CBNG by Cut Beetlez & Nice Guys - Album Review

CBNG

By

Cut Beetlez and Nice Guys

Album Review

When I was contacted by the Cut Beetlez to check out their new singles and review an up an coming album I was excited as I’ve been watching the duo of HP Lovescratch and J-Man from Helsinki and Tampere City, Finland since they teamed up with Soundsci on dope single Droppin’ Needlez.

This album is a collaboration between themselves and the Philly meets Cali crew, Nice Guys, otherwise known as Dirty Winters and Lynx 196.9, who previously worked together on the two track CBNGXMAS. Now these four have got back together to take it one step further.

There have also been three singles already released off the album, those being Cut Ya Ass Up, Graveyard Gravitas and Home.

So, what exactly do you get when you team a DJ/Production Supersonic Tag Team from Europe with a dope emcee duo from stateside? Well, lets get into a track by track breakdown of CBNG and see what these guys have brought to the table...

Vicious is up first and see’s the Nice Guys dropping some venomous rhyme skills all backed up by some sweet turntable fun and a beat that, appears at first listening, to be in total contrast to the rhyme style. However, it just works with its light easy style that seems to drift by on the breeze. From here as the heavy pounding beats hits for Cut Ya Ass Up, you immediately feel this is gonna be some musical ride you’re embarking on with two minutes of orchestral heavy hard beats, unrelenting lyrics and proper cuts, this is Hip Hop so, don’t you forget it. Just as you were preparing for the next beat your ears are given a little jazzy aural pallet cleanser in the form of the instrumental David and this was needed as you are now plunged free fall into the Hard but, Jazz fuelled feel of Sophisticated Grunge with Cut Beetles hitting it big beat and then Nice Guys dropping some hard but, polished flows in to the bargain. The jazzy vibe remains with Barbara as the beat and the Nice Guys smooth lyrical flow just begs you to kick it back and chill and thats exactly what you need to do as Home invites you to stay in that space while the beat and the words that float by remind you that home is the place to be. 

Don’t chill to much cos there are those out there who are fakin’ it and although the beat for Always Fakin’ It (feat ResoNate) retains that easy going jazzy floating vibe the message here is that these guys don’t fake it and are always real. As the vibe of the album keeps you floating along with Bear With Me (feat Notorious Grizzz) with its ethereal and orchestral heavy notes the words here are just enough to keep you rooted in reality with floating away. 

It’s time to up the tempo a little with Games We Play as beat drops more heavy with some nice strings providing that ethereal feel once more. This track gives you a vibe that you need to always be able to switch your game and shows that in almost completely flipping the vibe for the second verse giving it an almost eerie feel. As Who Is This hits your ears are treated to a more banging beat and plenty of turntable trickery and if you were in any doubt about who is this. It’s CBNG that’s who. Switching up the style once more Graveyard Gravitas drops with a pounding bluesy feel that makes you wanna close your eyes, nod your head and drift away to the combination of beats and rhymes. Now it’s time for another aural pallet cleanser as Ellion takes you on chilled out jazzy trip to freshen things up before slowly pushing you over the edge into the banging head nod track that is Shirley, with it’s jazzy horns and def cuts, this one will take you from the head nod to hollering as the vibe takes you. Keeping it horn heavy with a banging beat is No More Nice Guys as the guys show you, in the best possible way, they are not as nice as you think or are they? If they are or not one thing is for sure the cuts on this one are a pleasure to behold. There is no compromise on the quality of cuts, beats and rhymes as Beef hits you horn heavy battle rap vibe which almost lets you down at the end before hitting you with one final face slap. 

The penultimate track is the Heavy Thunderbird which has a mariachi style guitar vibe to it as it takes you on trip through what it is to be CBNG and what they are giving you. The Outro here has a movie soundtrack vibe about it that kinda mirrors the end credits before cutting you off.

So, overall it’s some ride to pack 17 tracks into a little under 30 minute but, it’s some ride that’s for sure. Taking you on a journey through a new spectrum of vibes both musically and lyrically and there is something here for everyone that will really have you travelling through a whole range of feelings across such a short time range.

Musically this has such a polished up-to-date feel about it, wanting to keep things new and exciting but, at the same time keeping enough of a link to what Hip Hop is that you know instinctively that you are listening to Hip Hop for a new age. When you mix that with lyrics that are smooth but, at times brutal and unrelenting from word smiths who really know their craft, as this collaboration is one that stands up there with the best of them.

Together the Cut Beetlez and the Nice Guys have really hit on something that really works. Slapping the taste out of the boundaries that try and section us into races and countries, this album again shows that Hip Hop knows no boundaries and will always find a way to unite us all through the vibes of music.

