Low Life's Main Courses Food LP
This is a blindin way to bring in the new year - just the thing - a big fat Asterix style feast of quality music. Lowlife certainly know how to serve up the haute cuisine - this is the cordon bleu side of uk hiphop in 2003. No flabby fillers - each one of these cuts comes in the tightest leanest form. Stretching over fourteen tracks this compilation runs different styles but doesnt compromise on the quality - in this case, diversity doesnt lead to substandard values.
Standout tracks include the LP opener 'You Know Who You Are' a massive posse cut featuring Rodney P, Farma G, Mystro, and Braintax caning it across a brainmelting latin infused beat. Mystro drops some super fantasy lyrics across a xylophone driven break on 'My Type Of Party' - you'll all want an invite to the next jam. Jehst gets mad poetic across rollin layered piano riff action - 'Adventures of New Bohemia' paints a full colour picture of student bedsit land. Richochet gets slightly comical on 'Mad Runningz' which tales a street hustlers frantic life across a Greek influenced beat - the bouzouki hits the spot as it drives the tempo of the track. Chester P gets mad heavy and pulps all happy feelings on 'The Wickerman Theory' - the dark lyrics and mournful orchestral production slide into place perfectly. Farma G takes to the boards and blitz's allcomers with a blurred scatter of drumshots which blend with a piano loop on 'Between The Lines' - he uses this apocalpytic soundscape to rip some suicidal lyrics. Braintax does his thing on 'Gulliver' - that trademark flow and diction passing across a bit of thumping bassline n' chilled guitar loop action.
The only tracks I wasnt particularly feelin came with the Mikey D.O.N. track 'Tell Them!' - it was too digital and 2step oriented for my palate, the Rodney P solo track 'Run That' was lyrically slightly boring - and although the beat is chopped to perfection its Rodney P hiphop by numbers. However, there isnt many hiphop longplayers in my collection that I can honestly say has only one and a half tracks that dont hit the spot.
Overall, this is a record you'll be coming back to time and time again. Its the sound of uk hiphop in 2003 - high quality recordings of confident artists exploring different lyrical and musical avenues. For me, the Jehst cut takes home the after eight mints for providing the albums most complete track - although the opening posse cut drives in to take a close second spot. I think Lowlife know they've got a quality piece of work here - given the right promo this will escalate their mainstream profile and other acts/labels can rise to prominence in their slipstream. A tidy meal - so leave a tip.
- Smiffy | profile
Related Links:
© ukhh.com 1999 - 2002
