EP Review: Rising Sun EP by Blaktrix & Relense

 

Rising Sun EP

By

Blaktrix and Relense

 

This week I welcome Cardiff’s Blaktrix back to the blog who teams up with Brighton based producer Relense (who has also featured on the blog before) to bring us the Rising Sun EP.

The promo I received for this EP promises that it to be a dark, reflective, and unapologetically different 3-track EP by two artists that are clearly in the zone right now. Atmospheric, dark introspective beats expertly crafted by Relense meet Blaktrix signature rhyme style that as he says 'lets it all out and lays the art' combine to create a 3 track EP you can listen to as one.

With that on my mind, I’m not gonna mess about here but get straight into it.

We kick things off with the title track Rising Sun. Relense gives us a beat which is almost softened into the background by keys and double bass notes, giving this one a deep vibe that you can’t help but, subtly nod your head to. With this one, Blaktrix uses his skilful word play to bounce us between lines that have a more political edge and those where the vibe has a far more personal feel. There is a depth here that seems to transport you beyond those political and personal aspects; giving you a vision in your mind that makes you see that no matter the darkness that you see around you, there is always a way to bring the light and raise the energies to a more positive level.

Next up is Say My Name, where Relense brings a beat where the drums are sparce but, still carries you along while the strings and bass merge to create this atmospheric air that gives you a laid-back edge bringing focus to the vocals. Blaktrix gives us words that speak on his love of the craft and the aplomb with which he delivers every word, line and bar. This is telling it like it is, without the braggadocio, and who are we to disagree; at the end of the day, it’s not about the names you can drop the realness in the words that you do say…

The EP rounds off with Soul Blade and Relense brings a beat that raises the adrenaline levels with a heavier sound. The drums boom and the strings and guitars produce a sound that you feel throughout your entire body. Blaktrix goes in hard on AI and the idea that we could be living in a simulated reality where nothing is as it appears and most of earth’s inhabitants are asleep to what is truly happening around them but, it is looking deep within and finding your own Soul Blade that can help you break free of this false reality, and see the true reality in which you exist.

 

What is instantly apparent when listening to this is the fact that you can really relate to everything that is said here and the deep vibes created by each track. Be it seeking the light from the darkness and creating your own light when you unite with another or seeing those who choose to drop big names instead of being truthful in the words they speak or breaking free of the false reality that is perpetrated by the media and the powers that be.

Relense brings some flawless production that instantly creates the perfect sound scapes for the words of Blaktrix. Each beat is fundamentally anchored in the Hip Hop sound but, he brings an atmospheric quality to each that allows to really immerse yourself into what you are hearing; and this is gives and extra depth to the skilful and intricate wordplay from Blaktrix.

Blaktrix gives these deep lyrics that seem almost too complex at times but, are also matter of fact in the message they deliver when you take the time to truly listen to what is being said. His voice has a quality and depth to it that makes you feel that what he bringing is personal view of what he sees around him, daily. But, at the same time, he could be speaking on the experiences of one of us at the same time.

Overall, the Rising Sun EP delivers deep and relatable content that is delivered in high quality, both musically and lyrically. Regardless of whether you are listening to this one as the sun sets, rises, or as the world passes you by in the car, you won’t be able to escape the messages within, and it will be one you will come back to time and again.

Big shout also goes out to the one Rola who mixed, mastered, and engineered the whole EP.

The Rising Sun EP is out everywhere from today.

Huge thanks to Blaktrix for giving me the chance to bring this one to you.  

I’ll see ya next time.

Peace Out.

Steve.

LINKS

Blaktrix on Bandcamp:

https://blaktrix.bandcamp.com/music

More from Blaktrix Here:

https://found.ee/blaktrix

Blaktrix Socials:

https://www.facebook.com/nk.blaktrix

https://www.instagram.com/blaktrix/

Relense on Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/re_lensed/

Single Review: Fake Friends / Hip Hop Saved My Life

 

Fake Friends / Hip Hop Saved My Life

By

Holly Flo and Crease

 

The double single release Fake Friends / Hip Hop Saved My Life is the debut release from Holly Flo and Crease. It features Holly Flo on vocals, Crease on production with SIR Beans OBE on the cuts and mixed and mastered by Rola @ Khameleon 107.

For those of you who might not be familiar with these two, then here is a little background for you.

Crease is a DJ, Producer and Graff artist from Bournemouth. Part of the Legendary Outkastz Crew (O.K.S.T), he has been closely associated with the B-Line Recordings family for many years and has been in the sound and production game for some 30 years, recording under various names and across various genres of music. Among his recent releases was the awesome Anything You Want single, alongside Chrome and Specifik, which was released on B-Line Recordings in May 2021 and which I featured in a review.

