Code:Breaker City Of Greed 12"
Buttercuts manage to go from strength to strength and release their strongest cut yet. This is Code:Breaker’s baby and he handles it well. The title track “City of Greed” is a dark and brooding beat by fbcfabric, built around a sparse moody piano loop. Breaker uses the tone to rap about the evils and ills of living, breathing and surviving in London. “This could be the final chapter,” he says before he takes the vocals up a notch and uses good vocal techniques to show passion and positivity in his grimy imagery of a city in decay, consumed by its own inadequacies and glass ceiling systems. “If you live here too, you know exactly what I mean.” Anyone in London can empathise with the grotesque imagery of both greed, narcissism and cash-fuelled failures. The radio edit is a bit epic, clocking in at over 6 minutes, but provides a nice instrumental section with samples on it.
“Lo-fi Cash Bean” is an instrumental, another provided by fbcfabric. Built around clashing snares and a drone-like string, it provides more atmosphere for the tone of the CD, before breaking off the club banger “Skylarkin’”. The beats are provided by the Avatars. It’s yet another slice of life in the grimy underworld inhabited by Breaker. He calls out fakers, blingers and Tony Blair whilst strings and bleeps play around him. It’s more playful than the atmospheric “City of Greed”. The last track “Murderation 2003” featuring David Boomah is the weakest song on the CD. It starts off well with a good beat and pianos. However it is let down by a disappointing chorus by collaborator David Boomah. Breaker does a good effort in walking all over the beat with a strong flow and good diction. However, the chorus sounds like it belongs to another song.
All in all, “City of Greed” is a strong Buttercuts release and shows why Code:Breaker is one of the most slept on MC’s in the UK. Coming from a drum’n’bass background, his flows are able to adapt to a variety of beats and speeds. His voice is consistent and listenable. Buttercuts continue to go from strength to strength. I await their long-awaited “Pistachios” release!!!!!!!
- Nikesh Shukla
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