Album Review: Lost A Letter From The Alphabet by AMOS

 

Lost A Letter From The Alphabet

By

Amos

 

It is always a pleasure to review anything on the Plague label, and I expect this one to be no exception. Lost A Letter From The Alphabet is the new offering from Amos. Now I have not had a lot of time recently to grab the lowdown on the man himself, so that will have to come another day.

This one has been hinted at for a little while with Plague sending out a cryptic postcard to get things flowing. If that wasn’t enough, the promo that came later via email really set things up big time and, I’m gonna share a few bits from that, which you might have seen if you have preordered this one on Bandcamp.

So, Amos gives us this:

Lost a letter from the alphabet is more than an album to me.

It’s a big hello like Trigger Happy. It’s a zipline shortened in the Chiang Mai rainforest.

It’s a splash of rusty lemonade. It’s a night on the town then back to the crown plaza.

It’s a 6-year hollibob on the Hoole drag. It’s a boiled sheep's head in Istanbul.

It’s a double shot with a celery stick. It’s a secret field full of little hills.

It’s a measurement too small. It’s a knotted stomach about to burst.

It’s a copperhead snake rushing past me. It’s a portion of Eton mess and elderflower gin.

It’s a chocolate éclair in a miniature hero's box. It's a false sling for the fling.

It’s a cables length from Granary Wharf. It’s a broken nose on a drinking binge.

It’s a game of charades in the pharmacy. It's a rushed drink in a neutral bar

He also says this about the whole process of recording the album:

LALFTA was recorded in a pretty unconventional, chaotic manner. Eldritch sent me bare-bones drum patterns - essentially click tracks - and I laid verses over the skeletal framework. He then warped them after I spat, creating this wild, backwards-in-time feel. Dark, moody, and packed with the trademark travel-laced imagery I’ve always been drawn to. I almost didn’t release it. There was a real question of whether it should stay buried under brochures, but Plague Records is the perfect home for this misadventure.

For everyone that listens to the album, he gives us these words of wisdom:

I do hope you fall madly, inconveniently, desperately in love with the multifaceted flavours and audio-tangents alive through this peculiar piece of me. It took well over a decade to summon the right spirit to my sofa - and longer still to blag it into writing. Given the subject matter and the surrounding fuckups, I fluff the pillow to perfection and pray I never need to make such a true-to-life recording like this again. It's a one-off game of hide and seek with the soft toys that had to become hard nuts overnight. Singular. Sulky. Sometimes cursed. And when I look back on my pungent shelf of durian in years to go, I imagine this one will hum the loudest - buzzing with tiger-stripe hoverflies, too stubborn to stay.

Now, this is a lot more promo stuff than I usually put into my reviews but, I just felt that all this perfectly sets up the album and giving it to you here will help set up the review for you all to enjoy.

The album is produced by Palmer Eldrich and features design and layout from Rich Brown (Bee Graphics). The cover artwork is a detail taken from the painting ‘Hotel Linda’ by Jake Clarke (b. 1966).

So, now we are all set up, join me as we hop on for a new ride to who knows where, but I’ll do my best to give you some thing to visualise along the way.

We begin our journey with Kaput/Neutral which has a sound that has a jazzy edge to it and flips from the drum and vocal sample heavy sound on the intro to a far jazzier, organ heavy sound. The opening to this one might make you think its over before it even starts but, after that transition Amos takes us on something akin to a worldwide journey in just a few minutes. Using complex wordplay that elicits visuals in your head that hit like you accidentally hit fast forward on the TV, which takes you through nature, travel and personal insights at a dizzying speed. After such a whirlwind trip we land back on our feet to find ourselves Infront Of Enemies. The beat here has a far more soulful vibe to it with strings seeming to come forth, giving this a more laid-back vibe, like sitting by the pool and musing over your travels. There is a feel that this one is like the experiences you might have in a hotel while holidaying or just passing through. There also seems to be something teasing you from in-between the lines that has you leaning toward different personal experience whether you’re traveling or just walking out the front door each day. Hoodies/ZaaZaa drops in with strings and piano merging together over a chilled beat. The piano puts you in mind of the pouring rain which works well with the title as ZaaZaa is a Japanese onomatomania used to describe the sound of heavy pouring rain or water. The beat switches midway through allowing the beat to come forth and the piano to ceased, replaced by horns. Amos takes us to Japan, allowing us to experience the tourist culture before giving us visions of certain situations you might find yourself in, finding yourself getting close to someone before realising that it can be nothing more than a phase of pure joy.

Vanish/Jai Yen (Jai Yen meaning Cool Heart in Thai culture) comes in with a big synth sound that puts you in mind of a sound backed in dance tracks. When the sound switches this time, it brings the tone down with flute and guitar notes giving this a sound that teases the far east. Here we find Amos looking at whether people really understand the nature of true love in a world where so many spend more time telling the world of their love through digital platforms and less time actually expressing love in its true form. Amos then gives us a more personal expression of his own lived experience from a time when phones were far less important and used just for connecting one-to-one. Sorry/Unforget begins with a more funk fuelled sound where the guitar takes the forefront. This is followed by a transition into a sound that has a jazzier vibe as horns are the standout sound, bringing a more chilled aspect. This one seems to look more at connecting with someone in a deep way, from a first meeting to a realisation of what that connection might mean. That feeling of what that deeper connection is explored in the second part of the track in a simple way that makes you connect with the true meaning of love and the emotions you feel when meeting or leaving them. Tired Ruins hits with a sound that just tugs at your nerves making you feel emotions you’re not sure you want to feel. This one explores the situations that can lead to loss of a loved one and is the kind of story that you can easily associate with if you can follow the narrative. Not much more to say but, there are many of us who understand what it is like to make poor decisions and lose someone we never meant to hurt.

Mistake/Dessert brings us to the mid-point of the album with a sound that begins with a piano heavy sound over a nice drum beat that will get your head nodding. Following that the sound switches to a sound that is multi-layered with bass, guitar, and keys all coming through, bringing a more chilled edge. Amos sets the scene for what is to come as he asks if you have ever made a mistake? He goes on to detail a story that might just lead to one of those mistakes. From there, Cross-Country Lost gives us a sound with a space beat, mixed with synth and guitar notes, giving us a sound that carries us long as the vocals speak. This one seems to merge experiences from a multitude of journeys that span at least one country, if not more. We are immersed into aspects of different stories that all become one, blurring the line between reality and dreams. Just as you are trying to clear up what the reality of this is Again & Again brings a guitar heavy sound that has a deep funk vibe. The story in this one is hard to unpack but, there is a real sense that it looks at some of the challenges we face in life. Those challenges and boundaries are similar to those that can arise during a journey. The unpredictable nature of anything we do, or places we go can be littered with detours and more that have us tired and questioning which way we should go and if indeed the destination we choose is the right one.

Weeping features laid-back guitars and drums that give this one a reflective edge, but also one that has an infectious vibe that will get you moving. As you listen to this one you realise that this one looks not just at crying, but at the power of tears as a physical expression of love in its purest form. When you truly love a person and you lose that person or know you are having to leave them, tears can be such a powerful way to show just how deeply that love was. Gazump has a sound that mixes guitars and synth sound to create a sound that seems to just open your mind allowing the words to sink in that bit further. The meaning of Gazump is either to swindle someone or, in the property world, to come in with a higher offer on a property. As you keep those meanings in mind Amos brings aspects of both of those into this track. The love aspect also comes in to, and you might need to over this a few times, but even then you might find yourself questioning exactly what Amos is saying and so, I’ll leave this one to you to decide as it had me going round in circles, never quite grasping exactly which way to go. So, perhaps Amos has Gazumped me here?

