Jakarta Germany レコード& CD

Review: Cult German beat maker Bluestaeb is a core member of the Jakarta label family. He has produced with and for others, as well s serving up some hugely seductive solo albums. Here comes another of those with a range of contemporary guests including JuJu Rogers, Miles Singleton, Ric Wilson and Louis VI. The short tracks mean the album moves along swiftly and freely, with plenty of romantic, chord laced numbers as well as more stripped back and late night jams. Soul and jazz are defining overtones here but the whole thing feels fresh and forward's looking rather than too heavily reliant on the classic hip hop tropes.

Review: German label Jakarta welcome back K Le Maestro for this fourth album overall, but first on this label. He is a beat maker and sample wizard who takes cues from greats old and new like Flying Lotus, J Dilla and Madlib, but all with his perspective. On Whip Music he hooks up with a guest for each tune and they all help bring the music alive. It is super sweet throughout, with neo-boom bap styles, lush soul synths and boogie bass with plenty of emotive vocals and spaced out moods. Whether smoking on a Sunday or getting down on a Friday, this one has you covered.

Review: Jakarta is one of contemporary hip-hop's best labels if you ask us. They have a fine crew of artists who work solo and often cross-pollinate with one another's work. Most of the releases are dusty and instrumental like this one from Suff Daddy, bar the odd sample. The vibe is deep and boom-bap-era sounds for late nights and smoker sessions. Funky basslines prop up squelch synth lines on cuts like 'Psycho Mantis' while there are more melodic and airy feel good tunes like 'Bootsy Call'. These are always short, sketchy pieces which means the album moves on quickly and is all the more compelling for it.