Album Review: Rose Hill by Deeq X Mankub

 

Rose Hill

By

DEEQ x Mankub

 

Rose Hill is a recent release from Deeq, who has featured on the blog before, and comes with production from Mankub and is released through awesome Gold On The Mixer label, where both are label mates.

I have always found that Deeq always brings a deep intellectual wordplay to his releases, as I have noted on my previous reviews, Kuru by Flooded Hallways (Deeq and Nemrot) and Salamander (2025) which featured production from Farma G, so expect this one to be no different. There are also appearances from Raz Ghoul, EF Knows, Jaroo and Amos, just to put the icing on the cake.

Rose Hill is an ode to Deeq's childhood, Rose Hill brims with brooding intent. Where the listener is transported to a low-income council estate, in one of the most deprived areas of Oxford, circa '88. With those thoughts running through your mind, it makes you think that this album is likely to be deeply personal, bringing some dark imagery that might well touch some of you in different ways. Especially those of us who grew up in the eighties or who might have experienced a similar upbringing in different, or even the same areas.

Bearing that in mind, lets see what happens when Deeq and Mankub transport us to Rose Hill…

 

Over and Out (Intro) takes us into the album with a nerve shredding sound that has a dark edge and sets the tone for the album. It has this vibe that seems to drag you away from the reality you are living in, giving you a blank screen to project the imagery on to, that you are about to be given. Ashhurst Way hits with a heavy sound that is backed by guitars and keys that give you this Italian air to things. Here the scene is set for us as we get an introduction and a look at how Deeq dressed and presented himself during those times. How you meet the world says a lot about you and the way you dress, the labels on the clothes and even down to how you cut your hair gives you that recognisable street look, which many of us can remember from those times, it was about making the statement that, this is me and this is who I’m down with.

Fool’s Errand brings a multi-layered sound that softens the beat into the background, bringing this nerve-jangling sound to the forefront, kind of putting you on edge. There is definitely an edge to this one, something that put me in mind of the foolish things we all did as youngsters, getting involved in altercations and pushing back at all the things that we didn’t want to vibe with, even though, most of the time, our efforts would amount to little of nothing. But we did what we did because we thought we knew best. From images of the rougher side of things, we move to Talisman, which features Ras Ghoul. The sound here returns the beat to the forefront, backed by this organ sound that tweaks your nerves in a different way, almost giving you this floating feeling. That feeling is what a talisman brings to you, a feeling of calm in the midst of a storm. You get the feeling that the storm here is the altercations and peer pressure of living on a housing estate, where just stepping outside your front door was a test of your resolve.

Toulouse-Lautrec has a far more relaxed feel to it as the xylophone, keys and double-bass notes mix with the laid-back beat to give you a bit of a breather from the heavy feel of the album thus far. This is Deeq’s ode to the French painter, his works and legacy. As much as this is a breather for the listener, you also feel that it mark’s an important part of Deeq’s youth, studying the life and work of the painter was probably a welcome aside from pressures of life growing up on the estate in Oxford. Black Summerz brings a funk fuelled sound that does not rely on a heavy drumbeat but has this sound that has an air of sharpness to it, rather that a heaviness. Listening to this one gives you a sense of what it was like to live back then during the summer break when you were left to your own devices and had to find ways to fill your days. Sometimes your days were filled with writing and sometimes with running and hiding. While the break from school was great, it also left you more open to stresses and strains of live beyond the front door, which could mean a whole host of unknown situations to navigate on any given day.

We move to the albums penultimate track Precision, which features EF Knows, Jaroo and Amos, alongside Deeq. Mankub brings a thumping sound that, once again, has that sharp sound to it, giving this one a sound that seems to tweak your focus. This one seems to take our focus away from that estate in 88 and show us what a glimpse of what Deeq has become since then. With back up from the other emcees, we get a display of precise wordplay right here. It gives you a feeling that no matter your beginnings and the hardships you may have faced, if you follow the right path in life, then anything is possible and a posse style cut like this shows that better days do happen. The album rounds off with the album’s title track Rose Hill. This has a heavy sound with piano sounds and more that give this one an air that puts you in an almost twilight world, looking back with dark clouds casting shadows across the land. You get the feeling here that Deeq is summing up those years spent in Rose Hill. Three minutes and some change seems like a mammoth task to sum up those years but, he does a great job of dropping an overview of those times. Showing that, while its time to turn his back on it now, that time still shaped him and helped him to become stronger.