The only thing I found a little difficult was the length of the tracks. All of them coming in at under two and a half minutes, for me, made it a little more difficult to really feel the tracks but, this is on a personal level and I do not feel it takes anything from the overall depth and feel of the album. The album flows seamlessly from track to track and really creates that “I have to listen to this start to finish” vibe from the word go and challenge you to switch it of once it’s on, go on try it...  I definitely recommend this one for your collections.

The album is released through Fabyl Recordings. Production comes from the Cut Beetlez, beats by HP Lovescratch and Cuts by both DJ J-Man and HP Lovescratch. The cover paintings come from Dirty Winters with layout and design from Mr Krum. Physical copies (if they are any left...) come from Splitwax Records.

I want to give a huge thank you to the Cut Beetlez for sending this over for review.

On that note, I’m out...

One Love people,

Steve

Buy the album on Bandcamp Here - https://cutbeetlez.bandcamp.com/album/cbng-2 

All streaming sites available Here - https://orcd.co/5mynple 

Cut Beetles on Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/the-cut-beetlez

Cut Beetlez on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cutbeetlez/  

Dirty Winters on Bandcamp - https://dirtywinters.bandcamp.com/releases

Dirty Winters on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dirtywinters/

Lynx 196.9 on Bandcamp - https://lynx1969.bandcamp.com/

Lynx 196.9 on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lynx196.nine/

Official Videos

Cut Ya Ass Up

Graveyard Gravitas

Home

 

From The Soul by Pandamonium - Album Review

From The Soul

By

Pandamonium

Album Review

Following the release of last years awesome cut and paste style album, Sample Everything, Exeter’s own Pandamonium is back with a new album for your listening pleasure. From The Soul takes that Panadamonium big boom bap style Hip Hop and puts it to good use on proper producers collaboration release that sees him bring in some of the UK’s most talented and up and coming artist’s to drop vocals over his signature beats.

Now the promo train for this eagerly awaited album has been steaming along at a steady pace for some time with a few single releases and pretty nice merch out there too.

So, without anymore waffling on my part let’s get straight into this album and take a look track by track at what Pandamonium has crafted for us:

The album kicks off in great style with one of the albums singles and features some trademark Pandamonium turntable trickery over a light-hearted but, energy inducing beat of Let Me Introduce Myself. This one gives us Panda himself dropping his own lyrics and taking us on quick journey through some of his defining moments, the sort of memories that make you who you are and are perfect way to introduce exactly who you are to the listener be they new to your sound or a long time supporters. If you were feeling a bit laid back after that first track then the alarm bell goes off in ya ears to herald The Wake Up, featuring KC on the vocals, this one switches the energy up a notch or two with a beat that really has that infectious style that makes you wanna move to it. KC skilfully schools us to what it is to wake up to things that are going on in your life, not only that but, it also kinda makes you realise just how music can wake you up and see things in a different light. Next we drift from waking up to kicking back and taking some time to just be with the soulful funk of Pass It Around, which has us rolled up, sparked up and smoked out by four talented emcee’s in the form of Costi, Blake Black, Jung Kasha and J Bezza (all winners of the cipher beat completion). So, hope you’re not feeling too laid back after that last track as now it’s the turn of one of the South West’s most famous to join the mix as The Scribes jump on Ugly. This one, another of the album’s singles, is a proper banger with a Jazzy feel and has a message you can take two ways. Firstly this is about Hip Hop music to its core being hard and a bit rough and ready and not the polished up commercial stuff that is out there. Secondly, as seen in the video for the track, it is all about being comfortable the way you are and in your own skin and not trying to be someone else by taking away that natural beauty by using cosmetics. In fact if you think about it the message of this track can be applied to so many things we see in day to day life. Now it’s time for the short musical Interlude 1 as Pandamonium reminds us what we are listening to and where it comes from over a nice chilled funky beat.

Mr Milver takes us back into the banging beats and this one is banging with a nice funky vibe that gets you moving. As the title suggests Milver, out of Oxford, guests on this one and gives us a wicked intro to who he is and why your gonna remember his name.  Let em Have It has an almost fragmented cut n paste feel to it but, it’s heavy and really works with Caskie (from the Dusty Stragglers crew) dropping some crazy bars and a nice lyrical dexterity. It is also worth noting here that Caskie also provided some live drums for Pandamonium to cut up for the track. From there it’s in to another of the album’s single’s and also the title track From The Soul, featuring One Oz (Who needs no introductions) this one is a classic Pandamonium vibe with its heavy piano and rapid fire vocals from One Oz, this one ups the BPM and gives you vibe of the album perfectly. It’s all about giving the listener something that is straight from the soul, plain and simple and if your music doesn’t come from the soul then it will not speak to the soul of the listener, ya feel me! After that killer track it’s time just to kick back with another short deeply funky track that is Interlude 2, just giving your ears time for a short breather.