Xanadu brings a refreshing sound of guitars and organ notes, before rounding off with a brief, but heavy, drum beat. This is another one where we take the meaning of the word and see how it works with the track. Xanadu means a place of beauty, basically, and here you get this real feeling that what Amos is referring to is the fact that so many of us spend all of our time focusing on the details that we miss the broader picture. It is better to look at the beauty you want to create before looking at the finer details. We move to the penultimate track Final Paradee which comes with a sound that has a nice head nod beat that is paired with strings that give this one a sound that sounds like it comes from the far east, giving this one an emotive edge. Paradee is of French origin and means to show off or display, and you get the feeling that this one is giving Amos the platform to do just that, to display his wordplay. There is this incredible mix of mind-bending metaphors and similes, mixed with visions of food and more from around the world that almost puts your head in a spin. The album rounds off with Quafftide, where a Piano sound carries us along as we listen to Amos. There is also a moment where Eldrich mixes up the vocal sound which seems to vibrate your very being for a few seconds. Quafftide is an outdated 16^th century word that would refer to ‘drinking time’ or rounding off a hard day with a drink, and you get the feeling that this is exactly what Amos is doing. He is rounding off the album in a way that that let’s you know he works hard at what he does, but he also has the capability to love what he does and to breath that love into the core of this project.

There is little more that I can say about this album except, WOW, that was some ride. It took all of my interpretive strength to even get the vibe of what I was listening to, which is no mean feat when you have a whole lot of stuff going on away from the music. But this one draw me in and taxed me in a way that was both enjoyable and exhausting.

Amos has an incredible way of working with his subject matter, no t only mixing in travel aspects but, delivering his messages in a way that has you hooked and wanting to back over them to see what you have missed, and you will miss bits for sure. It is rare that I find myself taxed by what I am hearing because the wordplay is so complex, in fact, the only other emcee who usually does that is the one and only Junior Disprol. So, know I add Amos to that list, because he might not deliver his vocals at speed, but what he does do is make them so complex in nature that you come away thinking that might have been hard work but, damn it was an truly stunning piece of work.

You also have to give a huge amount of credit to Palmer Eldrich too who has crafted some top-notch soundscapes that are rooted in Hip Hop but, also embody aspects of sounds from around the world and other genres too. Sometimes those sounds seem completely at odds with what you expect, but everything just seems to work so well and the sound he has created just bring a depth and essence to the album that would not be there with any other sound.

So, I think I will leave it there because the only way you are going to get the best experience of this album is to give it a listen, and I can’t recommend it enough that you do that. This is definitely an album not to miss in 2026 and is going to be high on everyone’s lists of top albums of the year.

Lost A Letter From The Alphabet is released through Plague today and is available as Digital and physical release with Limited Edition Vinyl and Cassette versions, so don't sleep.

My huge thank to Dan at Plague for giving me the chance to bring you my take on this superb album.

So, enjoy and I’ll see ya next time.

Steve.

LINKS

Grab you copy Here:

https://plague.co/album/lost-a-letter-from-the-alphabet

AMOS Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/ramthology/

https://www.facebook.com/ryan.amos.549

Plague Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/plague_11/

https://www.facebook.com/plague11

VIDEOS

Kaput/Neutral Official Video:

Album Review: ITO by Cappo

 

ITO

By

Cappo

 

It has to be, for me, an honour and a pleasure to be able to give my thoughts on the final album in Cappo’s CAPStone trilogy, ITO.

The trilogy began in September 2024 with S.T.A.R.V.E. a deep, relatable and impactful story of one person’s decent into mental health decline due to the collapse of a long-term relationship, alongside the trials and tribulations on everyday life. Then in April of this year came Houses, set some twenty years after the first album, it took us on a day-in-the-life journey as one man looks to come to terms with his own morality and the true meaning of being a father.

With ITO rounding off the trilogy, we find that the promo gives us a little insight into what to expect from the album. ITO encompasses aspects of both the previous albums in the trilogy; it juxtaposes elements of S.T.A.R.V.E.’s thematic abstraction with the temporary linear narrative of Houses. ITO can be read as a ‘key’ of sorts, acting as the conceptual thread that links together each piece of the trilogy. As such, ITO can be listened to as an introduction to the trilogy and/or as a conclusion. This kind of puts me in mind of some movies that I have watched, such as Pulp Fiction and others. So, I expect this one to be everything the other albums were and more.

Released through Plague, the album is written and produced by Cappo, with additional production from Sam Zircon on Pequod, Greene, Frost, X, and Glaze, King Kashmere on Red, and Zygote on Gold. Recorded by 1stBlood, mixed and mastered by Irn Mnky, with Design and layout coming from Rich Brown (Bee Graphics).

Now we have all that said, let’s get into it…

 

The album begins with he title track Ito, which is produced by Cappo and has this deep sounding vibe that is thick with bass, drums and guitar, and organ notes, immediately bringing your focus to the vocals.  As you listen to this one you are drawn in by the quality of the intricate lyrics, teasing you, giving you just a glimpse of what is to come, which is the trick here, it is giving you just enough to pique your interest, but never giving away what is behind it all. That is for you to deduce as the album goes on, you know what has gone before, so can you feel what is the truth? Now the metaphorical carrot has been dangled, White sees Cappo’s production keep that deep sound, but this time the percussion takes the forefront with keys providing a background vibe that softens the edge, making you want to nod your head, but almost unconsciously as the words speak to you. I get the feeling here that what those words say will depend very much on your experiences through life thus far. There is a reflective edge to this one that puts you in mind of a middle-aged man looking at where he is now in his life, the past being almost a distant memory. Could this be a reflection of the protagonist P from Houses, now further down his path in life and considering life on that very path. Next up is Pequod which might be the name of the whaling ship from Moby Dick, but does that have any relatability here? Sam Zircon gives us a solid beat which backed by an eerie sound that spins your mind into a fog bound space. The words breakthrough the fog allowing you to see that here the focus is on drawing positive energy from the poor decisions of the past, casting aside their weight that presses on your chest, rising to climb from the fog filled valley to the peak of mountain where the air is clear and you can finally see the your dreams with clarity, knowing they are there for the taking.

Red brings production from King Kashmere where bells bring a ringing in your mind as heavy beats seem to pound a different ringing that almost causes your entire body to vibrate. As the lyrics seep into your conscious awareness, Cappo’s words feel like they embody the many meanings of the Red Dragon symbolism. Western culture sees the Red Dragon as bringing chaos and destruction, while in Eastern cultures it symbolises good fortune, prosperity and imperial power, however its spiritual symbolism is one of a transformative force, and we see all those things here where the ashes of chaos and destruction ignite to bring good fortune and prosperity as the phoenix rises, showing the overall transformative power. This mirrors how our own paths in live can ultimately lead to a positive transformation from a troubled past. As those thoughts still remain clear in our minds, Sam Zircon once more provides production for Greene, where the sound is led by piano notes as the drums are sparse, giving a vibe that tweaks your mind back into this reality, just long enough to allow Cappo’s words into your mind. Here, it seems, Cappo is focusing on personal convictions, defining the very beliefs and opinions that made you the person you are, and have got you to where you are now, in this very moment. Opinions and beliefs can change over time but, if you had to define the very convictions that you live by, how would you do that; then consider the events of the past two albums in the series and how this fits with what you have heard. Sam Zircon’s production continues on Frost, as we flip from Side A to Side B of the album, with a lo-fi sound where all sounds appear to be synth based and there is no drum beat to get you nodding and so the words fill your mind with even greater effect, something that is important here as this one appears to be the most personal track we have heard. Cappo lays all his cards on the table, his thoughts and feels for his crafted body of work, his wishes for his children and much more. There is much food for thought here as you begin to consider just how much of the CAPStone trilogy is personal truths from Cappo’s own lived experience? Then, perhaps that was the whole point of this one, to have you think and ponder what is the truth here, how personal is this, which then has you thinking the same about your own life.

