Back in stock: Hip Hop/R&B

Review: A decade after making his major label with Doris, all all-star affair featuring contributions from the RZA, Frank Ocean and Tyler The Creator, Los Angeles MC Earl Sweatshirt delivers album number six - a two-way hoedown with acclaimed beat-maker, Cypress Hill affiliate and fellow LA resident The Alchemist. It's a musical marriage with great potential, all told, as Earl Sweatshirt delivers distinctively enigmatic lyrical flows in his distinctive timbre over impeccable beats that draw on an impressively diverse range of samples. Compare and contrast, for example, the sparse, bluesy brilliance of 'Vin Skully' and the West Coast synth-funk influenced smoothness of 'Heat Check', or gospel-influenced Vince Staples hook-up 'Mancula' and the slow-motion drowsiness and aural beauty of 'Sirius Blac'.

Review: Let the speculation begin, because here we have a new EP from an artist about which we know nothing on a similarly anonymous new label. T Recs has pressed up these two house cuts on alluring green wax and riddled them with big samples. The first will be familiar to fans of Donald Glover's 'This Is America' which has the vocal samples and crowd chants layered into a chunky tribal house cut. On the flip is a similar tune with tweaked vocals. Both will bring big reactions to the club.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


Decades after he died, pioneering rapper Christopher Wallace aka Biggie aka B.I.G remains a hip hop giant, not least for us here at Juno HQ. He had the flow, the character, the lyrics, and showed all of it on his masterclass album The Notorious BIG. It is now getting a well deserved reissue on double vinyl, with all the original tunes included. There are uber-hits like the ubiquitous 'Juicy', tracks that make astute social commentaries about the black experience such as 'Everyday Struggle' and then some darn right killer grooves like 'One More Chance' and 'Big Poppa.' RIP to the greatest to ever do it.

Review: The late legendary Japanese beatmaker Nujabes was a musical genius, this we know to be true. His constant resurgence on social media throughout the years affirms this, with 'Modal Soul', his second full-length album in 2005, blowing up time and time again online. It comes as no surprise, his meticulous devotion to hip-hop-jazz was unlike any before him, or since. 'Other Side of Phase' is a 12" three track record, with its title track being the instrumental for the famous anime 'Samurai Champloo', originally featuring one of Japan's most prolific MCs to ever hold the mic. A standout is 'Rainyway Back Home', a fly song combining the keys from an old Jeru the Damaga cut and the drums from a Power of Zeus track. Nujabes will never - ever - go out of style.

Review: Despite selling out instantly on first press back in November 2018, it is only now that Nujabes' first solo album "Metaphorical Music" makes it to wax once more. This most spiritual of hip hop records - first released in 2003 - brings together downtempo, trip hop, instrumental, classic era boom bap, neo soul and funk into an accomplished collection of tunes that pack a dance floor as well as heartfelt punch. The album showcases some of the best music that the hip hop genre is capable of. Do not miss this, as it won't be around for long.

Review: More gold from the always in the know and on point 5 Boroughs label. Again here it digs into the vast annals of hip-hop history to come up with some still relevant gems in the form of Rakim and DJ Premier's staple 'It's Been a Long Time.' It is a classic boom-bap joint with lush strings and horns, some old-school scratching and cool bars. As walls, the label serves it up alongside the original sample source on the flip which is Cecil Holmes's languid soul slow burner 'Call Me, Come Back Home'. These plays shift in quick time so do not snooze if you want a slice.

Review: The East Coast hip-hop scene has many giants and many seminal albums but Big Noyd's Episodes of a Hustla is one of the lesser known works to check out if you anen't already familiar. It is a gritty and raw portrayal of street life in Queensbridge, New York, released in 1996 and capturing the essence of the East Coast scene with its hard-hitting beats and vivid storytelling. Noyd's distinctive voice and uncompromising lyrics paint a vivid picture of survival and struggle in the urban jungle. With production from hip-hop luminaries like DJ Premier and Havoc, the album delivers a potent blend of boom-bap beats and menacing melodies as well as offering a glimpse into the harsh realities of inner-city life.

Review: Late American rapper Lil Peep dropped his fourth mixtape on June 10, 2016, independently, but it was later added to streaming platforms in 2020 posthumously. Now it arrives on white vinyl for the first time thanks to Death Note Music and reminds us what a talent he was. Peep's raw lyricism and distinctive emo-rap style set him apart with haunting melodies and melancholic production. The record delves into themes of loneliness and despair, resonating deeply with listeners navigating the complexities of modern relationships and Peep's poignant delivery and introspective verses capture the essence of youthful anguish with bars that reverberate long after the music fades.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***


One of Brazil's most prominent rappers Criolo returns with his first album in almost four years. Showing a natural maturity and development, Convoque Seu Buda (Summon Your Buddha) is a spell-binding experience that digs much deeper than the harder rap he made a name for himself with years ago. Cuts like "Casa De Papelao" are smoky, cosmic soul joints while "Cartao De Visita" is a fun throwbacks to the chronic sounds of the early 90s. Sugar-sweet skanks can be found deep in the sandy groove of "Pe De Breque" while anthemic, lighter-raising vibes can be found on "Piano De Voo" where Criolo's sharp tongue gives Em a run for his money.

Review: Beneath the grit and, err, grime of UK MC output, there's a highly fertile and imaginative artsy scene making underground stars in cities like London and Manchester. Names like Blackhaine, Icebox Violet, and Novelist have long-since flown flags - to various extents - for experimental tracks that marry rhymes, poetry, abstract musicality and heavy broken beats.

Coby Sey is another for that list, and like the rest, as he explains on 'Permeated Secrets', he "don't care if you like my work". Simply put, these sounds aren't for everyone, they were never intended to be. Instead, they showcase a staunchly British take on urban observation, packed with melancholy, hints of rave, and a love for exploring outsider ends of established art forms - often winding up in places few have been before.

Review: Brittney Denise Parks aka Sudan Archives has released some of the most fascinating music of the last couple of years. What makes it so unique is Parks' voice, which tumbles down to melancholic depths or soars to uplifting highs. On this new album, though, she makes more of her own virtuoso violin playing, stretching the sounds in all manner of wonderful directions, couching her voice in lush sonic layers. There is an orchestral, chamber music feel to this most grandiose of works, and it is one that feels rich, poignant and moving from start to finish. Smart, inventive, but soulful, it might be one of the albums of the year.