Phlow: Free Creative Commons MP3 Music » Hip Hop

Tracky Birthday – “Animal Audition” (upitup Netlabel)

Brigitte — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 12:08:29 +0000

Marvellous Web 2.0 Hip Hop | Tracky Birthday is one of those artists, who push out his majestry of artistry through every pore of his body. While reflecting society and its desire to show off in his Video-Series "Bootyclipse", his website makes fun of all that Web 2.0-Dingeling. And till then, you haven't heard his mind-twisting raps full of satirical rhymes. "Animal Audition" haunts you with its Funk, Samples and absorbing grooves.

Tracky Birthday - "Balla!" (MP3)
Tracky Birthday - "Overdosie Rosie" (MP3)
Tracky Birthday - "Eöööhh! (with The Discoghosts)" (MP3)

Infrequently I stumble upon musicians who really impress me. Most of the time musicians only think about their music, compose good or bad songs and often forget about entertainment and other arts. On the contrary Tracky Birthday introduces you to music by letting you see the full scope.

His raps won't introduce you to the world of BlingBling-Diamond-Shit. Neither they'll throw some trash on you of his ghetto-childhood. No, in his raps and music Tracky Birthday reflects our society in the digital age. It's an album filled with music history. An album which mashes up sound of our computer-childhood with pop-anthems from Michael Jackson.

And on top you listen to fast raps, playing with the english language like a true digital native. Rub your ears for this incredible german rapper, born into a global world where we all live in.

Meet Tracky Birthday where the Wu meets the Bat...

Tracky Birthday Live Performance

Bootyclipse

Tracky Birthday aka Dennis Knopf won a Prize for Online Art at the 22nd Filmwinter Festival 2009 for his Bootyclipse Video Series. Watch this video and enjoy!

In the summer of 2007, a German rapper and a debutant net artist Dennis Knopf opened a channel on YouTube that he named Bootyclipse. Every video broadcasted on that channel consists of those candid moments, prolonged to 40-60 seconds. Dennis has collected fragments from more than twenty videos where a girl who is going to shake her booty in front of a camera has not appeared in the frame yet, and looped these moments, leaving the music to play in real time. Read more in on this website... (scroll down on the page to read the excerpt)

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Download: Tracky Birthday - "Animal Audition" (ZIP-Archive)

Artist-Website: www.trackybirthday.com

Release: Tracky Birthday - "Animal Audition"

Netlabel: upitup Netlabel

AEED – “Synesthesia” (Error Broadcast Netlabel)

Brigitte — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 03:47:16 +0000

Fine Instrumental Hip Hop | Instrumental Hip Hop kicks me currently the most. I waited a long time for more releases like "Synesthesia" that stand in the tradition of music by Comfort Fit or my beloved Flying Lotus. AEED pushes Hip Hop music into the right direction. Playful rhythmic arrangements, definetely electronic and with a funky flavor. Music that makes us grin and nod happily.

AEED "Cry Now"
AEED "Elektricity"

"Synesthesia" is colourful like the album cover itself. Listen to that pop appeal in "Cry now". AEED rolls out the bass as a pumping fundament and than gets lost in melodies. This album has nothing to do with loop-orientated Hip Hop instrumentals. AEED feds his music with sweeping synths, funky or jazzy melodies which seem to glide easily from the keyboard into the corners of his broken beats.

Sometimes "Synesthesia" is full of melancholy like in "Strange Dreams". Sometimes AEED delivers us funky anthems like "Elephants Dance" bouncing on a sparkeling bassline. If you like electronica, chip music and if you have some b-boy-blood in your venes. This is the exact soundtrack. Error Broadcast gets bigger with each new release. Can't wait for more eye candy!

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Download: AEED - "Synesthesia" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: www.myspace.com/aeedmusic
Release: AEED - "Synesthesia"
Netlabel: www.error-broadcast.com

Grillo – “Fireworks Remixes” (Homework Records)

Brigitte — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 15:18:17 +0000

Italian HipHop Instrumentals | Homework Records represent Italys finest music if we speak about modern Hip Hop instrumentals. Like Apes on Tapes also Grillo is on the spearhead of modern beats. After his great debut called "Fireworks" the label refined his tracks with five excellent remixes.