 

There is a lot I could say about this album as, for me, it did bring some of my own memories to bear on things. I lived on the edge of an estate in the Sholing area of Southampton where one side of the road was the main housing area but, my own front door opened onto a green area where we all hung out. Our challenges came from other estates that bordered ours. But I digress here. Rose Hill most definitely takes you a place where you can draw on your own memories to help you visualise what it must have been like, the challenges of a built up area like this and peer pressure that comes with that, doing your best to fit in and be a part of something, even if that something drew you into situations that tested every nerve in your body.

Deeq does a superb job of drawing you in with intricate wordplay that teases you to listen and listen again to see if you can grasp what he is saying between the lines. The outcome of this is that you find yourself in the darkly brooding world where rowing up was a delicate balance between your own feelings and fitting in. All this hits you in a little over twenty minutes, which is a lot to take in with such detailed vocals, and you find yourself going back over a track or wanting to listen to the whole thing once again, just get the vibe.

Mankub does a superb job of matching the vibe of Deeq’s words with moody production that easily carries you into Deeq’s world. Crafting soundscapes that vary in intensity and switch between heavy brooding sounds, to those that have a sharper sound to them. None of the impact of the sound or mood being lost along the way. This has to be the mark of a good producer that they are able to, almost instinctively feel the aura of the words given them, or to produce a sound that exactly matches what the emcee needs to write those words to.

The features from Raz Ghoul, EF Knows, Jaroo, and Amos all bring that subtle edge that defines who they are, while also complimenting Deeq and instinctively the sound of Mankub. All-in-all bringing that extra layer of depth that rounds everything off perfectly.

 

Overall, Rose Hill is one of those deeply personal albums that encapsulates solid wordplay and emotive production, bringing you an album that not only gives you a window into the life of the artist, but also invites the listener to realise that by looking back, it is possible to understand just how far you’ve come.

My huge thanks to Mankub for giving me the chance to bring you my take on the album.

Rose Hill (GOTM079) is out now.

I’ll see ya next time.

Steve.

LINKS

Grab your copy of the album here:

https://goldonthemixer.bandcamp.com/album/rose-hill-gotm079

Social Links:

Deeq:

https://linktr.ee/deeq_darkimagery

Mankub:

https://www.instagram.com/manku8/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064003532012

Gold On The Mixer:

 https://flow.page/gotm

VIDEOS

Fools Errand

Album Review: Salamander by Deeq x Farma G

 

Salamander

By

Deeq X Farma G

 

This week we have one of the latest releases from the UK label Gold On The Mixer and also sees the return of Deeq to the blog who I first featured way back in 2021 as part of Flooded Hallways alongside Nemrot. This time we find Deeq partnering with the legendary figure of Farma G (Task Force) to bring us the album Salamander.

Salamander sees Deeq taking on Vocal duties as well as recording and artwork, with Farma G providing the production. There are vocal features from EF Knows, Farma G, Evolucian, and FlowTecs, with the whole project mixed and mastered by Zatoichi’s Ears.

Released at the end of February this year, the album is ten tracks deep and has already seen the vinyl version sold out here in the UK. So, the best thing I can do now is to take you on a trip through the album and give you my thoughts…