Holly Flo (formerly Holly Flo Lightly) is an underground emcee and singer from London who released her debut single Tryin’ back in 2014. The Northeast of England is now her home, where she collaborates on both music and radio projects, plus studying a BA in Music and Sound. She has close connections with Bristol’s Hip Hop community, releasing her Aperitif EP through Sika Records in 2016.  Following a few appearances at the B-Line Recordings Rope-A-Dope events in Bristol, she linked up with Crease which led to this latest release. Holly Flo’s most recent releases include the Get Lit Not Gaslit EP (Coming Soon with GasLit out now), produced by Konchis, and a collaboration with Beyonders (Metalheadz/HeadzState) on the soulful jazzy vibes of the Moves Like Water single. She also has several underground collabs and EPs on the way.

The two have been working together on material for two and a half years now and have recently performed together at 2021’s Rope-A-Dope 6 and this year’s Lindisfarne festival.

Fake Friends drops with a solid boom bap beat with a classic drum sample, bass and piano with horns featuring on the chorus and more, creating this lively sound that just makes you wanna bounce around. Holly Flo mixes her rap vocals with a soulful sung chorus and speaks openly and unashamedly on those people who are only there for you while things are going well and you are in a good place, because it is to their advantage. But the minute things are not going so well, and you find yourself in a tough spot, they drop you or turn on you, being among the first to stick the knife in your back and twist it.

Hip Hop Saved My Life sees Crease dropping a laid-back drumbeat, over which is a jazzy piano and guitar, which brings this chilled Jazz Hop fusion sound, that is a proper uplifting head nod vibe. Holly Flo once more brings her rap vocals and sung chorus to bear on a track that sees her open her heart on how she discovered Hip Hop music from the US to the UK artists. She tells how making her first track about Hip Hop truly helped her at a time she was at her lowest point. Then from living in Barcelona and back to the UK it’s all about having Hip Hop in your soul so “put your fucking hands up”.

 

Here are two tracks that are drastically different, in as much as they cover topics that display the yin and the yang of life. One person’s experiences of life that are joined by one common element, the love of real Hip Hop music.

Crease brings two solid real Hip Hop tracks that show his pedigree when it comes to music production. On Fake Friends his boom bap vibe brings the kinda vibe that brings light to the shadowy nature of tracks subject matter, while on Hip Hop Saved My Life, he brings a Jazzy-tinged vibe that carries the track along while giving room for you to focus on the lyrics from Holly Flo. You just get this sense that he understands, on a deep level, exactly what is needed from the music to fully compliment the vocals, masterful production…

Holly Flo demonstrates why she is more that one of the UK’s finest upcoming emcees. With these two tracks she shows her solid lyrical wordplay, of which you can hear every word, alongside some stunning soulful sung choruses and if you have ever seen her live performances, then you will have an even better insight into her vocal range and prowess. I am sure that with this release she is going to absolutely cement her place on the UK Hip Hop scene and probably beyond. With some guest appearances out now and some exciting in coming releases with Crease, Holly Flo is most certainly one to watch.

Make sure you keep watch for future releases from Crease and Holly Flo as there is, I’m reliably informed, at least one album scheduled for future release.

So, there is not much more I can say now except that I hope you have you orders in for this one as its out today and is gonna be on fire, for sure.

On that note,

I’ll see ya next time,

Peace Out,

Steve

LINKS

Get the Single from Holly Flo on Bandcamp:

https://hollyflolightly.bandcamp.com/album/fake-friends

Holly Flo on the Web:

https://www.getlitnotgaslit.com/

Holly Flo on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3ldRhDAkrzPLfeLIR9UZK4

Holly Flo on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/c/HollyFloLightly

Holly Flo on Instagram:

https://www.youtube.com/c/HollyFloLightly

Crease on Bandcamp:

https://crease2.bandcamp.com/

Crease on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/crease_okst/

 

 

 

Special Double Single Review: AE Productions AE044 & AE045

 

AE Productions

Double Single Review

AE044 and AE045

 

Back in October I dropped a similar double header for the previous two AE Productions 45 drops and as these two new 45’s were also released together I decided to do the same again. So, sit back and enjoy…

 

AE044 – Sir Beans OBE

Part Of It ft KELZ / DEF - Defeat Evil Fools ft Zaeb Dust, Blaktrix & Medusa

Bristol Legend Sir Beans OBE (Parlour Talk, Undivided Attention & Transcript Carriers) has previously supplied beats for the Truck album and also turntables on The Aroma on AE Productions but, he now drops his first solo release.

