections the music will not be all it could be.

K-Saulz and DiffHop have that connection that allows them to bring out the best in each other and making their sound have that edge that not only sounds great but, feels great too. That leads to a connection with the guest artists and a mutual respect that further deepens the sound and feel of the album. All of that coming together creates the connection to the listener who can feel the energy created by those connections, and they relate to every track with a message and just enjoy the vibe of those that are just for fun or expressing the complex wordplay, and that will make them want to hear more. So, there is an aspect of the album that is about connection but, it is also about K-Saulz cleaver, expressive and intricate wordplay; it is about DiffHop and their slick production which creates a whole audible experience.

Overall, The Craft is a solid album that has one foot rooted firmly in the roots of Hip Hop music, while the other foot is never rooted anywhere but, is constantly searching out new avenues to explore and bring to the music. There are emotive tracks that deal with some tricky subjects in a sensitive way and there are tracks that also just display the fun you can have with wordplay. There is a bit of everything here that will make it highly entertaining but, it’s definitely not for younger ears.

The Craft is out on 28^th October on Bard Picasso Records, and I highly suggest you give this one a listen, you won’t regret it.

On that Note,

I’m outta here.

Steve.

LINKS

Get your copy of the album through Bandcamp Here:

https://k-saulz.bandcamp.com/album/the-craft-lp

The Craft streaming links Here:

https://songwhip.com/ksaulz/thecraft

Get you copy of the album and check everything K-Saulz on his official Website:

https://www.k-saulz.co.uk/

 

EP Review: Red and Blue by Unity

 

Red and Blue

By

Unity

 

I originally received this EP last August on its release but, one thing led to another, and I didn’t get round to reviewing it So, I decided that now was the time. Unity is one of those who has sent a few things my way in the last couple of years, including a T-Shirt, and I am very grateful for that.

So, before I get into the EP let me introduce you to Unity. She is a DJ, BGirl, and graffiti writer from Cardiff in Wales. She grew up in Mid-Wales on a diet of guitar bands, discovering funk and Hip Hop via the Beastie Boys. Unity began her lyrical journey via spoken word and gives a poetic, clear delivery of real-life stories which cut deep. Influenced by Taskforce and Kae Tempest, Unity has been recognised for her understanding of Hip Hop culture and its applications in community settings. She is a founding member of the Ladies of Rage network and has spoken at events by Bristol University, Cardiff’s Festival of Voice and as far afield as Hong Kong University. She has also written a chapter for a global Hiphopography book by professors from the universities of Hong Kong and Western Cape (South Africa). Her debut EP ‘Progress is a Process’ was released in 2020, closely followed by ‘Garden of My Soul’ in February 2021. Her debut album ‘Diving Deeper’ came in November 2021 with This EP Red and Blue in 2022, both of which were released through Bard Picasso (the label she has since parted ways with).

So, in just a few short years Unity has accomplished a lot and that’s not to mention her stunning graffiti artwork as well, so with all that in mind, join me as I take you on a ride through Red and Blue…

The EP kicks off with the title track Red and Blue which features Wolfgang Von Vanderghast and is produced by Billy Phono. Fractured electric guitar vibes and mellow piano guide us in before the drum beat drops triggering a release of adrenaline fuelling every inch of your body. The mix of drums, piano and the nerve shredding guitar brings a vibe that toys with your mind, constantly bouncing from one vibe to the next and this fits so well with the overall feeling of the track. Unity and Vanderghast explore the deep questions of who or what we are in the grand scheme of things. These are questions that often rattle around in our minds, especially after a life changing event. When that happens, we constantly question who we are, what is the greatest expression of true self? How does it fit into the grander scheme of things and do we even understand what reality is? With all those questions and more now vying for a place in our mind, sharp piano notes fill our awareness and switching our focus back to the music. High Street Bullshit, produced by Rollo, has a melodic beat which has this deep feel to it. Unity uses a more spoken word to her delivery as she takes us on a trip through the rundown areas of Swansea where graffiti writers unite to combat the conflicts and the struggles of a society that never wanted people to come together but, to always be against each other. The music and vibe of Unity’s words here almost feel like the ghost of the past has come to guide the listener through these visions of pain before guiding you to a better outlook as those you see seek to overcome their hurdles through visual expression and creativity.