Gold sees Zygote on production, bringing a heavier bass sound with some electronic vibes that seems to cause your brain to vibrate on some weird level. This one seems to continue on from the previous track and has Cappo speaking more on his craft, the inspirations, and how he is viewed with the UK Hip Hop culture. Cappo is viewed as one of the leading rap artists of the current era and what he does here is to not only solidify that but, expand it and define what he does as being at forefront of new developments and new ideas on a lyrical level. Sam Zircon is back on production for X, Where the sound has a more head nod vibe, but one that seems to come from a random selection of sounds that just seem to work. In fact, there is almost a John Carpenter vibe about this one on a level. Here, it feels like we have shifted focus once more, to a narrative that could easily be back to the character of P. Here there is very much an air reflective thoughts, a collection of them in fact, like we are witness to a thoughts of someone thinking back on life and many of the crucial moments that have shaped him, brought him to this point, and finally allow him to look at, identify, and lay the final piece of the puzzle into place. Z returns Cappo to production who brings us a solid banger of a track which has some vocal samples and more in the background that gives this one a slightly dark air. The complex nature of this one takes a few listens to really get into but, as you listen things do begin to clarify in your mind. The focus appears to be one that is all about speaking the truth and not using your platform to preach false truths to those who will listen. What spoke to me here, as I listened to the words a number of times, was that you can speak anything to an audience whose only reference is a base of lies and false narratives, but when you speak the truth, your truth, one that is built on a firm foundation of knowledge and understanding, you might only reach the ears of the few but, eventually those few will reach others, and so on, making people think and search for the truths that are buried by the lies. There was one thing in Z that had me thinking and diving into some research at 8am on a chilly Thursday morning; and that was Cappo’s reference to “November Golf, The city of legends”, now this one troubled me for a bit. I know he hails from Nottingham and I thought, is it that simple, But I looked into it and found that Bournemouth is referred to as that due to its golf courses and apparent mild winter weather. However, after musing over this I felt that Nottingham was what this cryptic phrase referred to, hope my thinking is right here…

Time to delve into the final two tracks of the album, and the penultimate track here is Berry, produced by Cappo, this one has a more chilled sound with a laid-back drumbeat, and some synth sounds that create an air of calm, to a point. What strikes you about this one is the fact that this one brings your mind to a place where you think about the things you do, or have done, that will leave a lasting impression on those around you and the world, long after you are gone. We all build things over the course of our lives that directly, or indirectly, touch others; for Cappo, it is his music and the messages that it carries with it, for me, it is these very words that you are reading. But no matter where your life has taken you, there will be something is yours and speaks your name. We now come to the final track of the album Glaze, also the final track produced by Sam Zircon, brings a beat that makes you nod your head in a subtle way. The synth sounds bring a sound that has a reflective edge but, also has you casting an eye to the future. Listening to these last few minutes is like sat listening to the response to a deeply personal question. Cappo seems to be opening up on his own personal commitment to music he produces. You get a real sense that he focuses on bringing years of knowledge and academic study to bear on his lyrical prowess, giving rise to a form of Hip Hop expression that is taking wordplay to the next level with complex realism that invites the listener to think, giving them a desire to truly understand what is being heard, and at the same time considering their own place, their own mortality, and their own desire to give something back…

 

It is not often that I get to the point of giving my overall impression on what I have just heard, only to realise that what I have already written down can easily sum up the whole project on its own. I honestly feel I could end it right here and you would still get a huge amount from my words.

However, ITO has a lot more to say than just what my interpretation brings forth. Because the shear wealth of what Cappo has just given you makes you think intently and deeply on the content, before considering what it is in relation to the other two parts of the CAPStone trilogy. For me, I found the overall message within the album to be one of a positive outlook on life. It gives you a point at which you can either start or finish listening to all three albums and still get the same feeling. There are tracks or Chapters here that you feel link directly to either S.T.A.R.V.E. or Houses, there are also tracks that provide an insight into unsaid elements and those that bring clarity to what comes in the now, the reasons for the whole trilogy and how, perhaps, you can apply that in your own life. There may well be an aspect of all three albums that are autobiographical, but considering how deep this all is, it is so relatable that there are times you feel you are listening to aspects of your own life.

ITO is an incredible journey in itself, giving much food for thought and bringing you a realisation that Cappo may well have tapped into a new form of Hip Hop music that is not just a packed with deeply cerebral storytelling, performed in a way that I feel has not been done before. Cappo packs his intelligent wordplay with knowledge on a whole new level, one that appears to come from intense academic study of philosophical works and an understanding of life’s journey, in a way that many of us fail to grasp or even chose to look at. It just goes to show that Cappo is someone who could be given the GOAT status, not just because of lyrical prowess or production values, but because he is bringing a whole new level of intelligent wordplay and storytelling to a wider audience. Now it might not be for everyone; as some will just enjoy it for what it is but, there are those who will seek to find the deeper aspects of the albums, discover how all three album mesh together, and perhaps find other hidden aspects along the way, who knows, that is for you to find out.

The last thing for me to do here is just to comment on the production and couple of other bits along the way. Musically, ITO has some interesting and deep sounds that give you that Hip Hop vibe but, also that work in tandem with Cappo’s vocals to bring you a deep experience with each track, and Cappo, Sam Zircon, King Kashmere, and Zygote, should all be commended for just what they bring to the table here. Yes, the album has that foundation of a Hip Hop album but, it takes that foundation and builds something truly unique on it, something that sets the bar high on a whole new era/genre for Hip Hop music and the application of knowledge into that medium.

ITO and its companion albums in the CAPStone Trilogy are, by far, something Hip Hop and perhaps music in general has nor seen before. Albums that work perfectly as a standalone listening experience or together as the trilogy, regardless of you listening to ITO as the introduction or as the conclusion. ITO and the CAPStone trilogy will be talked about in the annals of Hip Hop history for a long time, perhaps even setting a new benchmark…

I’ll leave it there, but I could go on talking about this. You definitely have to listen to ITO and find which context it sets for you.

 

My humble thanks to once again to Dan at Plague for the chance to bring you my take on ITO, and in fact to be able to review the whole trilogy. It has been a true honour and a pleasure, opening my mind along the way.

ITO is out today, 21^st November on both limited edition vinyl and cassette, as well as digital too.

Keep watch for CAPStone the book and Box Sets, coming on 12th December 2025.

 

I’ll see ya next time,

Steve.

LINKS

Grab your copy here:

https://plague11.bandcamp.com/album/ito

Cappo on Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/kafka_poe_murakami/

Plague Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/plague_11/

https://www.facebook.com/plague11

VIDEOS

ITO: A Sonic-mosaic Journey

 

 

 

 

Album Review: HOUSES by CAPPO

 

Houses

By

Cappo

 

Houses is the second chapter in the CAPstone trilogy from Cappo. It was back in September of 2024 that I was able to bring you my take on the first of the trilogy, S.T.A.R.V.E. Which was an incredibly deep album focusing on isolation and the struggles that we so often face. Houses is set some twenty years after where S.T.A.R.V.E. was set and brings us more up to date in that it focus is our modern day society.

Released through Plague, the albums promo has been stepped up to match the fact that Houses brings a narrative that is directly opposite to its predecessor. The focus here is to look more at ideas based on The Divine Social, such as the importance of human interaction, belonging, and tribal responsibility. There are also a wealth of themes built into the album which include race and class, fatherhood, the paternal bond, masculinity, mortality, and sexual desire.