We begin our journey with Porcelain, The intro to this one has you mind spinning for a few seconds, wondering where its gonna take you but, soon enough the heavy beat kicks in with these organ notes and your head gets to nodding. There is a depth to this one too, and as you listen to Deeq’s words, you realise why it has the title it does, because this one seems to refer to the fragile nature of things, from everything that you build, to society around you and the very nature of the planet you live on. From those thoughts of the fragile nature of things, we move onto English Malady, and from the title you get an instant feeling as to where this one might be going. Farma’s beat incorporates strings into a heavy drumbeat, this brings a vibe that has a weight to it, something seeps into the core of your being. As you listen you really get the feeling this is a heart felt message that speaks on the state of this island we live on. A tiny island but, a superpower on the world stage where the powers that be will do anything to maintain that, even at a cost to those who live here. In fact, the message is so deep here that you could talk for hours about the ramifications of what truly ails this country. With your mind still spinning, it’s time for EF Knows to make his first appearance on All That Burns in Not Consumed. Here Farma brings Strings and harpsichord as the main sound over the nice head nod beat. This gives this one a more relaxed feel which eases the heaviness somewhat and takes the things a bit more upbeat. Deeq and EF Knows bring vocals that bring an uplifting edge as you get the feeling this one speaks on the fact that no matter the fire that burns in any aspect of your life, there is always something left to build on, to help you rise from the ashes once again. It is a reminder that you are always stronger that you realise, even if you do hit rock bottom, you are still here to climb up once more. As those thoughts rise in your mind, it’s time to more forward as Deeq is joined by Farma G, EF Knows, and Evolucian on Grey-Sky Thinking. Horns, strings and keys all merge over the beat to create a sound that has this big, almost soundtrack kinda sound that brings an energy that seems to form in your heart centre and then fill your entire being. This one has the posse cut vibe about it and is one of those to sit back and enjoy, because here its all about the electric wordplay being demonstrated by each emcee, something that just leaves you buzzing when the time is up. We have reached the end of side A, for those listening on the vinyl, and we do that with Pyrrhic Victory, Stings and keys all come together on a pounding beat, bringing a sound that, once more, has a heavy vibe to it. As you listen to the lyrics, the deep aspect that is infused in the sound and the words really hits home and you get this sense that everything feels like a hollow victory and you research the meaning of the title, and this makes you understand things more as a Pyrrhic Victory is one where cost to the victor means it is more like a defeat. This makes you listen more intently, and you realise that life does seem to go this way, especially in the current state of society, there always seems to be something that takes away from the happiness you feel each day. I feel the message here is to not put yourself in that position and do your best not to allow things to get to you…

So, for the vinyl heads among you, its time to flip to side B, and for the rest of you; next up is Guilty, where the sound is far more uplifting, with guitars and keys coming together with the beat to get you moving and listening intently. Deeq brings us a track that speaks on life, love and personal experiences that lay open all the things he is guilty of, good or bad. There is a real sense that this one is something we canal relate to in some way and fills you with a knowing that we can all change and find our best way forward. Next up is the albums title track, Salamander, which sees Deeq joined by EF Knows and FlowTecs. This one has a heavy beat with horns and electronic sounds that merge to give us a mind bending sound. Listening to this might take you a while to get a feel for what the track is about and there is a good chance you might get something different to me. I really felt there was this aspect that was all about constantly reinventing yourself, shedding your old skin as you are constantly bombarded by the energy of the world around you. Never let that negative energy seep to far into you before you shed your skin and begin to face the world anew. Madame Guillotine has the final feature from EF Knows, and final feature of the album. Here the beat continues to uplift us with strings and vocal samples bringing a sound that really lifts you up. However, the lyrics have you questioning if you should feel up lifted here as it almost feels like a love song to Guillotine itself. However, my thoughts drifted to all the moments when you come face-to-face with the outcome of your own actions, facing up to the choices you made and that you have to come to terms with that in some way. Its interesting where music takes you sometimes. As we move into the last couple of tracks, the penultimate track is Alone With Everybody which has infectious sound of drum beat and piano, which is one of those sounds that has an emotive quality that just seems to touch you deeply. Sometimes when you here an emcee talk about how they see themselves, there is a certain amount of braggadocio involved; and to a certain extent it appears so here but, as you listen, it almost feels like you are listening to a story of a legendary emcee who is just trying to do there thing and be at peace. It made me think of the move John Wick, except here we have an emcee who others will come for but, id one you really just want to leave alone, because if pushed they will do what needs to be done. The final track here is Godhead, the beat is heavy and laced with guitars, strings, and piano notes. The outcome is another sound that can be felt through every ounce of your body. With the references to Romeo and Juliet here it took me a little while to understand what I was feeling on this one. But, one I had listened a few times it felt to me like there was a lot here about the battle of good and evil, love and hate, but, also there was something that kept saying to me the battle of constantly looking outside for validation and the answers when your own validation should come from within and the answers depend on the questions you ask. It was a great way to end the album leaving you with so much to think about.

 

So, overall, this is an extremely good album and one that you should give the time to and properly listen to. Now, I could end it there but, aside from what I have already written above, what makes this album that good?

First up you have Deeq who crafts his lyrics and wordplay with a deep intellectual ability that makes you want to listen and to understand and feel what is being said. But it is not just about his crafting of the words but, also his delivery; and you really get the sense that there is a lot of heart and emotion put into every word of every verse, and this gives a depth to every track, regardless of the subject matter. He brings you words that not only twist and turn in the mind but, also elicit an energetic response that you feel, showing you the conviction he has in his craft and the message he seeks to bring with it.