Grillo - "Brown Box (Fulgeance Remix)" (MP3)

The sound of Grillo is pure, very digital and funky. On "Fireworks" we listen to crispy beats, clicks, snares and solid kicks. Most of the tracks are build on some melodic grooves. This made me rewind the album to listen again to slow movers like "Clicks" or the fantastic hit "Be aware".

Now we get the remixes and what can I say? I like the reworks even a little bit more. Each producer kept the digital sound of Grillo but managed to throw some of his delicate herbs and skills into the bowl. Just listen to the remix of "Be Aware" of Costa. Filled with some humour we nod to a straight-into-your-face pop hook. My favorite right now is the jazzy and funky retouch of Fulgeance on "Brown Box". If this one won't make you smile and move, I don't know...

Thumbs up, once again for the skills, beats and taste of Homework Records! Italys finest!

MP3 HipHop Music Download

Download: Grillo - "Fireworks Remixes" (ZIP-Archive)
Netlabel: Homework Records

Sagesse & Crookram – “The Escape EP” (Bankrupt Recordings)

Brigitte — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:45:56 +0000

Dutch HipHop, English Rap | While Crookram's album "19/76" on Budabeats sounded dusty, analogue, funky and deep, the productions with his partner Sagesse shine polished and bass-loaded. With a bassdrum deep like Miami Bass and a tos of funkyness between the beats the Dutch producer makes another step in his evolution. Now I know why the Netherlands are such a flat land. Too much bass...

Sagesse & Crookram - "Escape" (MP3)
Sagesse & Crookram - "Make Way" (MP3)
Sagesse & Crookram - "Warrior" (MP3)
Sagesse & Crookram - "Patterns of Thought" (MP3)
Sagesse & Crookram - "Epilogue" (MP3)

I adore crackling samples, the collage technique of old school hiphop productions. That's why I adore so much the releases of Budabeats. Crookram was the second artist who refined the catalogue. Now he starts his own netlabel Bankrupt Recordings.

While "19/76" was epic, "The Escape EP" is pure and a great production featuring different MCs - I guess from the Netherlands. Tracks like "Patterns of Thought (ft. Wreckitnize)" were produced to walk through the city in the sunshine and get a little melancholic. What amuses me, is that I like the instrumental called "Epilogue" the best. Maybe this is the track which glues his old album on Budabeats together with his next step. Even if the whole production is skillful, I wish sometimes more edges, some little gimmicks. To me Crookram is best, when he gets melancholic and hopefully he will write for us another epilogue soon.

PS: The onyl sad thing about this EP is... I would love to hear some real Dutch rap ;)

MP3 Music Download

Download: Sagesse & Crookram - "The Escape EP" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: Sagesse and Crookram
Release: Sagesse & Crookram - "The Escape EP"
Netlabel: Bankrupt Recordings

Lo-Fi Scientists – “Lo-Fi Scientists” (Dusted Wax Kingdom)

Rute — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:13:42 +0000

Nice Flow & Simple Beats | I'm not sure about you, but since the very beginning Dusted Wax Kingdom has always been one of those netlabels that somehow never lets me down. Most of the times, the releases are quite short, but are always filled with delicious loops and samples. And this one is not an exception.

Lo-Fi Scientists - Jazz Baby (MP3)
Lo-Fi Scientists - Ego Trippin' (MP3)
Lo-Fi Scientists - The Trunk (with Cheese, 34 Pro, T-Pick & LR-60) (MP3)

It is nice to see how a transatlantic musical collaboration can work so well. Mr. Moods is a canadian beat veteran, who has released several albums freely on the internet. One day he stumbled upon Le Rêveur, a french jazz sample master, and Lo-Fi Scientists were born.

The practical result of that? Four tracks of scratch and sample wizardry, that should be enjoyed with the “repeat” button on. Sweet jazz with a hip-hop layered structure,“vinyl cuts and crispy phat beats”, not so lo-fi as their name suggests.

Ok, so it may not be a perfect record, but it's definitely worth the time you take to listen to it all. Over and over again. And if you need to take a break, don't dismiss a soundtrack like this!

MP3 Downbeat Music Download

Download: Lo-Fi Scientists - "Lo-Fi Scientists" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist Website: http://www.myspace.com/lofiscientists
Release: Lo-Fi Scientists - "Lo-Fi Scientists"
Netlabel: Dusted Wax Kingdom

Pixelord – “Lucid Freaks pt. 1″ (Error Broadcast Netlabel)

Brigitte — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:23:45 +0000

Glitchy Chipfunk Hipedihop Music | OK, let's get down once again with the Error Broadcast Crew. Open the windows of your hipster car and let the sounds cover the streets with a heavy dose of subbass, quirky and glitchy bleeps and funk. Meister Pixelord knows how to build some wonky beats and bass. His debut brings you some chipmusic-inspired hip hop instrumentals Mario would loved to stumble upon while jumping his way through the next level.

Pixelord - "Cartoon Friend" (MP3)
Pixelord - "Quartz Boy" (MP3)
Pixelord - "Cybernator" (MP3)
Pixelord - "Bosworm" (MP3)

The Pixelord is Moscow-based musician Alexey Devyanin. To some he is known as Gultskra Artikler. Under this moniker he produced some freaky experimental music. Now, he tickles the knobs of his synthesizers and mixer to squeeze out some extraordinary and truly funky hip hop I've never listen to before in that kind of combination.

"Lucid Freaks pt. 1" is a perfect cocktail of chip music funk flickering over solid beats, staggering like a drunken monk. It's the G-Funk the Giana Sisters enjoy dancing to and making Dre wetting his panties. Dope!

MP3 HipHop Music Download

Download: Pixelord - "Lucid Freaks pt. 1" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: www.twitter.com/pixelord
Release: Pixelord - "Lucid Freaks pt. 1"
Netlabel: www.error-broadcast.com

Willbe – “Waxxelerated (10th anniversary remaster)”

mo. — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:28:51 +0000

Netaudio Classic | Willbe is one of those musicians originally coming from the demoscene in France. With his heart pounding for melodies and HipHop Beats his free album "Waxxelerated" hit me years ago. The melodic album with hiphop instrumentals was produced with one of those programs called trackers. No doubt you hear on this album how loop-driven most these old tracker productions were. But what counts is the groove, and on "Waxxelerated" you get plenty of it.

Willbe - "Cruise the World" (MP3)

Yeah, Willbe remastered his ten-years-old netaudio-masterpiece. And yeah, it still sounds more LoFi than HiFi. But nevertheless I love the vibe and "Cruise the World" is next to "Zephyr" still my favorite Willbe track.

So give this classic a listen. Enjoy how Willbe mixed all the tracks slightly together for an unique listening experience. Expect straight forward running breabeats, exotic samples and melodic grooves. Let's cruise the world!

PS: If you like the album, spend Willbe a dime or two on bandcamp.com :)

MP3 HipHop Music Download

Artist-Website: www.willbe-music.com
Release: Willbe - "Waxxelerated (10th anniversary remaster)"

Raleigh Moncrief – “Combed Over Chrome EP” (Obstructive Vibrations)

Bettina Rhymes — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:34:56 +0000

Far-Out Beats | E.T. getting weededed? Starship Enterprise floating above a field of ripely Marihuana shrubs? All this hand drawn and arranged in flashy colour in front of a space backdrop? The art on Raleigh Moncrief's enigmatic "Combed Over Chrome EP" did not made me hit the download button immediately but from the first noises I heard I was sure: this one is a doozie. And eventually, the artwork ain't too bad.

Raleigh Moncrief- "Goldrush (Chandeliers Remix)" (MP3)
Raleigh Moncrief- "Similies" (MP3)
Raleigh Moncrief- "Combed Over Chrome" (MP3)

Ah c'mon! I can't find out ANYTHING about neither "Raleigh Moncrief" nor the remixers (?) "Chandeliers" and "Dash!". Obstructive Vibrations, please! Moncrief is from Cali, is he? Everything I got is the private Myspace of designer Brandon Kalarney and these five tunes...

Well. "Combed Over Chrome" is massive. Spliffed-out and dirty. Fresh and experimental, yet catchy and compatible with any Hip Hop and Dubstep dancefloor. Astro Nautico, well-informed source for Bay Area Rap as usual, says "Hudson Mohawke and Matthew David had a baby and named him Raleigh Moncrief", and that's a good comparison indeed.

All five tracks are dope. While "Combed Over Chrome" features heavy beats and glittering synth arpreggios, "Goldrush (Chandeliers Remix)" focuses on IDM-ish melodies and baaad ass bass. With "Similies", Raleigh Moncrief fuses wobble-wobble Dubstep with an Old School Hip Hop beat and Mohawkesque synth leads. Timeless. Eventually, "Quiet Please" closes the chromo dance with a deep 'n' dirty piece of solanaceous Dubstep that equally sounds L.A. and London. OMG what a BOMB!