With that vision of a better future still floating in your head the EP moves on with Faith Makers, produced and mixed by Leone Vuetivavalagi and featuring Missy G. Drums and sonic sounds merge here to create a futuristic vibe. Unity takes a look at the pain and suffering around the world and how this can often seem so overwhelming to many of us. There is another side to this as well, we are all human beings we have enough empathy, wisdom, and the power to fill our lives with positive outlooks and the power to bring that positivity, through our own actions, to those who suffer around us. The vibe of this track almost makes it feel like your future self is looking back to pain of the past and sees the power we have to bring change through our own focused energy. There is no time to sit back and consider what you have heard already as Dead Boy Walking drops, produced by DW Smith, and featuring Skunkadelic and Stabitha. The beat has a head nod vibe with vocal samples giving it an almost haunting quality, which fits perfectly with the stories being brought to light here. These distressing stories focus on the plight of children whose parents, through neglect or intention, held their children back, seeking to claim benefits by not teaching their children the fundamentals of life like how to talk or how to use the toilet, instead only putting them in front of a screen. For someone who is a parent, these stories touch the deepest part of you, making you wonder how people could be so desperate as to put money before their child’s welfare and development. Moving into the final track of the EP there is a real consideration as to what might be next but, that only lasts a split second before Running hits, produced by Unity, and featuring Stabitha with cuts from DJ Veto, acoustic guitar and drums create this upbeat vibe that provides the light at the end of the tunnel. The message here is really about who you are, and that you need to look at you and who you are. When you take that time to pause and consider you, ask yourself, “Am I running towards myself or away from myself”? If you are running away, what are you running from? If you are running towards yourself, are you truly ready to meet the real you? Whatever the answer is, the real you is there waiting for the moment you can embrace each other…

 

What is striking about Red and Blue is the depth and the clarity of what is being put across here. Unity puts across these deep reflections of life in such a way that you feel them deep inside, just as if you were stood watching or were even the one experiencing what was happening in that moment. It also brings up feeling from within, perhaps emotions from your own personal experiences are rekindled as you listen. The clarity with which Unity expresses her words is what opens you up to the feelings. You hear every word, understand each sentiment and emotive expression.

What is also immediately evident here is that Red and Blue undoubtedly has its roots in Hip Hop, there are some other influences that come through from the producers but, all the production here is solid and really serves to enhance the emotive vibe of each track. Just as the producers elicit those feels, so it is with the guest artists here. Each one creates perfect balance track to track adding depth along the way. It really makes for stunning listening experience from top to bottom.

I couldn’t go without talking about Unity as an emcee here. She displays this clarity of vocalisation that obviously comes from her experience in spoken word, and it serves to open up her verses so that you can easily get into them word by word and get this sense of what she is putting across. I like her mix of styles matching the rap style with the spoken word and adding that real emotive depth to every subject that always touches the listener. You really have to listen and allow the words to sink in here.

Overall, Red and Blue is a strong emotive project that many of you will be able to associate with and feel both touched and entertained by. It really displays the strength of Unity as both a Hip Hop head and a storyteller. It opens the listener up to the reality of living in Wales, in the now and in a way that is easily relatable and heard no matter where you live. Unity is one to watch in Hip Hop, mark my words.

Red and Blue is available now and don’t forget to check her Graff art too, links below.

My huge thanks to Unity for sending me this and everything else and for the bio which I used a great portion of in italics at the start of the review.

On that Note,

I’m Out,

See Ya.

Steve.

LINKS

All the links you need for the EP and everything Unity are via this Linktree:

https://linktr.ee/ameliaunity

VIDEOS

Red and Blue ft Wolfgang Von Vanderghast