The album follows a day-in-the-life narrative of a fictional working-class father of two (known as P) in contemporary Nottingham, England, as he struggles to come to terms with the societal restrictions, conformities, and benefits of fatherhood.

Houses comes with an extended press release, in the form of a Plague Tax Letter and a collaborative Modernist style Zine which features submissions from the likes of Thomas ‘Juga-naut’ Higgins, Esther Koch, and Dr Ramisha Rafique among others. This Zine and what you will read within, reflect the overall sentiment of the album; the singular product of a combination of minds, forming what is ultimately a sense of hope. The vinyl package also contains a booklet which contains an Annotated track list, this expands on the narrative behind each track and how it relates to the classic literature of the likes of Ulysses, The Odyssey and Hamlet. I will draw on some of this as I go through the album but, will not go into how it relates to the classic literature, but leave that for you to discover.

Houses is written and produced by Cappo, except for production by Sam Zircon on Lyfe, HMRC, Unborn Seed, Sessy Lu, SPRT LVLS and While You Sleep. The album was recorded by 1stBlood, mixed and mastered by Irn Mnky, and comes with design and layout from Rich Brown (Bee Graphics).

There is a lot to take in with that intro But, now you have got this far, its time to join me as I take you through the album, on a walk through Houses…

 

The album begins with Ghosts, a track that bridges S.T.A.R.V.E. and HOUSES, it reflects on how P resolves his inner tensions regarding his father’s suicide and how he overcame his own suicidal mind state at the conclusion of S.T.A.R.V.E., setting the stage for the narrative in Houses. The sound here has a suitably emotive edge with piano notes taking the forefront and the drums remaining sparse. The focus is on the lyrics here and Cappo, once again, brings P alive in our minds and we listen intently as he details the deep emotional feeling that have brought him to where he is now but, as we listen, it is obvious that there is a more upbeat vibe that becomes apparent towards the end of the track.

The narrative of Houses begins in earnest with Lyfe that explores the chaotic morning routine of P’s working-class household. Keys, drums, and electronic elements form the basis of track, bringing a sound that seems sparse but, at the same time, has an edge that tests the nerves, just as any frantic morning might do. Here P is laying awake musing on life before things take a more chaotic turn and its time to leave the bed and deal with the first part of the day and what that brings. This is something that so many of can easily relate to and how it rarely prepares us for the rest of the day to come. As P’s day continues, he engages in tidying his children’s bedroom before receiving a letter from HMRC. A letter which indicates the family have overpaid their council tax and creates a pivotal point which also heralds things to come. Sam Zircon’s production creates an upbeat sound that brings a romantic edge to things, reflecting the feelings you have on receiving a letter like this.  We get the feeling that this, for P, this is more than just the ecstatic relief of knowing you have money coming back to you, there is a depth to his feelings for this that seem to go beyond relief. Neutral takes us to where P has spoken to his wife regarding the money that is coming back to them but, finds him musing on the differences they have on what to do with the money and how this represents the emotional distance between them, rather than drawing them closer. There is a contrast between the elements of the track here where the piano creates the calmer vibe, while the other element has this opposing sound, this really does show how there are two opposing views within the dynamic between P and his wife. The lyrics really bring those opposing views into reality with P being the more frugal one, while his wife is tempted to be more spontaneous and treat the family.

Whereas the previous four tracks have taken place in the Morning, it is now the afternoon, and we find P attending the Funeral of an unnamed acquaintance. While there his mind drifts to thoughts of death, morality, and the paternal bond. The drumbeat takes the forefront here, while the piano elements create a jazzy undertone to the track. As we listen to the words, it is clear that less is more, with fewer words creating a deep awareness of these moments and how they make us question our own mortality, death, and the love we have for those closest to us. At the end of the day, it’s not always how much you say on a subject but, what you say and how you say it. Unborn Seed finds P continuing to think on morality and death, which in this instance, relates to a recent miscarriage. Here organ notes carry us along while the sparce drumbeat and cymbals seem to reflect the painful intrusive thoughts. As we listen to P’s thoughts on a tragic loss, not to mention those that came at the end of the track in Spanish, it can easily take you to thoughts of your own on such a trauma, especially if you have experienced something like this in your life, as I have. A trauma such as this causes you, in this case as the father, to think over and question so much about life around you. In this case it brings P’s superstitious beliefs to the forefront and his struggles with life’s uncertainties.

In the aftermath of this funeral, We Will? Finds P questioning his life path after contemplating so much. Here, the beat is heavier while the cymbals and vocal sample of ‘will we’ creates this vibe in your mind that easily reflects the conflict inside when seriously questioning all that you know, while standing at a crossroads in life. The lyrics speak so deeply on P’s constant questioning of his position of proving for his family, and whether he should set himself ‘free’ and leave everything he has, behind. Sessy Lu finds P on his way home from the funeral, still reflecting and contemplating, debating all the pros and cons of his situation, even if it is of his own making or not?  Musically, this one has a deep sound with a heavy beat, but the background has an almost hypnotic edge to it, drawing you in to the words being spoken. We are drawn into P’s thoughts as he wonders what to do but, we feel his desire to find a way away from what is around him. This comes to a head as P’s desires take him down the path of considering an affair with a local single mother named Sessy Lu. These thoughts, in themselves, open up a pandora’s box of what that would mean for him and his family life. P ultimately decides to relieve these desires himself, testing whether he is thinking with a clear mind or just with his dick. P’s internal struggles with his thoughts and desires for infidelity are further explored in Undigested Sweetcorn. The beat here is pounding, incorporating elements of Slow and Low at the start, and further backed by a sound that seems to continue the almost hypnotic edge before switching out at the end as we follow P. As the words flow though our minds and we follow P and his internal struggles; we find that he is doing his upmost to avoid this affair rather than risk his marriage. As we know from the final lines of the previous track, Sessy Lu, he has chosen to relieve himself when he arrives home.

It is time to move into the Evening of P’s day with Forces. Here P is now in a better frame of mind having relieved himself of carnal desires that had treated to overtake him. This has given him time to think and to make his ultimate decision to live as freely and independently as possible by leaving his family. There is this music box kind of sound that carries us through the track with only a few hints of drums dropping in at particular points. We follow P and his thoughts on making his ultimate decision, knowing that his current decision is not serving who he is or his family. To be a better man he knows that he has to find his true self; and that means needing to leave behind the life he currently knows. In the end it may be the best for all involved. In SPRT LVLS we find P out on his first night as a ‘free man’, getting drunk and high before his evening turns sour; while attempting to speak to a woman, P is caught up in a bar brawl between rival gangs. The piano and sparce drums create a dark edge to the sound, something that reflects the situation that is about to unfold. The vocals skilfully describe how P initially see’s his evening being everything he was expecting being a ‘free man’, but all to soon it turns into a nightmare. With P experiencing the violence of Nottingham’s underbelly, Solitaire finds him quickly realising that his decision was ill conceived. The beat here has the feeling of a full on banger of a beat with piano notes giving it a brighter edge. P quickly realises that the secure family unit is far more appealing to him than the ‘free man’ life initially seemed to be. Swallowing his pride, P makes it his mission in life to do all he can for his family, realising that having a small part od something is far better than having all of nothing.

With the penultimate track of the album, we move into the Night of our day with P. Lay Your Head Down sees P arriving home and attempting to resolve his relationship. The mood is set nicely by the heavy beat and the contrasting guitar and keys, creating a calming sound that perfectly mirrors the emotive nature of the events that are unfolding. Here, we see P talking and seducing his partner, reflecting on events and also on his relationship with his daughter, a vision that creates a lot of emotion if you chose to let it in. Houses ends with While You Sleep where the bass and piano brings brighter, emotional vibe; something that works perfectly and the sound scape for the track. Before sleeping himself, P checks in on his sleeping son, his thoughts are the perfect celebration of the father-son bond. There is a depth and emotion to the words that any real father with understand and something that brings the album full circle; especially when we consider that beginning of the album and where P has come from and his experience with his own father.