Tick Tock was also release as a single and features Sir Burbia (outta Somerset, my current stomping ground) on a proper head nod of a beat which speaks on time and the fact that everything we do in our lives is based around time and trying to pack so much into a day but, we also have to remember to take time to chill and do the things that we enjoy and that remind us of who we truly are. The next track is a personal favourite following its release as a single. The horn heavy beat really kicks hard and has some crazy energy to it. Plymouth emcee Calligraphy really delivers big time here making Over the Heads of Pygmies a real credit to this album. My People see’s the return of KC to the mic on a track that speaks of the struggles and strains of life and that we are all experiencing this together But, together we can also help each other to get by. The beat keeps that feel good vibe and features some nice guitars cut up to help keep that vibe flowing. Time for another groovy pallet cleanser with Interlude 3 which kinda takes you back to those blaxploitation movies it’s so damn funked up...

The final track off the album to have a single release is The Music. This one features Bristol emcee Motman who brings a laid back but, hard hitting lyrical content to the track and this fits perfectly with the beat which has a slightly darker feel to it but, is a great platform to show how music can mirror life and how it can change the way you feel as you walk the path of life. Creating a whole different vibe with an electronic feel to it Maze is a breath of fresh air. Featuring Pri D, who was part of the Don’t Flop battles, this one talks on how the mind is like a maze and fact that drugs often compound that feel making hard to know where you’re going or what you doing and Pri D’s lyrics really reflect the twists and turns you can experience. Time now to switch it up and go big with At Your Disposal, which has such a heavy large beat that, if you played it too loud, you drop houses with this one and add to that the larger than life lyrics and flow of Fungus, from Plymouth, and you have the closest this to a musical wrecking crew since the World Class. After that you gonna need one last musical moment to bring you back to your senses and Interlude 4, with its rocking beat and heavy guitars is just enough to do that before one last salvo...

Grown Man Business takes you on a surreal vibe that is almost in some parallel universe with its ethereal keys, and freaky electronic sounds all over a pretty banging beat. That weird freaky feeling is further expanded with the vocals from Rico and Dirty Joe otherwise known as the Elder Wastemen from Nottingham who really twist the confines of reality on this penultimate track. So, getting into the final track of the album and Pandamonium is joined by London Crew the Greasy Ninjas for I Ain’t Got a Plan and this one is taking you out on a high. The track takes it up some notches and hits you with an orchestral heavy (has a James Bond feel about it) banging beat which, as with others on this album, really injects you with a burst of musical energy. The Greasy Ninjas drop their lyrics as heavy as the track and letting you know that when it comes to life, they Ain’t got a plan.

Overall, Phew! This one took my breath away. Pandamonium has really taken it to a whole new level here. You have such a mix of styles and vibes here. Its underground Hip Hop mixed with Electronic, Funk, Jazz, orchestral tones and more. Not just that but, you have 19 tracks to keep you bouncin’ along for over an hour.

For me there is not a soft track on the album. Some might say there is no point to having the Interludes and in some cases I might agree but, I have to disagree on this album. Being 19 tracks, or 15 if you discount the Interludes, what those Interludes do on this album is just give you a short break from the full length tracks that, as I said, give you a kind of aural pallet cleanser. It splits the album up into 5 courses that really makes the album a pleasure to listen to and credit where credit is due Pandamonium has done a great job in how he has set up the running order here.

The collaborations are superb and seriously high-light the up and coming talent alongside more established artists. This album may have been a long time coming but, it has been well worth the wait. Especially when you consider the work that has gone into it not just production wise but, also the fact there has been five singles and videos released and a range of T-Shirts and Hoodies too. It has been a huge effort and it has really paid off and the title of the album, From The Soul, gives you an insight into how Pandamonium views what he does and what the music means to him. Music can be just music but, when that music comes from the soul, it takes on a whole different meaning and, for me anyway, I can really feel that running through this album, not just track to track but, also in the whole concept and execution of the album and associated merchandise.

When you look at just how much Pandamonium has put into this album you have to give him huge props, "Let Me Introduce Myself" was Written, Recorded and Performed by Pandamonium UK. All Tracks were Produced, Arranged, Edited, Scratched and Mastered by Pandamonium UK (Drums Segments Sampled & Chopped on "Let Em Have It" Performed and Provided by Alex Caskie). All Associated Artwork, Videos and Logos by Pandamonium UK, this is some undertaking and the only things he did not do himself are, obviously, that the individual contributing artists wrote, performed and recorded all their own material and the video for Tick Tock was produced by Sir Burbia.

I only have one more thing to say, get this album. It has a great feel good vibe running all the way through it and it will definitely keep your spirits up in the weird times we are currently living in right now.

From The Soul is released by One Shoe Records and is available now, links Below.

On that note, I’m out.

Till Next time, Stay Sane people.