The A side see’s Sir Beans joined by another Bristol legend in the form of KELZ for Part Of It. The sound here is a mix of drums, guitars and keyboards that has that classic Bristol, Sagittarius Sound System, Ruztic Records vibe. At times it feels like an urban industrial sound which merges in and out of an almost spaced-out sound alongside it.

That sound is the perfect back drop for KELZ to bring his no nonsense lyrical style, tinged with ragga elements, to bear on this track. Listening to this you get that feeling that what KELZ is saying here is that you gotta stand up for what you believe in, no matter what it is. It could be your stance on the state of current events, your feelings on what it is to be Hip Hop or anything you feel passionate about. Don’t just be a Part Of It by believing everything you are told! Always stand up for who you are and speak your truth.

This track oozes that Bristol vibe and sound which is encapsulated by Sir Beans production and KELZ knowledge and inimitable rap style. Whenever these guys work together, they put out Hip Hop that reeks of experience and a deep desire to entertain while bringing the truth to the people as only they know how…

The B side finds Zaeb Dust (The Enjinz), Blaktrix (Ruztik Records) and Madusa (Project Blowed, L.A.) join Sir Beans on DEF - Defeat Evil Fools. The soundscape here is a surreal mix of drums, horns, bells, and vocal samples that are mashed together by Sir Beans to create a sound that seems to ooze from the shadows to reach into your mind.

With that dark vibe established the vocal trio drop lines that seem to focus on not just shadowy people but also the shadowy side of people’s characters. The side of people and the very world around us that is seldom seen and not something many really believe in. It is always this darker side reality and of people themselves that is kept quiet. We all know the shadowy nature of governments and the like but, so often we do not realise that we might live next to a racist or a paedophile, because they are so good at hiding that part of their nature from us.

With slick vocals and individual styles these emcees bring a focus to the shadows and those that live there. These people who live by pulling a veil over everyone’s eyes are the fools and now its time to Defeat Evil Fools…

 

 

AE045 – Chrome Plus

Popcorn / Pieces will align

 

Now, most of you will know the legendary figure from Norwich that is Chrome (Def Tex) but, more recently he has put together something new in Chrome Plus. More of a Hip-Hop band, Chrome Plus is Chrome providing Rap, Tom Hanna on Bass, aCivillian on Guitar and SuperJB providing the Production and Cuts etc. So, what does this all add up to on this debut…

The A side, Popcorn features production from DJar One and SuperJB, who also provides the cuts, and brings us an upbeat funky feel-good vibe. Chrome brings his classic rapid-fire vocals which uplift you even more as he breaks it down about just what he and Chrome Plus are all about and what they are bringing to the party.

This is really one of those tracks where the music does all the talking. The mix of classic Hip-Hop production and live instruments is a delight to behold. It has to be said that the addition of live guitar and bass just adds an extra dimension to the music and makes you want to listen to it over and over, again and again, because it just pumps you up and get you moving.

Flipping over to the B side for Pieces will align, production comes from Steve Ebola and SuperJB. The mix of organ notes and drums, alongside the live guitar and bass brings the kinda sound you want to nod your head to but, also has this vibe that makes you want to listen…

Chrome turns slows his pace, ever so slightly, as he delivers a deeper message. That message seems to focus on the fractured nature of reality and life around us. In nearly every aspect of life, entertainment and music, there are many facets that don’t appear to fit. It is like for every piece of perfection there is an equal or opposite imperfection. But what if we could turn back the hands of time, find those imperfections and make it that all those Pieces will align…

 

 

There is no doubt that AE Productions has, once again, delivered two mighty 7” releases for our listening pleasure. On one hand we have Sir Beans OBE delivering two heavy weight tracks that pound our minds into submission, whilst on the flip side Chrome Plus brings two equally heavy tracks that raise us up and have us bouncing around one minute, then have us nodding our heads in contemplation the next.

I’d like to say more by not saying too much again, here we have two not to be missed releases that show the high calibre and depth of the UK Hip Hop scene. AE Productions is truly dropping some of the cream of UK Hip Hop and Hip Hop that well and truly has its feet solidly in the roots or real Hip Hop music.

As always AE Productions brings us stunning releases with full colour artwork and more. AE044 features artwork from Nick Pointon and is mixed and mastered by Rola (Numskullz/Aroma). AE045 features design by Leon Nockolds while SuperJB handles mixing and mastering.

Both are released tomorrow on AE Productions.