There is little doubt that Houses, if you look at it on its own merit, is an incredible piece of work, and something that has been conceived by a true artist. Houses follows one mans trials and tribulations as he attempts to understand and come to terms with his own mortality and what being a true father means. The album might take place across one linear day but, it could have taken place across days, weeks or even months. It takes the listener on a truly deep journey through one person’s journey but, that journey could quite easily be one that any one of us has taken in their life.

I can associate with many of the themes encompassed in the album. I have lost a loved one to suicide, know of suicide ideation, and have experienced an actual family break-up, being estranged from my own children; I also know the struggles with mental health than come along with these traumas and more. It is this kind of relatability that adds extra depth to the album as it helps you to draw on your own lived experiences and the connected emotions.

Lyrically this one is an album that really needs to be listened to. I’m not saying that you can’t just bung in on in the car, but to truly experience every word, bar, and metaphor, you need to take time with this one and digest everything that is said because, the wordplay is the only thing that sees this one set the bat on a whole new level.

Cappo delivers a truly epic piece of work here, both production wise (not forgetting the production from Sam Zircon too, who brings his own mastery to the proceedings) and lyrically, but deeper than that when you take into account how he uses the relationship of the individual tracks to those classic written masterpiece’s, Houses does become something truly different.

Now, I’m not suggesting that to understand Houses, you need to go out and read these epic books, as the album insert booklet does help you to understand parts however, if you chose to do that, it can only elevate your understanding. But what I do suggest is you give Houses the time it deserves, let it in and truly understand what it says because it goes deeper than I can really explain in these words.

Overall, Houses is a masterpiece of Hip Hop story telling; it encompasses a number of musical influences but, also has that added literary influence and connection that elevates it a new level of Hip Hop music, in fact, it might have defined a new genre and a whole new level of what is possible when you merge Hip Hop with a different level of technical and intellectual skill.

If I’m honest, I don’t know if my words can really do justice to just how good Houses is, because it hits so deeply on so many levels. So, I’m gonna leave it there because, I could go on for pages about the album but, in truth you just need to go and listen, truly listen to it.

My humble thanks to Dan at Plague for the chance to experience this album and to help in bringing you my words. I also need to thank Dan and Cappo for the amazing information contained in this which helped the review process no end.

Enjoy this one and I’ll see you next time.

One Love,

Steve.

LINKS

Grab your copy from Bandcamp:

https://plague11.bandcamp.com/album/houses

Cappo Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/kafka_poe_murakami/

Plague Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/plague_11/

https://www.facebook.com/plague11

 

 

 

 

Album Review: S.T.A.R.V.E by Cappo

 

S.T.A.R.V.E

By

CAPPO

 

This review was originally written for the September Issue of the Killa Tapes Magazine. It is amazing to think that my reviews are being featured in physical magazine. There are not many magazines out there right now and it was reading magazines such as Hip Hop Connection and others that were part of the inspiration for me to do what I do now, because I wanted to do reviews which expanded on those short reviews and gave an insight from the point of view of a person who might buy and listen to the music. Anyway, back to the review...

Way back in the early 2000’s I became aware of a highly rated album by a UK emcee called CAPPO. This album, Spaz The World, quickly became hot property and one of the must haves of the time. So, to have the chance to review his latest work for my first review contribution in Killa Tapes Magazine is something special.

Cappo was born and raised in Nottingham UK and originally began his Hip Hop journey as a Graff writer. He also began rapping from an early age and by the Mid-1990’s getting noticed with his first proper show coming in 97 at the Nottingham carnival. His first Demo ‘First Knight’ came in 98, closely followed by the self-produced and self-financed ‘The Cap Tape Vol 1’. After getting noticed by SON records Cappo had a few released via the label before his first solo album ‘Spaz The World’ came on the Zebra Traffic label in 2003. Since then, he has become a legendary UK emcee, with a string of releases under his belt, the latest of which ‘CANON’ came in 2023

S.T.A.R.V.E is released via Plague records and is a nine-track album with some incredible physical releases on the cards too. The album is written and produced by Cappo, with some additional production coming from Congi, Theorist and Sam Zircon. Recorded and mixed by 1stBlood and mastered by Irn Mnky, the design and layout come from Rich Brown at Bee Graphics.

With all that said, there is only one thing left to do, and that is for me to take you through the album, top to bottom, giving you my impressions along the way…

It all kicks off with Jar which is produced by Congi and has a heavy pounding beat, interlaced with keys and more, giving it a sound that is deep but, also switches along the way keeping you focused on the words. Cappo’s vocals here seem to have this reflective air to them which mirrors the tone of the beat. Jar grabs you deep in your chest as Cappo speaks on what feels like the thoughts of someone musing on a broken relationship or even the loss of someone close, things that have a close emotive energy and leave you wondering what hits home more, the loss or the wonderful memories left behind. With those thoughts still so clear in your mind the intro to Drip, suddenly jerks you back to reality, produced by Theorist, this one has a sparse beat mixed with piano and the sound of dripping water. This all comes together for a vibe that plays havoc with your mind, much like Cappo’s words, which at first seem to be reflective of things he sees around him, from the struggles of relationships and changing aspects of who you are to fit with that relationship, to the struggles of a parent doing their best but, seeing their frustrations explode on those closest to them. However, as you listen you begin to question those thoughts and wonder if this all about one person’s experiences in life, dripping into his current awareness. There is not time to sit and contemplate those thoughts as Terrace 3 – Void hits with an accapella vibe, where Cappo’s words have the emotive strength of a person grappling with their own mental health, stepping back from those closest to them. The beat kicks in about halfway through and has a more modern sound to it, mixed with some electronic vibes that seems to match the feels of those intrusive thoughts that hit every day, matching the air of the lyrics perfectly.

Window is next and opens with an eerie intro, which I’m not gonna try and translate here, and sets a tone that has you wondering what’s coming. When the beat drops, it has a pounding feel that seems to weigh heavy on every nerve. Cappo’s words seep into your mind and speak on someone struggling with life, medicating and immersing themselves into anything that numbs the pain. Just as you are coming to some understanding, the beat changes, becoming slightly more upbeat with a sound that gets your head nodding. Here, it feels like this is a moment of clarity in an otherwise pain filled haze. This is a moment where you can suddenly see your own struggles and where you need to be to get back to who you are but, it is also the moment where you may question if you have the strength to do it? Terrace 2 is a short that has a huge impact, with Cappo’s words those someone might record in a live video, recording their thoughts as they continue to struggle with the strains of life where there is not enough money or help for those who need it most. I have seen this stuff first hand on the streets and in talking cafes and it hits so hard because these few words are so real and reflect the sad reality that so many live. With those words hitting so hard, it is almost a relief when the piano and head nod beat of Strongbow kick in but, that relief is short lived as the reality of Cappo’s words hit home once more. There is a glimmer of hope here though as this one focuses on someone doing their best to recover, swapping the spliff for a four pack of Stongbow, doing their best to take their meds in an attempt to get better but, only finding solace within their own four walls while the system looks down on them, labelling them and failing them and those around them. This is where the medical model favours legal drugs over giving more support and therapy that can truly help people get back into society and back on their feet.

