MIND STATE
KRAKATOA - UNCLE MIC NITRO
B-LINE RECORDINGS
Well it’s been a long time coming but, finally I have been
able to review the full album, and from the promo tracks I reviewed a while
back this time could not come soon enough.
What made reviewing this so cool was the fact that I picked
up the vinyl from the man himself. On a bloody freezing cold Saturday afternoon
in January, My brother and I made are way to the Grapes Public Drinking
establishment in Oxford Street Southampton. A Pub that has not changed that
much from the years of my youth pissing it on the weekends, only the excessive
price of a pint has changed.
As we sat down with our Pints, I spotted Mr Mic Nitro
heading toward the Pub, Vinyl in hand, and we all greeted each other and were
about to sit down when someone shouted “Shut the Fuckin’ door” many of the
other blokes in the pub know him well and this pretty much set the tone for
next couple of hours of Hip Hop related jovial banter and the like. Having a
laugh over a pint like we had been mates for years!
What was apparent from talking to UMN was that this guy
knows his stuff. Not just about Hip Hop But, also about the business behind the
scenes. He knows the industry, knows what he likes and what he wants. With
plenty of those crazy life stories to pull out and kick it to you, straight up,
no bullshit. Some to make to laugh and some to make you sit back and think
‘Damn, Fuck’, The sort of shit that crafts a boy to man. Made all the more
appropriate as we all grew up in the same city around the same time and often
did the same crazy shit and probably rubbed shoulders over the years and never
realised.
Mic Nitro has been perfecting his craft for years.
Previously a member of the Dark Craftsmen those years had an important impact
on him. Something he said stuck with me, as he spoke about the process of
bringing Mind State Krakatoa to its release. He said about how those listening
rarely think about the music past the length of the 10 tracks. They don’t
realise that an album is 15 – 20 tracks and hours of hard work. Putting the
tracks together, writing, getting the beats, getting the guests to feature on
the tracks, it’s all about deciding which tracks don’t make the cut. Mind State
could easily have been a double album. Don’t forget the hard work of the
production, design work and everything else behind the scenes that has to be
done before you get the chance to the wax in your hand. The reason this stuck
with me was the day’s long past when I would have similar conversations with a
friend who was also a legend in the UK scene.
It took me nearly a month or more to get from then till now.
Work, holiday and personal stuff had to come first but, finally I put the
Needle to the Groove and Damn! I ain’t disappointed!
This album hits from all sides the moment it explodes into
your eardrums. I AM VOLCANO erupts, just like a musical Volcano, hitting you
full on and letting you just who the fuck he is, and just as you are about to
recover the EYE OF THE STORM looms and casts a huge shadow over you, letting
you know we all struggle through our own Dark Times. You realise that the
ferocity is only just beginning when FUKUSHIMA bursts forth with UMN’s former
Dark Craftsman partner featuring unleashing molten magma of lyrical heat that
begins to cook you from the head down. Then you’re in for lull, as WORK IT OUT
issues forth and UMN explores social media and just what is true friendship.
But, just when you thought it was safe the legendary CED GEE schools you to
some Hip Hop history and then UMN, Chrome and Curoc, hit you with the pyroclastic
cloud that is BACK TO BASICS, knocking you into the middle of next week.
The only point it lets up is when you flip the record over
But, and once that needle is back in the groove the molten magma onslaught
continues with BOBBY FISCHER, everything about him is fresher than fresh.
COOKED floats in as you float along the river of lyrical magma and draws on a
true life story of friendship and death. Suddenly you are brought back to life
the BOMERMAN EXPERT telling just how it is, reminding you you’re on the edge
and letting you fall. As you’re FALLING you’re reminded that it’s fucking hard
living this life when you’re told what’s right n’ wrong. As you fall something
hits you? It’s the MIND STATE KRAKATOA and you realise that UMN with Cappo and
Phill Most Chill, have just awakened you to the fact your now caught up in the UMN
Lyrical Mind State, floating endlessly till the pressure builds and erupts
again and you are left wondering what the fuck just happened.
For me this album displays the work of someone waiting till
the time was right to drop lyrical versatility that comes from experience and
knowledge. It demonstrates a mixture of a hardcore true life, open mic battle
vibe but, tinged with a poetic side that allows you to experience the emotions
to the core.
Overall, I really can’t find anything negative to say about
the album. I have played through a few times and as a debut Album this eclipses
the ‘Now that’s what I call Music’ Rappers, keeping them in permanent
shadow.
This Album is straight up, hard core UK Hip Hop. I’m not a
favourite of the Britcore monocle But, However you look at it and label it, this
is just what the scene needs and what I remember about the days of old. Small
labels releasing hard core underground artists who made music for the love of
what they did and not for the love of money!
Bournemouth based B-Line Recordings are certainly bringing
back the Hard Core. Bringing artists with a passion for a scene and sound that
is taking the mould and beating the shit out of it and re-crafting it in their
own unique style! The South Coast of
England is most definately in Full Effect Boyee...
Production on MSK comes from Ryan Mac, DJ Eyre, Speaks and
Ollie Knight. With these guys adding a much needed production talent, I can see
an exceptional future in store for the UK Hip Hop scene.
The awesome Art design on MSK was by the skilled John Dyer
bringing a visual dopeness to the whole package. Showing hidden delights that have
inspired UMN along the way! Some have a link to the lyrics of the album. While some
have a link to things to come, perhaps?
All in all this is wicked package and If, for whatever
reason, you don’t have this, Get It! Plain and simple, cos you won’t be
disappointed.
Oh! I suggest you try and get the vinyl, because that is how
hip hop should be played. There is nothing like the crackle as the record spins
and needle flows through the groove. Brings back good memories of the golden
age!
Steve Rider, February 2017.
MIND STATE KRAKATOA – UNCLE MIC NITRO
12” Red Vinyl with full colour sleeve and insert.
Released by B-Line Recordings – blinerecordings.bigcartel.com
Now available, digitally mastered (so good to play in the
car or on your walkman J)
from: