Cold Busted US レコード& CD

Review: Akshin Alizadeh is Azerbaijan's foremost hip-hop production star, blending infectiously dynamic beats with slick vocal samplework and original instrumental acoutrements. All laid down to solid 7" wax, 'Reasons' is his latest to do so. The track hears Alizadeh flourish and melismate away on the higher end of the piano and the lower end of the guitar, all while creatively making use of a vocal sample from First Choice's 1974 r&b hit, 'Let Him Go', for its sampled chorus.

Review: Powerhouse US hip hop label Cold Busted has been serving up the beats to keep us on our feet for what seems like ever. Taking the reins here is MTBRD who hails from the UK and is a prolific studio hand. His take on the high-flying Jet Set series from Cold Busted is a glorious one with four soulful and well-constructed tunes that will appeal to his ever goring fan base. This one comes on the heels of his well-received Damn Fine LP last year and offers heavy boom-bap on the opener, shimmering electric piano on 'So Long' and cinematic design on 'Ti Amo' before infectious vocals define closer 'Lost In Translation.'

Review: Cold Busted has long been setting the standard for hip hop and instrumental goodness. As well as serving up the latest in their Jet Set series this month, they also invite Belgian beatmaker and fine sonic journeyman Sim Nagai to make an entry into the same much-loved series. 'In Rotation' opens with funky drumming and pitch-shifted guitar licks before Latin flavours wash over 'Cuban Delirium,' a deeper beat with reverential pianos. There is a pure beachside bliss to 'Palm Dreams' with its tumbling drums and hits and languid vocal samples and 'Copacabana Sand' completes the trip with a nice shuffling beat and some gorgeous acoustic string work.

Review: Cold Busted ventures into downtempo and Balearic territory here with Vanilla offering up a limited but 7" full of hazy and lo-fi beat sketches that make you ache for a sun lounger and a warm day. The gentle beats of 'Pointbreak' are offset by wonky and detuned chords that bring a sense of irreverence and 'Surfin' Summer' then casts you adrift on nice lazy sax motifs. 'Remember' keeps the grooves slow and low and 'Breeze' shuts down with another cathartic and open-skied sonic excursion. A perfect accompaniment to some mental escapism, then.