MAIN SOURCE 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Anyone who takes their old-skool hip-hop seriously knows Main Source were the real deal, and their 1991 album Breaking Atoms remains one of the greatest albums in the genre. While there was an eventual follow-up in 1994, hip-hop folklore has often spoken of their shelved 1992 LP The Science. Bar the odd bootleg single or demo here and there, the album has never been heard but now a major missing piece in the story of early 90s rap is being put back into its rightful place, as P-Vine present the first ever release of The Science, cut from the group's own master tapes and guaranteed to be a new favourite for anyone who values the golden age of beats and rhymes.

Review: Lovers of the famous East Coast hip-hop sound out of the States will have long been dial into this cornerstone classic, Dah Shinin', by Brooklyn duo Smif-N-Wessun. With help from the Da Beatminerz production crew, it is a timeless record with plenty of jazz and reggae flourishes thank to the great samples while the hardcore bars and beats have a real underground edge. MCs Tek and Steele are in perfect form over the 16 tunes and guest slots from Black Moon also bang. This is one no hip hop head should ever be without.

Review: Main Source cut a sharp figure when they broke through in the early 90s, made up of Toronto's K-Cut and Sir Scratch and New York's Large Professor. Their debut album Breaking Atoms is one of the greatest from that golden era for hip-hop, and there's no shortage of hot tracks to pick for a 7" pressing, but here Japan's P-Vine picks out the classic 'Live At The Barbeque' and backs it up with Large Professor's own self-titled joint. This is early 90s hip-hop at its best, boiled down on a handy little single for those moments when you just want the hits.

Review: We've been treated to a few revisits of tracks from the mighty Main Source and their seminal debut album Breaking Atoms, and now P-Vine are pressing up two of the best on a crafty little 7". 'Looking Out The Front Door' is a stone cold classic through and through, riding a dense and dusty break as Large Professor laments on love gone wrong. Despite the downcast lyrical theme, the vibe of the track is sun-kissed mellow gold, thanks in no small part to the buttery Rhodes licks. On the flip we get 'Snake Eyes', the opening cut from the album which cemented Main Source's legendary status back in 1991.