Secondly, you have the quality of production from Farma G, who just seems to be able to bring this stunning musical depth to everything he touches, and here it is no exception. Every track displays a sound that mirrors the emotive aspect of the lyrics, providing the perfect platform for Deeq to deliver. What this does overall, is create Hip Hop music that has a soul to it and one that is firmly rooted in a way that allows you to feel it with every inch of your body and not just in your mind.

So, together these two work so well together and it seems like this album was meant to happen. It brings both a pleasurable listening experience and one that is easy to associate with. Plus, if you really take the time to listen in depth here, you might just find that it touches you in ways you did not expect.

In my opinion, Salamander is a solid Hip Hop album that brings an emotive aspect you simply can’t ignore. It might say different things to you than it did to me but, then that is the pleasure of good music as it speaks to you in the moment, whenever that moment is you need to hear it.

Salamander by Deeq X Farma G is out now on Gold On The Mixer.

My huge thanks to Deeq for the chance to bring you this one.

Peace Out,

Steve.

LINKS

Grab your copy of Salamander Here:

https://goldonthemixer.bandcamp.com/album/salamander-gotm068

Deeq Socials:

https://www.facebook.com/deeq.dark.imagery

https://www.instagram.com/deeq_darkimagery/

Farma G:

https://linktr.ee/farmag

Gold On The Mixer Socials:

https://www.facebook.com/goldonthemixer

https://www.instagram.com/goldonthemixer/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpNPqi3H0XjUaWcDG7wUSBQ

VIDEOS

English Malady

 

 

 

 

 

Album Review: KURU by Flooded Hallways

 

KURU

By

Flooded Hallways

 

Flooded Hallways are the duo of Deeq (Lyrics) and Nemrot (production). Founded in 1996, Kuru is their first release for six years.

Deeq explained to me that the album was written and recorded during the hight of the lockdown over the course of 2-3 months. The album is the groups comment on the state that we have all found ourselves in as we do our best living on this little island, we call home.

When Deeq explained what the title of the album was all about, I found it interesting and so I thought I would drop his words here before I go into my take on the album.

'Kuru is a rare and fatal nervous system disease. Its highest prevalence occurred during the 1950s and 1960s among the Fore people in the highlands of New Guinea. The Fore people contracted the disease by performing cannibalism on corpses during funeral rituals.

The name kuru means “to shiver” or “trembling in fear.” The symptoms of the disease include muscle twitching and loss of coordination. Other symptoms include difficulty walking, involuntary movements, behavioural and mood changes, dementia, and difficulty eating. The latter can cause malnutrition. Kuru has no known cure. It’s usually fatal within one year of contraction.' - definition taken from healthline.com

We feel like the whole eating your own thing symbolises what's happening in society at the minute with us (all races, sexes, creeds etc) being pitted against each other, destroying each other, and being brainwashed into thinking we're different, when we're not different at all.

This metaphor plus our experience of lockdown, was the inspiration for the album.

 

Now that you have a bit of insight into what the album is about, let me take you through the album and give you my own insight…

The Stage is set for what is to come with a head nod vibe created around some piano and drums. Illusionary Calm has a laid-back feel But, it pretty much mirrors what we have all been through in recent months. There has been so much fear and chaos, that any period of calm we experience in our day to day lives feels like an illusion and that every moment is spent wondering what is coming, just as you are wondering what is coming on this album and Deeq sets that out perfectly here. The boom bap vibe remains prevalent with heavy mix of drums, strings, and organ notes. Neuter Eunuch comes from a male or masculine stance and, for me at least, really seems to speak on those aspects of the self that we may not be proud of and as a result, especially when things are brought to our attention, we will suppress more that we need to. What is really needed is an acceptance of both sides of our nature, both masculine and feminine, and to be at peace with them. Therefore, creating balance within and so channelling our energy in new ways.