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Download: "Combed Over Chrome EP" (ZIP-Archive)
Netlabel: obstructivevibe.com

Mo’Town Junkie – “Cuts and Raw Tapes” (Phonotactics)

Rute — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:35:21 +0000

Cracklin Beats & Samples | Mo'Town Junkie is not a newbie in the Scene: he has published several works on different netlabels, ending up on founding his own, Phonotactics. By the way, let me suggest you a visit to the new website. Ok, so it is not new to have a netaudio album just made out of raw samples. But somehow in between all the megabytes we can collect on the web, it seems that there is always something that amazes us.

Mo'Town Junkie - "Do Bongo" (MP3)
Mo'Town Junkie - Lost in a Lonely Road (MP3)
Mo'Town Junkie - Cocaine Blues (MP3) 06

Most of the times, it is not about the melody or the rhythm. It is all about the texture. And, of course, the smell of the beverage you feel like drinking at the time you listen to the tracks. “Cuts and Raw Tapes” makes me want to drink something really vintage, and yet really soft. Maybe with the lovely Laura with whom Mo'Town spent the night. After all, the samples maybe unclean, but they're definitely not raw. A record to be served chillled.

This article was written by Rute Correia

MP3 Downbeat Music Download

Download: Mo'Town Junkie – "Cuts and Raw Tapes" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: www.myspace.com/motownjunkie
Release: Mo'Town Junkie – "Cuts and Raw Tapes"
Netlabel: www.phonotactics.info

Luck & Ripps – “The Catastrophic Connection” (Blocsonic)

mo. — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 04:20:35 +0000

A collection of Boom-Bap Hip Hop | "Turn of that hippe-di-hip-hop-hop-music, son!" Yeah this is some of that raw NYC shit. A style where Hip Hop rhythms roll straight forward without trickery. An MC bragging and rolling out his rhymes. "The Catastrophic Connection" sounds like Hip Hop in the old days. The old days, where Hip Hop was filled up with stolen samples from the disco era. Where 2Live Crew ruled Miami and Wu-Tang the east...

Luck & Ripps- "Roll Call" (MP3)
Luck & Ripps- "Complicity" (MP3)
Luck & Ripps- "Matty Ice" (MP3)

This release is classic hip hop music. Classic in every sense. Luck and Ripps brag about coolness, rap about how fantastic they are,... This one is truly classic also if you listen to the beats. Somehow they are cheesy, with a hihat ticking and a loop running straight through the whole track. But nevertheless I enjoy tracks like "Never Be Another", "Complicity", "Roll Call" or "Matty Ice".

Especially the last one with this sick laugh-sample makes me grin. Or pick up "Roll Call" with those funky horns and the retrospective about who much fun school was when you've been young, with all that nagging sentences...

About the wonderful Booklet

And at last some sentences about the wonderful PDF which comes along with the release of "The Catastrophic Connection". Chapeau, Monsieur Michael Gregoire! I think you did a wonderful job on this one. Because if you open the PDF you get the lyrics of each track to train your rap skills ;) and you get a well-designed booklet. And most of all we get important information about the musicians. In my eyes this is so important in a world of digital anonymity. Thumbs up, for another thought-throug release at Blocsonic!

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Download-Packages

Artist-Website: Luck & Ripps & Catastrophe
Release: Luck & Ripps - "The Catastrophic Connection"
Netlabel: Blocsonic

2% – “Nowcast” (Archaic Horizon)

Bettina Rhymes — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:59:38 +0000

Lush Ambient, Crunchy Beats | Hot off the heels of mo.'s Para-review last week, I got to let you know about the latest Archaic Horizon releases: "Nowcast" by Trenton McElhinney, more commonly known as 2%. I've been listening to both records in a row and found them doing fairly well in these days of late Summer haze.

2% - "Leeward" (MP3)
2% - "Glory" (MP3)

Californian Trenton McElhinney is a tech-savvy kid. For his second EP "Nowcast" he is using Max/ MSP, the Monome controller and his acoustic guitar. While the pattern-based programmings of the Monome do not easily allow for crazy breakbeat frenzy, it suits the 2% music perfectly well: monochrome, rich textures and crunchy Hip Hop beats.