I’m out,

See Ya,

Steve.

LINKS

Buy both from the AE Productions online shop Here:

https://www.ae-productions.co.uk/shop

Chrome on Bandcamp:

https://chrome.bandcamp.com/

Sir Beans OBE on Bandcamp:

https://sirbeansobe.bandcamp.com/

Double Single review: AE Productions AE042 & AE043

 

 AE Productions Double Single Review

AE042 Breakdown by Mr Fantastic ft Teekay

&

AE043 Make It Happen (Mac McRaw RMX) by Ill Treats & Glad2Mecha ft Grand Puba

 

With AE Productions being one of the UK’s premier labels for releasing that gold standard Hip Hop, it was a pleasure to be sent the labels two brand new 45 releases for review. As they landed together, I decided to drop the two reviews in one for you, so I hope you enjoy…

 

AE042 Breakdown by Mr Fantastic ft Teekay (Dragon Fli Empire)

 

There is something about an AE Productions release that is so often linked to the core vibes of real Hip Hop music and Breakdown is exactly that.

Produced and scratched by the man behind AE Productions, Mr Fantastic, Breakdown comes at you with a funky head nod vibe that, on the face of it, seems quite simplistic but, the more the more it goes on, you get this multi-layered that includes Horns and cymbals under those wicked drums. It straight up gets you moving and feeling that positive energy that is infused throughout. 

Teekay (Dragon Fli Empire) from Calgary, Alberta, Canada seems the perfect choice for this track. His rhyme style and effortless flow fits so well here. You can hear every word as he breaks it down about what it is to be in Hip Hop music, how you do it, how it makes you feel and what it is to bring it to the people.

Overall, this one takes you back to those early years of Hip-Hop music, the energy, and that predominant feel-good factor that it was all about back then. This is one of those tracks that does not require too much brain power to enjoy, everything you need from this track, comes from the track, trust me…

To round it all off the cover graff artwork comes from another legendary Bristol figure, Turroe One, and speaking of legendary Bristol figures, Rola @ Khameleon 107 lends his talents to mixing the vocals and Mastering. This track is everything you want and then some.

 

AE043 Make It Happen (Mac McRaw RMX) by Ill Treats & Glad2Mecha ft Grand Puba

 

For this release AE Productions have a Mac McRaw remix of Make It Happen by Ill Treats and Glad2Mecha, which also features Grand Puba (Brand Nubian).

The original album version of the track, which you will find on the B-Side, came from Ill Treats and Glad2mecha’s 2019 album ‘The Return’. That original version was a chilled-out vibe mixing keyboards, bass and horns over laid-back drums. The track was all about putting your all into something, in this case their music, and doing what you can to the best of your ability to Make It Happen with something fresh and new which will bring enjoyment to the listeners and also help you to pay the bills, as we all need to do that. Lyrically it was a solid track and pairing Glad2Mecha with Grand Puba just polished off the track.

What Mac McRaw has done with his remix is to completely flip the vibe of the original while losing none of the original message. The remix has an upbeat and energetic feel that instantly makes you wanna nod ya head. Over this upbeat drum beat we get this multi-layered mix of horns and guitar vibes which really tweak the energy levels. We are also treated to a nice addition of some slick turntablism as well just to cap things off nicely.

The release is rounded off by cover design and layout from Mr Krum and mastering from Rola @ Khameleon 107.   

If you are one of those who like those fun facts, then an interesting side note here is that Brighton on the UK’s south coast, plays a big part behind the scenes, albeit historically.  Ill Treats (Arizona), Mac McRaw (France) and Mr Krum are all originally from Brighton. It is also where Mac McRaw met Ill Treats back in the day. Mr Krum and Mac McRaw are linked through being fellow Vinyl Veterans, the Ko Rok Two and, if you read my review of 30 Raw Ones, they also formed Cold Rock Stuff Records.

 

What I liked about both of these releases was the fact that they both have this overwhelming upbeat, energetic and feel-good vibe that really serves to uplift you and I really feel that kinda vibe is exactly what is needed in the world right now. So, huge props to AE Productions and all involved for bringing such a healthy dose of musical medicine to our ears.

Huge thanks to Mr Fantastic for sending these to me.

Both AE042 and AE043 are available now to stream and purchase from AE Productions.

On that note,

Let the good times roll,

Steve

LINKS

Buy both copies from the AE Productions Website:

https://www.ae-productions.co.uk/shop

Both will also be available in Canada from Black Buffalo Records very soon:

http://blackbuffalorecords.ca/best-underground-hip-hop/

Remember to search for both of these on iTunes and Spotify