The sparce beat and keyboards of Painstiller creates a far more thought-provoking vibe. There is a feeling here of someone looking back on all the pain they have experienced, be it mental health, physical or emotional. Deeq evokes this vision that this could be anyone of us looking back at life and realising how far we have come and just being at peace with that. As your mind drifts there is a switch in mood with drums, guitar, and violin notes bringing back that head nod boom bap vibe. Numbers Game gets your mind going as Deeq brings mathematical terms to bear along with his normal poetical flow. This really makes you think about the universal language of mathematics and most things in life can be described in terms of being added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided. Does the fact that we are conscious beings, with feelings, mean that there is anything more to life…

Pounding drums and horns are the backdrop for Pink Spit, which has more of a story looking at what could be the darker side of human nature and choices that can be made as a result of following these paths. Deeq switches up the descriptive wordplay on this one which looks at a hitman who has completed his contract and, body in tow, to collect his payment for services rendered. The mood switches once more to a lighter more soulful vibe with the piano, vocal samples, and laid-back drums of Barefoot Contessa. Here Deeq takes on a far more personal trip looking at how he met his wife and their journey together, through ups and downs, across the last few years of their relationship. Being so personal you can really feel the depth in the lyrics here and it really makes you think about the special person in your own life.

Maybelle is an instrumental track from Nemrot. There is such a multi-layered feel to this with bass, strings, keyboards, vocal samples, and lots of drums. It really takes you on a ride through switching the pace and flow. There are times you feel you are just floating, while at other times you are wondering what’s gonna happen next. Some of the elements are just like a pause button mix and at the end of the day it’s proper head nod hip hop that takes you exactly where you wanna go. From that little pallet cleanser, we are drawn to look at a more darker side to the world we live in. Last Wound Kills is full of drums, strings and flute notes that brings this feel of looking into something that is kept in the shadows but, is all to apparent in the world around us. Deeq does a great job of bringing a poetic focus to those who chose, through their darker nature, to engage in acts of sadism and such like. What is troubling about subjects like this is that people still do it and that they also keep a secret, even from those closest to them and what does that say about the society we live in…

As we move into the final quarter of the album Nemrot gives us a head nod beat full of piano, sax, and flute notes to get us moving. As it gets us moving the story becomes moving in itself, as Deeq takes us through a personal look at his younger life on Scandinavian Wine. There is this sense of loss and how being the one lelt behind can so affect your mental health. You also get this feeling of how hard it is to heal the scars that are always here. But it’s not always about healing the scars but, using them to as a marking for how far you have come on your journey. The title here comes from the feeling of bitterness, just like the bitter taste of wine from the harsh Scandinavian climate. The final track of the album brings a thought-provoking air of drums and flute. This Death is a slightly light-hearted look at death. The focus might simply be looking at death and the fact that things will be ok in the end but, there is something else, if you read between the lines, you can look at it another way and know that we can also live through a symbolic death and be reborn as we turn our lives around.

 

As you might expect with an album that was conceived, written, and recorded at the high of some of the strangest times we have all experienced, there is a lot of stuff here that comes with dark undertones and rightly so, you cannot reflect on those times and what anyone was feeling without reflecting the pain and the effect it had on our mental health. However, there is also enough of the positive vibes to balance it all out.

Deeq does a great job lyrically with, at times, some fairly complex imagery to give us exactly the right focus for the message he is putting across, while at other times the pace and thoughtful nature of his lyrics comes across in such a way as to keep you guessing. But he takes some deep topics and some very personal stories and delivers them to you in such a poetic way that, at times, even the dark nature of the subject matter is eclipsed by his lyrical prowess.

Nemrot delivers some emotive soundscapes that keep the whole album flowing perfectly through is emotional twists and turns. It is obvious that the production has its roots in that boom bap Hip Hop sound but, also has an up-to-date edge that draws plenty of inspiration from other musical genres to create exactly the mood needed at any one time. I liked the use of the samples of the children at bedtime quizzing the parent. Their fears and thoughts worked so well with the whole vibe of the album and gave it a deeper little edge that just touched you enough, on an unconscious level, to make you feel it on a personal level.

Overall, I would say that Flooded Hallways have done an exceptional job with KURU. Not only have they brought the thoughts and feelings of those lockdown times out of the mind and into musical form but, they have added this metaphoric relationship with the title of the album that makes us take a second look at every aspect of society and questioning what is really going on. So, you might be left with more questions than answers but, is that such a bad thing, because you can simply listen to the album again and get a different angle on it all and it makes you wonder who is feeding on who and what is the truth behind it all…

KURU is out now…

I’m outta here,

Steve  

LINKS

Get your copy of KURU from Bandcamp Here:

https://floodedhallwaysofficial.bandcamp.com/album/kuru

VIDEO

Painstiller Official Video