"Stop", you might want to object, "All music at Archaic Horizon sounds like this!" - fairly true, but somehow 2% does better than most. Microloops dream in concentric stagger, textures intensively fill the room with warm noise and canny harmonies. A certain feel for what is necessary is manifest in McElhinney's music. Here is another connection to Para I guess: minimalism as compository guideline.

Young McElhinney is a man of taste and virtuosity. His art- and photoworks supply a fine complement to his music and are worth a minute of your attention, e.g., whilst listening to the "Nowcast" EP. Archaic Horizon sums it all up: "2% loops samples into vaporous drones creating a milky haze for his melodies to refract within then drops beats that land you back on solid ground." Wooord!

MP3 Ambient Music Download

Download: "Nowcast" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: myspace.com/2pourcent
Release: 2% - "Nowcast"
Netlabel: archaichorizon.com

Red Box Recorder – “Colour Codes” (Acroplane)

Bettina Rhymes — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:15:53 +0000

Breakbeats for the morning after | For quite a long time, Arcoplane went below my radar. The label is around since 2003, but only due to the advice of my dear friend Ian Hawgood I follow them now. Londons' Red Box Recorder represent the label sound perfectly and deliver a mature album with superb artwork.

Red Box Recorder - "Up With The Bunting" (MP3)
Red Box Recorder - "My R2 Unit" (MP3)

You know, I'm a sucker for elaborate artwork. In case of Red Box Recorders' second album "Colour Codes", the frontcover made me download the record blindly deafly. Once unpacked I was delighted to find a PDF with a lot more wonderful images... Thumbs up for the man Max McLaughlin, who is some sort of in-house designer at Acroplane. Take a look:

But hey - I would not write this if the music didn't kick me at all! Red Box Recorder (aka "DJ Particle Fusion", lol) came a long way, picking the best from Drum & Bass, Hip Hop, Downbeat and Soul music. The outcome, however, is difficult to categorize.

There is a wealth of instruments used, and they mix beautifully with the complex beat patterns. Some tunes recall older Ninja Tunes records, some feature influences from UK breakbeat more clearly. Programmings are always soulful and performed with a good sense of musicality. I had to think of Koen Park and Resynthsize every now and then. "Colour Codes" is a bit too long to be without a spot, but a lot of goodness can be found in here!

MP3 Electronic Music Download

Download: "Colour Codes" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: myspace.com/djparticlefusion
Release: Red Box Recorder - "Colour Codes"
Netlabel: acroplane.co.uk

Back with a beat

Bettina Rhymes — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:21:40 +0000

Three Fresh Instrumental Beat Tapes | Boom! I'm back from vacations eventually and got a lot free stuff to let you heads know about... In case you finished auraly digesting my post from two weeks ago, here is three fresh beat tapes of promising underground producers from Canda, the US and Germany. Have you ever heard about Elaquent, Hi-Res or fLako-san?

fLako - "Footprints" (MP3)
Hi-Res - "Watch" (MP3)
Elaquent - "Pixelated Mess" (MP3)

If you are not familiar with the traditions of beat tapes, let me give you a brief introduction. Producers publish beat tapes to introduces themselves to the scene and pave the way for possible cooperations. Usually, these tapes are collections of beats rather than perfectly produced songs. Typical beat tapes show a variety of styles in maybe 20 different skits, each lasting one to two minutes. The best-known beat tapes are "Donuts" by J Dilla (I mean, face it) and the "Rap Beats Vol. 1" CDR by Samiyam.

Here's three free beat tapes for beginners

fLako is a Chilean-German producer from Berlin now living in London. His tapes "The First Space Shit on the Moon" was published via the Kwatro collective and features 30 sketches of warm and semi-electronic Rap beats. His tape is highly musical, razor sharp and sounds pretty much now. Definitive must-have, kids!

Download fLako's "The First Space Shit on the Moon" via zshare

Next in line is Portland cat Hi-Res. This funky guy released his soulful tape "1080 Beats" via myspace just recently, and it's really worth a listen. Dusty-jazzy beats and samples set Hi-Res apart from most producers in the game and save the kid a top ranking in the Post-Dilla charts. So clap your hands to what he's doing.

Download Hi-Res' "1080 Beats" via zshare

Finally, don't miss Canda's finest Elaquent. "In Colour Vol. 3" is the third installation of a series of beat tapes which are deserve your attention all together. Elaquent is working with vocal samples and cut-up Rap vocals that made people compare him to Prefuse73. Maybe the most underground, most rough tape in this collection.