Slow Poison is produced by Sam Zircon and brings a heavy modern sound with a grime edge to it. The piano elements give this one an emotive edge; that emotive edge fits with the vibe of the track which really seems to be focused on addiction in its various forms, and that is the poison which slowly invades you, gaining control of who you are, taking away your true self and separating you from those who care. Coming back from addiction is hard and takes willpower, something that has to come from deep inside, from your true self, and you have to recognise that and find who you truly are. The penultimate track is another short, Terrace 1, which brings another glimpse of the sun through the dark storm clouds. Here we hear the words of someone fighting to kick the darkness and find the light of the true self, realising that they have retreated from everything and everyone who brought light to their life. This is one of those huge steps forward in finding your true self, asking for the help. The last track of the album is Writeful Owner and brings another emotive vibe of electronic keys and heavy pounding beats that reinforce the deep aspects of the words. Those word here see Cappo opening up on moving forward with a clean slate, starting again after all the struggles, pain and suffering, this is where the new journey begins and walking forward into a future that you get to write yourself, written in a place that is illuminated by the light of love and positive vibes…

Sometimes you have to give yourself a minute when you are summing up the overall vibe of an album such as this, and this is one of those times.

On the face of it this album is about so many of the struggles that people go through in life but, it is so much more than that. S.T.A.R.V.E has such a deeply personal edge to it that you can’t help but feel as you listen to every track. It hits every emotion you have as you listen, from sadness and empathy to a conclusion that culminates in a feeling of relief as you understand that all the battles throughout the album have not gone in vain and there truly is a brighter horizon in view.

Cappo touches on so many subjects that anyone of us can relate to, and it is the strength of those words that impacts you so deeply as you listen; you can feel his pain because you know that pain but, more than that, you can feel the positive nature of the final track because you feel that too, and you feel all this because of the skilful way in which Cappo delivers every word of every line across the album and those spoken word elements carry such impact too, it’s almost unreal. The wordplay is incredible too as it matches the impact of the delivery, allowing you to hear and feel every word on a whole different level.

Production wise too, you can’t get much better here as every track has this sound that matches the tone of the lyrics perfectly, allowing every track to reverberate through your entire being, eliciting an emotive response that you might not be expecting. I have to commend the guest producers as much as the production from Cappo himself, it’s a cracking piece of work to say the least.

I don’t know how much of this might come from Cappo’s personal experience but, from sitting here and letting every word in, feeling those words too, it makes me think that these words could very well come from his own lived experience, which is why this album hits on so many levels, because it comes from a place that is rooted firmly in reality and true emotional experience and for someone to be that open and honest takes story teller to a whole different level. In fact, you could even say that this goes beyond story telling and becomes a beacon to those out there going through their own personal hell, and shows them a light, a direction to a true path of recovery.

S.T.A.R.V.E is out on Plague records now.

You should also check out the additional release by Cappo and Plague called Vignettes, a collection of additional shorts that serve as an expanded narrative for S.T.A.R.V.E and it protagonist. This is available as a free or Pay what you can download and well worth listening to once you have digested the original.

My humble thanks to Craig at Killa Tapes for asking me to do this and also huge thanks to Danny over at Plague for giving me the chance to review the album.

I’ll see ya next time.

Steve – Infinite Sounds UK 

LINKS

Get your copy of S.T.A.R.V.E. here:

https://plague11.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-a-r-v-e

Get a copy of Vignettes Here:

https://plague11.bandcamp.com/album/vignettes

Cappo Links:

https://www.instagram.com/kafka_poe_murakami/

https://linktr.ee/_Cappo_

Plague Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/plague11/posts/

https://www.instagram.com/plague_11/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCffd_9Pc-5NDYA7OyoUV5cQ

https://twitter.com/Plague218

Get the Killa Tapes Magazine and much more from Killa Tapes Here:

https://killatapespodcast.com/product-tag/magazine/

https://www.facebook.com/killatapespodcast

https://www.instagram.com/killa_tapes/

ALBUM Review: DEF CULT by Junior Disprol

 

DEF CULT

By

Junior Disprol

 

I think its fair to say that in the last five years the man from Cardiff, Junior Disprol has been on something of a roll. First came DEFVALLEY in 2019 followed by two huge releases in 2022, Hung Drawn and Slaughta’d with Krash Slaughta and DEF II; then in 2023 came Uber Magnetic alongsideRoughneck Jihad, the build up to which was something truly inspired and introduced us to the Hidden Content Club from the label Plague.

Well, now in 2024 the Hidden Content Club is back and treated us to a bonus pack and single release that featured a non-album track, The Fun and The Horror, and a remix of the track Hawk Ghost. This was all as the precursor to the third outing in Junior Disprol’s Def Series, DEF CULT. Once more brought to us on the Plague label and, as with both previous DEF releases, Produced by Cool Edit Chud. It features appearances from DJ Jaffa, Krash Slaughta, Stepchild and his Uber Magnetic partner in rhyme Roughneck Jihad. The album also features some stunning artwork from John Stark, just to put the icing on the cake.

Now, Junior Disprol is no stranger to this blog and as such, needs no introduction, so let’s not beat around the bush here and get straight into the DEF CULT…

There is no hanging around here as DJ Jaffa joins JD on the opening track Marvelous, which perfectly sets the tone of the album with a nice head nod drum beat which is surrounded by this eerie mix of bells and nature sounds that all comes together to give you the impression you’ve been drawn into some weird nightmarish world. This is Junior Disprol’s world, a place where expecting the unexpected is the norm and it is hard for the neurotypical mind to even conceive of what now put in front of it. Here he shows you exactly why he is so marvellous in what he does by taking words, phrases and more, mixing and weaving them into something you would never think possible, and when you mix all that with the music, reality is thrown out of a window, a window that doesn’t exist or does it? With all expectation cast aside the sound move to slick funk vibe with drums and guitar taking the forefront for The Fly Most, if you know your Hip Hop then you will know that being ‘fly’ was all about being the best, dressing the best and so on. So, is JD speaking on being the best here or is about a fly or being a fly on the wall? You decided because this is one of those that seems open to interpretation, and after a number of listens I wanted to go with the traditional Hip Hop view and that JD here is just showing what it is the be the fly most on the mic. Up next is A Murmur Forms, which has recently seen a video release, and has more of a jazz vibe with the horns, bass, and drums, which loop and switch creating a sound which tests your nerves as it progresses. JD’s words seem to tear at every brain cell, threatening to turn your awareness inside out. The world around is what seems to form into a murmur as Junior Disprols words and flows form into a dazzling murmuration of their own, mimicking that of a flock of starlings over the somerset levels…

Can We Live finds the drum beat almost softened into the background as a nerve tweaking electric guitar loop grabs your awareness, threatening not to let go. JD takes a look at the state of society and Britain, a place you can no longer call great. How can a person or a family truly live in this society when we are constantly being priced out of everything we need to survive, while the 1% flourish and stand, not on the shoulders of giants but, on the desperate figures of the working class, the infirm, the disabled and corpses of the fallen. It’s a bleak look at life but, that’s life right now. With your mind reeling from what it has just had to comprehend, it’s time for DJ Jaffa to join Junior Disprol once more and to punch and slice a hole in those dark storm clouds with Ready Rock. The head nod beat takes us on a more upbeat vibe while the eerie xylophone sounds keep us in that weird twilight world but, this one creates a seed inside you that blooms almost immediately and bears fruit that you can only taste with your soul because this is what the energy of the music can do for you if you allow it in. There is this sense that the creation and the feeling of the music is able to clear the darkness from most recesses of the mind. So, when you’re ready, feel the music, let it in and get ready to rock. Now feeling a bit more upbeat it’s time for the albums title track to be unleashed, DEF CULT.  The drums and guitar that forms the main element of the beat here has a melodic quality that has you quietly nodding along, focusing on the words, while every now and again there is a burst of guitar that stops you relaxing to far into that sound. Having given you the foundations, JD now hypnotises you, taking control of your mind, he delivers words that infiltrate every corner of your mind and making you a newly ordained follower of the DEF CULT.

It’s perfect timing that you are now in the cult and your mind is focused on this one thing because, if you are listening on the vinyl, it’s now time to flip to the B-Side, something you now do in an almost trance like state. I Got It Going Awwn takes you into a TRON like world with solid boom bap beat alongside electronic sounds that digitize your every thought from this moment on. If it can rhyme with Awwn then its Awwn, that’s what its all about here; well almost. There is a moment, where JD emulates the Ruler Slick Rick, that brings an almighty grin that comes out from within. Suddenly you begin to realise that this cult is not something to fear but, something to revere. That sense of living in a digital world now takes on an eerie twist as the electronic and other sounds whirl around the head nod beat like a plethora of spirits released from purgatory. Krash Slaughta joins JD to help slice through the ghostly fog allowing your body to soak up the vibes. Here you find Junior Disprol speaking on being a Magus Of Phrase. But what does that mean? Well, the definition of Magus is a conjurer, sorcerer, or a magician; so, what he is saying here is that he is a magician when comes to creating something with words and you simply can’t argue with that the more you listen. The vibe switches once more as drums, guitars and keys combine for a sound that would not be out of place an album from the Doors, it has that kinda Hip Hop psychedelic feel. Hawk Ghost dispels any last vestige of dark clouds that might have remained as its energy raises you up to a new level, while keeping you in that altered state of reality. This time Junior Disprol switches from speaking through a ghostly haze to taking on the essence of a spiritual form, soaring high above and looking down on what’s around and channelling that into words and phrases that boggle the mind as you search for the source but find only words that seem to appear from nowhere…

Your eardrums vibrate with the power of the beat, bass and horns as Def At Behest explodes into your awareness. Soon, strings are introduced that have you looking over your shoulder, looking for what’s coming with a sense of foreboding like a movie soundtrack vibe. Listening to this one might make you wonder just what this is all about but, try listening a few times and that think of the title and what it means? Def is all about being the best and by doing that at behest means you are doing it by instruction or by command; so here maybe, its all about JD showing how good his skills are by his own instruction? Being an emcee is all about honing your skills from life, from what you see about you day by day, you are literally teaching or instructing yourself, that’s how you learn. Think about that as you listen and if it speaks to you. Now, time is ticking by and as you move into the album’s penultimate track the Domesday Clock. Drums, bells, bass, and horns form a huge sound that has that that soundtrack vibe about it, one that makes you feel you have stepped into a pool of shade among the sunlight. With that air of foreboding setting around you once more you find that you are stood in an equilateral triangle with an emcee at each apex; perhaps it’s a circle not the triangle you first thought but, anyway, Junior Disprol is followed by Roughneck Jihad and finally Stepchild, each one displaying their individual rhyme skills as the doomsday clock ticks another second but, that second feels like a minute or a whole day as the words float through you awareness; you realise there is so much around us that signifies we are headed towards a doomsday but, you also realise that we are the ones who can also reverse that and stop the clock ticking down to its ultimate conclusion. As you contemplate that thought you realise that the album is about to reach its own conclusion and you have reached Def Not, the final track. Keys, guitars, and drums create a reflective vibe and one that feels you about to enter something deeper than has gone before. The intro makes you feel this one needed time to get going, like it needs a few deep breaths first and as JD begins to speak you realise why those feels occurred to you; not everything is DEF in life and this one finds Junior Disprol speaking on the loss of his mother. This one is by far the deepest track on the album, and I could feel every word, deep in my own heart having lived this same story with the loss of my own mum back in 1995. What can you say, treasure every moment with those you love and enjoy those moments to the fullest. The track ends with an upbeat, high energy guitar solo, just get the adrenaline pumping once more and leaving you with much to think about…

 

Just take a breath because that was some ride. In fact, there is this feeling that DEF CULT is an album of two halves, as seems to have two different vibes running across the two sides of the album, if you have the vinyl, or between the first six tracks and second six. The first half appears to have a slightly darker air about it, laying out the foundations and showing you what’s going on around you or inviting you to see it. But the second half has this far more upbeat vibe to it raising you up most of the time and giving you a reason to feel that its not all bad out there and it ends with a touching ode to his mother that is such an awesome way to end the album, with such an emotional sentiment. It’s just breath taking from start to finish.

I may have said this before but, what the heck, I’m gonna say it again, for me, Junior Disprol is one of the most underrated emcees on the UK scene, if not the entire Hip Hop scene, at this time. I don’t know of anyone who can take words that seemingly have no place together and spin them into something that is entertaining and speaks to you on some strange unconscious level. He just has a masterful way with words, like the title of the track Magus Of Phrase, he truly is a master sorcerer of words and rhyme.

I couldn’t wrap up this review in any way without mentioning the work of Cool Edit Chud on this one. As with JD being a wizard with words, Chud is a wizard of the beats. He is perfectly able to emulate the vibe of JD’s words and together they just craft something where the music and words vibe so well together. It is almost like these two are an extension of each other, they work so well together. The different vibes and sounds created by Chud work so well with JD’s vision for his lyrical content and mood.

Having appearances by DJ Jaffa and Krash Slaughta on the cuts, along with Roughneck Jihad and Stepchild adds flavour to the whole project while taking nothing away from Junior Disprol and Cool Edit Chud.

DEF CULT is the kind of release that Hip Hop needs to carry it forward. It has that nod to the real Hip Hop sound but, draws on a lot of different inspirations along the way. It also has a sound that has definite mass appeal and is not likely to get old very quickly. This has to be another contender for album of the year, in my humble opinion. It’s a perfect fit with the two previous Def albums and might just be the icing on the cake…

My thanks go to Junior Disprol and Plague’s Danny Boyes for putting this one in front of me and letting me do my thing.

My final thought on DEF CULT is simply “Go get this it”.

DEF CULT is available now and comes in a range of formats including some stunning physical versions too.

I’ll see ya next time.

Steve.

LINKS

Get your copy of DEF CULT Here:

plague.co

Junior Disprol Socials:

https://www.facebook.com/DeadResidents

https://www.instagram.com/juniordisprol/

Plague Socials:

https://www.facebook.com/plague11

https://www.instagram.com/plague_11/

https://twitter.com/Plague218

https://www.youtube.com/@plague_11/featured

VIDEOS

A Murmur Forms

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Album Review: Uber Magnetic by Uber Magnetic

 

Uber Magnetic

By

Uber Magnetic

 

Just recently a nice little package dropped through the letter box inviting me to be a part of the Hidden Content Club. With that package came a nice lathe cut 7” single and digital download by Uber Magnetic, otherwise known as the duo of Roughneck Jihad and Junior Disprol. This was a cleaver piece of promo for those who had supported the Plague label in the past and was in lieu of the upcoming self-titled double album by Uber Magnetic.

The Album dropped recently, 29^th September 2023, the day I was in Stamford for the Hip Hop 50 Park Jam, and so I had to hold the review over until I had the time, and that time is now…

Alongside Uber Magnetic are Cool Edit Chud on production and features from SIR Beans OBE, DJ Jaffa and Krash Slaughta. There is also the very dope cover are from the man himself Junior Disprol, and it’s all released via Plague.

