Rhymesayers US 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: The tenth full-length from the literal most verbose MC in the hip-hop genre Aesop Rock, has been described as "A concept album about an organization offering lifestyle and industry-specific applications designed to curate a desired multi-experience." Following on from 2020's exceptionally dizzying Spirt World Field Guide, some of the core themes of the absurdist search for peace and tranquillity resurface across Integrated Tech Solutions but in a new guise of app placements, corporate speak and artificial goals that keep the masses confined within digital, monitored bubbles. Predominantly self-produced like the majority of the artist's recent output, the beats fluctuate from eerie minimalism to hallucinatory, overwhelming sonic stews, all dictated by humorous yet reliably virtuosic bars and flow. Ten LPs in and Mr. Aesop (or Mr. Rock) sounds as confident, concerned, curious and crazed as ever.

Review: Aesop Rock were a fixture of the New York underground hip-hop scene throughout the early 90s and began writing and honing his rapping delivery, culminating in his first album in 1997. Daylight came out just a few years later in 2001 to critical acclaim, including later being ranked at number 68 on Fact's "100 Best Indie Hip-Hop Records of All Time" list. The title track showcases the talents of the producer, largely recognized as one of the last links of the 90s New York style of the genre. Being respectful of his roots, Aesop Rock samples in some classic parts of other 80s tracks onto his sublime downtempo jazz foundation for a perfect example of the style known as Conscious. Not to be outdone, 'Nickel Plated Pockets' is the perfect B-side to this EP, bringing a harder sound to balance out things. Included are the instrumentals for each of the three tracks to make this DJ friendly.

Review: Atmosphere continue to plot a course through the weirder corners of indie hip-hop with their latest EP, which spins off from 2023 LP So Many Other Realities Exist Simultaneously. On this record Minneapolis' finest rap misfits toy with electro and boogie and give it a distorted twist, resulting in party starting anti-anthems like 'Wetter', sludgy funk workout 'Rotary Telephone' and tripped out synth-scape 'Don't Mind Me'. The sounds may be freaky, but the flows are as sharp-witted as ever as Slug and A.N.T. barrel through surrealism and observation with a flair they've made all their own since the late 90s.