Download Elaquent's "In Colour Vol. 3" via mediafire

Coehn & Foehrb – “Die Tugend Von Heute” (b.solid)

Bettina Rhymes — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:09:12 +0000

German Rap Excellence | mo. pointed out Coehn & Foehrb to me as these guys are going to perform at the Cologne Commons festival this Friday, 12th of June 2009. Their debut album "Die Tugend Von Heute" is online for free via b.solid record label. Coehn & Foehrb bring forth fresh Rap and block-bustin' beats from 1990 to 2010. Highly recommend!

Coehn & Foehrb - "Dejavue" (MP3)
Coehn & Foehrb - "Mittel Zum Finger" (MP3)
Coehn & Foehrb - "Nixtape" (MP3)

For sure: if you are able to understand kid Coehns' streetwise and funny Rap lyrics, it is more easy to dig "Die Tugend Von Heute". Coehn & Foerhb kick Hip Hop like it was big in Germany in the late 90's - straight forward, funky beats, Hip Hop that focuses on Rap with a storytelling vibe. Nice but not too decent, Coehn is a lyricist that knows about Raps' history but is able to extrapolate as well. His rhymes fit the beats of Stuttgart homies Foerhb, Radsch und Naturtalent seamlessly and although Coehn is not pushing genre borders, his styles are far above the genre common level.

However, there is no exclusive need to understand the lyrics. Coehns' flow is highly enjoyable, and the beats exhibit an interesting variety from Golden Age to influence from Dubstep and synth-driven electrorap. Coehn & Foerhb manage to balance juvenile party and fuck off, skills and laxity. I am looking forward to attend their live set at the Cologne Commons festival the day after tomorrow!

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Download: "Die Tugend Von Heute" (ZIP-Archive)

Artist-Website: www.coehnundfoehrb.de

Release: Coehn&Foehrb - "Die Tugend Von Heute"

Netlabel: www.bsolid.de

Orange Crush – “Autumn Reflections” (Archaic Horizon)

Bettina Rhymes — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:55:34 +0000

Stonewashed Electronica | It's time to write about Orange Crush. His debut album "The Field" back in 2006 got me already, but somehow I never managed to review it. Recently, Orange Crush published his second full-length and there is no excuse not to let you know about it eventually. Fancy lush Downbeat Electronica, ca. 1998? Go for it!

Orange Crush - "Invocation" (MP3)
Orange Crush - "Snow Bound" (MP3)
Orange Crush - "Quiet Skies" (MP3)

Let's start with the obvious reference: Boards of Canada. I'm sorry, Karl, you must have heard it a thousand times... The heavy influence of the Scottish pioneers is the reason I never sang the praise of Orange Crush I guess. Solid production, good tracks but something was missing on "The Field", Endersons' debut for Archaic Horizon. On "Autumn Reflections", apparently nothing has changed. The improvements, however, are subtle and essential.

Tonal synth- and organ chords, simple three-parts melodies, relaxed Downbeat- and Hip Hop beats, dense instrumentation, loads of atmosphere: the ingredients are the same. Now and back then, Orange Crush sounds dusty, sun-beaten and not much like Vest-Agder in Norway where Endreson lives. A spongy 70's feel is omnipresent throughout the album, certain stems seem to wave and warp like recorded to old tapes.

In the end, it's the melodies that make "Autumn Reflections" a better record than "The Field". Enderson is on point and writes songs rather than recording sound ideas. This is a bit more conservative, but it makes a wonderful album that gives you an idea what the Summer in 2009 may taste like. Ace!

MP3 Electronica Music Download

Download: "Autumn Reflections" (ZIP)
Artist-Website: myspace.com/orangecrushmusic
Release: Orange Crush - "Autumn Reflections"
Netlabel: archaichorizon.com

Various – “Practice Avoiding Mistakes” (Tokyo Dawn Records)

Brigitte — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:21:11 +0000

Soul Music | Tokyo Dawn is back from the dead. And while they prepare the funk we sent you back in time, when they released their eased out album called "Practice Avoiding Mistakes". This compilation combines relaxed and smokey downbeats together with soulful songs. On top you listen to some cinematic tunes, crackling vinyl and melodic grooves.

If I listen to Hip Hop music I prefer the jazzy stuff. Especially crackling vinyl, jazzy loops and a pounding beat are damn fine to chill. And that's the part where this beautiful compilation comes in. Lean back and enjoy dusty loops and mysterious tracks by Mentz. Take a bath together with The Groove Guerrilla and the charming voice of Nicole Hadfield. Or listen to the voice of Anthony Baggette in "Summer in the Hood"...

And don't miss the remix of "Pimp Knowledgy" by Kri. This was the Fuck You-Tune the Tokyo Dawn Crew left on MP3.com when the company changed their policy against the will of the musicians... That truly was back in the days but is a fresher subject than ever before!

"Free Your Mind and Intelligence will follow!" Word up!

MP3 Soul Music Download

Download: Various - "Practice Avoiding Mistakes"
Netlabel: Tokyo Dawn Records

Various – “Bag Of Nothingness” (Error-Broadcast Netlabel)

mo. — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:56:38 +0000

Sublime Hip Hop Instrumentals | Whoops, there it is! We told you about this one coming up and finally it's there. A damn fine Netlabel for delicious Instrumental Hip Hop Beats: Error Broadcast. Get ready for some steamin', deep brazzling tracks. And how netlabels like to kick it off, Error Broadcast makes no exception: A compilation to introduce you to the Hip Hop world of Error-Broadcast with music by Comfort Fit, Apes On Tapes, B-Ju or Niteffect.

B-Ju - "Philly Run" (MP3)
Comfort Fit - "Rock da Dam feat. Portformat"

There are many netlabels out there! But why are there so few netlabels which care about broken beats. Where are all these Hip Hop and Drum'n'Bass netlabels? Fortunately our dear Sven Swift teamed up with Filippo Aldovini. If you thought those boys already had enough to run their netlabels 12rec.net and Zymogen the present tells you, you've been wrong.

Luckily as I am I had a chance to listen to the freshly released compilation already some months ago. And the fortune is coming now to you. I hope you will enjoy these Hip Hop anthems as much as I do. Check out melodic movers like "Rock da Dam feat. Portformat" or "Die Faultiere". Or drop some experimental tracks like "Out for a Shrink Pink Drink" from Apes On Tapes into the inbox of your mp3-player.

And don't miss the leading track on this Hip Hop compilation by B-Ju: "Philly Run".

This is truly "a compilation of contemporary Hip Hop: experimental, edgy and kicking".

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Download: Various - "Bag Of Nothingness" (ZIP-Archive)
Release: Various - "Bag Of Nothingness"
Netlabel: Error-Broadcast Netlabel

Mishoo The Drumkit – “Born in the Land of a Thousand Hills”

mo. — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:33:16 +0000

Smooth Hip Hop and R'n'B Grooves | Michael Rugamba Negele is a cosmopolit. Together with his buddy producers Comfort Fit, Elaquent and DJ Madsen he presents a soulful, jazzy and intelligent Hip Hop/R'n'B style. Born in Rwanda, Mishoo was already in his youth a refugee of the war in the African state. Together with his German father and Rwandan mother he moved to Germany in his youth. Then he discovere...

...Hip Hop, a pencil and his voice to write poems and ryhmes. With "Born in the Land of a Thousand Hills" Mishoo The Drumkit presents us today a small documentary of his path till today. And I must say, I like his smooth way to rap in a deep relaxed voice. Still very American he doesn't bores us with stupid Glamour-Glitter-Shit. No, furtunately he focuses and tells us his story. An intelligent way to introduce yourself as a musician.

Also I like leaning back on the exquisite beats. Smooth rhode sounds shimmer while Comfort Fit, DJ Madsen and Elaquent with his killer opening-track roll us a fantastic spliff. Seven tracks fitting together perfectly. Nodding heads allaround guaranteed. If you like Hip Hop and R'n'B Grooves, I know you gonna dig this!

MP3 Hip Hop and R'n'B Music Download

Download: Mishoo The Drumkit - "Born in the Land of a Thousand Hills" (ZIP)
Artist-Website: www.mishoothedrumkit.com

Menuda Coincidencia – “Ai con Permisito” (Delhotel Records)

mo. — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:06:52 +0000

Mexican Hip Hop Adventures| Oh, this one is fresh! Straight from Mexico Hip Hop-Group Menuda Coincidencia delivers us a delicious package full of jazzy loops, a bucket full of trumpets and eight groovy tunes. It's like watching an entertaining cartoon. Or like going down to your favorite jazz club just being knocked down by this bunch of excellent spanish Raps.

menuda coincidencia "corre" (MP3)
menuda coincidencia "perspectivas" (MP3)
menuda coincidencia "sin enganche" (MP3)

To be honest, I don't understand spanish at all. To be even more honest, I don't care. Because like in my childhood I like the flow of words, the groove, fat beats and a bunch of crazy rhymes. Back than in my youth I adored Hip Hop without any clue what they talked about...