As this album is a double and some sixteen tracks deep, I’m not gonna mess around here but get straight into it…

Kicking off with Wake Em Up we are treated to this Hip Hop rock vibe that seems to invade your whole body, which has the effect of making you nod your head and move your body. Meanwhile Uber Magnetic reach into our minds and proceed to scramble our brains with some intricate word play that pulls you in a multitude of directions, a bit like the scene from Hellrazer (the original film), now whether we get to return to normal is another thing. Now we are trapped in dark room in the mind, with our consciousness torn into a thousand pieces, SIR Beans makes his first appearance alongside the UberMags on Now in a Minute, where the drums and bass mix with the cuts to produce a sound that, whilst being having jazzy edge, continues to tug at various elements of our awareness. With our awareness already stretched, the UberMags come at us from various angles and, seemingly, moments in time as they, somewhat calmly, tease us with bars that could be all about the now or perhaps, what might be happing in a minute. By now you might be thinking your on something, and you’d be right because the UberMags and DJ Jaffa hit you with the realisation of a Brain On Drugs. The drums and bass guitar sound has you floating along, allowing you to forget the fragmentation of you mind, and all the while the UberMags spin words in lines that have you envisioning a plethora of mind-bending things beyond this reality. SIR Beans OBE returns with the UberMags on guitar infused Weirdo, where the beat just about keeps you anchored in some form of reality, although knowing which reality you’re in now is questionable. Here the UberMags have you questioning who are the weirdos, is them or us? But, trying to figure that out just brings back that realisation that mind is fragmented and you’re losing your grip on reality.

With any sense of reality quickly disappearing, you don’t even realise that side one is over and you’ve flipped to side two, that all depends on which reality you began in, the physical vinyl reality or the digital one. Drums and a nerve straining piano bring you back to music as the UberMags take you to Upstate Dead; a place that, according to the UberMags, is populated by the bodies of those they have left behind, where what is left in the wake of that which went before, is nothing more and nothing less than the echoes of the past. Now if you’re wondering how all those residents got upstate then Crush, Stomp & Delete might give you an idea. The beat and mind numbing guitar notes and keys on the bridge, bring a strangely enjoyable head nod sound. Krash Slaughta provides cuts here as the UberMags state exactly what they do to the competition, making you realise that there more residents in that place upstate, it’s just that some of them have been deleted from existence. Percussion and a mind-bending electronic sound, literally push you into Body Everybody where the UberMags spin lines, words, similes and more, around the word Body, leaving you with this faint awareness you’ve just had your fragile mind dumped in a lyrical blender. Drums, percussion, and jazzy horns, get you head nodding along as the UberMags, in this case just Roughneck Jihad, give us a little ditty that’s all about men and women. But here when he is talking about how to Hug It, here its about how to hug something with your mouth. Now in your fractured mind-state I’ll leave you to get the gist of that, and while you do that, we switch from disc one to disc two, cos I’m in that vinyl physical type reality…

If you thought things might ease back a little bit, then you’re mistaken as Foaming At The Mouth hits with heavy beat and this almost sonic sound that penetrates every part of your fractured mind. The UberMags now demonstrate what we knew all along that they have the sickest lyrical delivery you’ve heard in a long time. It rubs off on the listener too, the more you listen the more you’re likely to be foaming at the mouth too. A melodic drum beat, and a mixed-up, mind-numbing organ sound brings a sound scape that suits the Scientist Pt 2 and how they might study the complexities of the mind and universe. Here the UberMags create the sort of lyrical content that matches what scientific study is all about, while at the same time creating something that most scientists would struggle to explain when putting it under the microscope. It also leaves you wondering what happened to the Scientist Pt 1? Heavy drums and horns form the basis for the boom bap, breakin’ style beat of Cognac, featuring DJ Jaffa on the cut this one has so many elements of classic Hip Hop vibes and delivers a warm feeling inside when you hear it. There is more devastating lyrical content and delivery from the Uber Magnetics and finally makes you feel like they are giving your fragmented mind a way to become whole once more. Drums, horns, and bells give rise to Cliff Spab, another sound that has a more classic Hip Hop vibe to it. This one sees Junior Disprol going solo and demonstrating why he is one of the UKs best emcees, nuff said right…

As we finally begin to regain some hold on reality and repairing our fragile mind, we are aware that we’re about to head into the final side of the album. We begin that final part of the journey by Floating On The Silence, a heavy pounding sound with the faint sound of piano and vocal samples, which all combine to give this one a sound that really draws your focus in while keeping your head nodding. As hard as it might be to hear it, there does appear to be a message here helping to bring you back to earth from the sheer weight of what has gone before this moment. There is this feeling that for all the lyrical mastery on show and the life experiences of both emcees, there is this hint that the important aspect of anything is the silence in-between, its like the place where I take myself to interpret what I hear in the music, those quiet moments are what speaks the most so be mindful of them as they help bring you back to yourself. Drums and bells once more tweak our minds back to an alternate universe for a few minutes on Pterodac Feather. The UberMags bring those similes, metaphors and more together to show just how good they are as a force on the scene. Sometimes you just have to enjoy a track without the analytics and its better. Up next is Vodka & Milk featuring Krash Slaughta, a solid had nod, boom bap beat here gets the pulse racing as the UberMags celebrate what it is that makes them work so well together even when they seem so different. It’s true that on the face of it they appear so different as emcees that you would never think of putting them together but, now they are finally together on one long player it is evident that they mix far better than you might think. Moving into the final track of the album there is a brief second when you are wondering how the UberMags are gonna bring this one to a close, and they do that with Charles Salvador (aka Charles Bronson, the UKs most notorious prisoner), mixing a funky beat with some jazzy horns, this one has wicked upbeat vibe to it. This one sees the UberMags look at the life of the former boxer who has spent most of his life in jail and most that spent in solitary confinement. It is an interesting take on his life as most people only know him as a criminal but, he has written many books and is also an artist and he changed his name to Charles Salvador in respect to one of his favourite artists, Salvador Dali.

 

Sometimes it takes a huge amount of mental capacity to delve deep into the music you hear and this album was one of those moments. The highly technical and intricate lyrical rawness of Junior Disprol alongside the more polished technical lyricism of Roughneck Jihad produces an album which is only matched in lyrical intricacy by the intricate nature of the soundscapes produced by Cool Edit Chud. I do use the word intricate a lot here because that is exactly what it is.

This is some wild ride of an album as the first twelve tracks pull apart your awareness, opening it up to new levels of understanding. You have to go into this album with no preconceived ideas of knowing what to expect, because if you think you know what’s to come, then hearing this for the first time could possibly destroy everything you thought you knew about Hip Hop and lyricism, in any form. Then, in the last four tracks they bring you’re shattered awareness back together with some more classic Hip Hop vibes, just to show where the roots of their craft lie.

What the Uber Magnetic’s do is to take Hip Hop from the UK and the US, grind it up, mix it what a whole lot of other influences, incinerate it and then cook up something, you never hear before but, only think you have. This is one of those new benchmarks in genre of Hip Hop, because you know where the roots of the sound lie but, when you take the music and the lyricism together this is something new, something raw and something that you may never hear the likes of again.

As I sit here, I wonder if I have even been able to interpret the exact nature of this album, it really is that good. It could be as ground-breaking as the release of the Ultramagnetic MCs Critical Beatdown, now that might be a bold statement but, I remember what effect that album had on me at the time and the effect Uber Magnetic has had in how difficult it was to really get into it, it’s the only comparison that seams to work for me, we’ll all see it differently I guess.

Uber Magnetic is out now on Plague, with a stunning limited-Edition vinyl, CD digital and even good old Cassette versions so, take ya pick…

My humble thanks to Danny Boyes at Plague, Junior Disprol and Roughneck Jihad.

 

I’m Out,

See Ya.

Steve.

LINKS

Get you copy of Uber Magnetic via Plague Here:

https://plague.co/merch

https://plague.co/album/uber-magnetic

Plague Social Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/plague11/posts/

https://www.instagram.com/plague_11/

https://twitter.com/Plague218

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCffd_9Pc-5NDYA7OyoUV5cQ

VIDEOS

Cognac Official Video

Wake Em Up Official Video