Steve

Buy the Album Here: https://djpandamonium.bandcamp.com/music 

DJ Pandamonium Blog: http://djpandamoniumuk.blogspot.co.uk/ 

One Shoe Records on the Web: https://oneshoerecords.com/news/ 

Pandamonium on Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/djpandamonium 

Pandamonium on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djpandamoniumbeats 

Pandamonium on Twitter: https://twitter.com/djpandamonium 

Pandamonium YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/pandamoniumhhb 

One Shoe Records YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK3dub-1g4zcX-Vp5txCP_Q 

Official Videos

The Music

Over The Heads of Pygmies

From The Soul

Let Me Introduce Myself

Ugly

Tick Tock

Humans by Carpetface and Jimi Lyons - Single Review

Humans

By

Carpetface and Jimi Lyons

Single Review

Following on from my last review of last year’s release of B4 the Fall, with its warnings for world leaders and ultimate message of hope for those generations to come, Humans is a fitting follow up single from the pair.

Humans is the second single to be release from their forthcoming album “Soundsystem Soul” which is due for release in 2021 and continues the message of hope for a brighter future.

This single again brings their unique sound and positive uplifting vibe to your ears. It has an infectious energy about it whilst still retaining the conscious and positive message and in the current climate, where the world is experiencing an unprecedented upheaval this kind of positive is all the more needed.

As with B4 The Fall, Humans has that unique blend of urban music from many genres and cultures and all produced from live instruments or Carpetface’s array of electronic music equipment. This track really demonstrates some expert vocal work from both as they take you on a trip through what it is to be Human with a real depth of feeling that allows you to enjoy what you are hearing but, at the same time really feel it on a deep level. We are living in a time where, right now, it does sometimes feel like we are losing touch with what it means to be human at a core level without all the external influences and this track really feels like it is taking you back to that core essence of who we truly are as humans.

Again there really is something for everyone in this track regardless of you musical taste as it hits heavy, whilst still being soulful. It is also urban that can easily appeal to those who enjoy a more mainstream feel to their music. Not only that but, this one gives a unique light on appealing to younger ages as they use, in the chorus, of the melody to the nursery rhymes “Frѐre Jacques”, “Row Row Row Your Boat” will have the kids singing along, as it really does have a proper infectious vibe to it, trust me.

The single was produced and arranged by Carpetface and also features cuts from DeeJay Random of the SteelDevils, Horns from Carl Woodison, Organ Sounds from Dr Moon, Backing Vox from Headskillz South West Kids Crew, Guitars from Carpetface and Jimi Lyons and everything else by Carpetface.

The official video (see below) to accompany the track is best described from what the official Press release has to say:

The Music Video depicts various aspects of

the Human experience - as seen through the eyes

and ears of a 10 year old alien boy running a VR

simulation - who learns what it means to be

Human, while picking up some pretty mean

breakdancing skills along the way.....  

The video really does fit the whole vibe of what the single puts across and it brings home how it is aimed at the differing age groups and how we as humans really must promote unity across the globe, great work from the Newbias and Headskillz crews.

I have to say that, with these first two singles, Carpetface and Jimi Lyons really have taken the whole vibe of Urban Conscious music to a new level. Integrating such a wealth of musical influences alongside such cutting edge production values has given rise to form of music that can easily span cultures, ages and the test of time for years to come. I for one am really excited to see what is next from these two because this is really something to be excited about.

Human is released through Newbias Records and will be available from 1^st May 2020.

One to watch and definitely one to keep the whole family entertained whilst we are still locked down.

Grab this and support the independent artists.

NOTE: I just want to clear up a couple of points and explain more good reasons to support this release and future releases from NewBias Records:

NEWBIAS RECORDS is the label-division of NEWBIAS CIC- is a non-profit, parent-led, arts-based Charitable Interest Company.
100% of profits generated from all releases and merch sales go towards funding our ongoing HEADSKILLZ Youth-Support
Projects, delivering a wide range of support-initiatives for disadvantaged young people, all stemming from engagement in
creative practice, including production of our music videos. Learn more at http://www.newbias.org

Till next time, I’m out, Peace

Steve

DOWNLOAD HUMANS NOW FOR FREE:

with their Eco-Friendly Merch range:   https://bit.ly/NEWBIASshop

or with Patreon Membership:  http://patreon.com/CARPETFACE

or Bandcamp Subscription:  http://carpetface.bandcamp.com/

Carpetface on Facebook: https://bit.ly/CARPETFACE-FB  

Instagram/IGTV: https://bit.ly/CARPETFACE-IG

Twitter: https://bit.ly/CARPETFACE-TW

Youth Projects: https://bit.ly/HEADSKILLZ-FB

Nonprofit Org: https://www.newbias.org

Jimi Lyons on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jimi.lyons.3

Jimi Lyons on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimi.lyons007/

Official Humans Video