Back to Delhotel Records and their fantastic Hip Hop-album "Ai con Permisito"...

I guess, Menuda Coincidencia is just a crazy guy, talking about live, making jokes and just enjoying his time on earth. And meanwhile he produces some funky, jazzy loops with juicy hooks and melodic refrains? Why keep so many netlabels us short with information about their artists?

Please don't care as I do, enjoy this Mexican Hip hop fiesta! And welcome in 2009!

PS: Mexico and the whole sout american continent becomes more and more the new home for extraordinary netaudio tunes.
PPS: Thanks to Christian Grasse for this delicious music treasure box.
PPPS: Hello Netaudio.es, what about an english translation of the lyrics?

Free MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Download: Menuda Coincidencia - "Ai con Permisito" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: www.myspace.com/menudacoincidencia
Release: Menuda Coincidencia - "Ai con Permisito"
Netlabel: Delhotel Records

Son Of A Bricklayer – “Shades Of Grey” (Ground Floor)

Bettina Rhymes — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:13:07 +0000

Solanaceous Instrumental Hip Hop | I couldn't find out much about the Copenhagen-based beatjuggler Son Of A Bricklayer. His label Ground Floor is rather tight-liped about their artist, so we're thrown back to the music itself. Not too bad after all. Son Of A Bricklayer produces dark and experimental Hip Hop tunes, instrumental, with a lot of musicality and a mind for history.

Czech Netlabel Ground Floor Records is active since 2005. How come I never heard of them? Their style is pretty dark, Death Hop, a mixture from Punk, Industrial and Gothic imagery which is prominently featured by artists like Dälek, Necro or Aesop Rock. Not what you would expect from a Hip Hop label but quite well done- label head noizcut is responsible for the design of the website and all Ground Floor releases.

Consequently, the artwork for Son Of A Bricklayer's "Shades Of Grey" LP is bleak and dirty as well. And although his music is not exactly uplifting and colourful, I was surprised to find relaxed and jazzy end-90s Hip Hop tunes rather than noisy break beats. Experimental in parts ( "Man Hunt", "Bolga") but mostly very well crafted instrumentals that sound like rainy streets at night, long car rides and New York City in general. The instant hits are "One", "Bloom" or "La Chambre". Son Of A Bricklayer sounds like SixToo, Shadow and the early RJD2 and did an awesome job on "Shades Of Grey".

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Download: Son Of A Bricklayer - "Shades Of Grey" RAR
Release: Son Of A Bricklayer - "Shades Of Grey"
Netlabel: www.groundfloorrecords.com
Artist-Website: www.myspace.com/instrumental78

Tom Caruana – “Welcome Aboard EP” (Budabeats Netlabel)

mo. — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:16:23 +0000

A Fistful of Hip Hop Styles | While staring out of the airport window at Barcelona Airport returning home from netaudio.es Tom Caruana grabs me by the ears. And once again I am truly excited that I have discovered Budabeats by mistake. Since its appearance every release from Suhov to Crookram convinced me: High Standards galore! And now british homeboy Tom Caruana crosses my ears...

"Welcome Aboard" is delicate mixture of different hip hop styles. Tom Caruana stands either in the tradition of mixed martial arts djs like Mr. Scruff throwing samples from crude and unknown records into the bowl. Mixing them up artisticly to make you smile about the sample-mosaic his presenting.

On the other side he follows the new british hip hop-movement led by people like The Streets. Like The Streets Tom Caruana amuses us with funny stories and a wide range of musical styles from DubStep inspired Hip Hop to funky and crackling tunes making your girlfriends love-handles swing.

No cheap tunes and drop outs on this EP. The only thing I like to complain: This EP is definitely too short!

Free MP3 Hip Hop Download

Download: Tom Caruana - "Welcome Aboard EP" (ZIP-Archive)
Release-Website: Tom Caruana - "Welcome Aboard EP"
Netlabel: www.budabeats.com
Artist-Website: www.myspace.com/tomcaruana and www.teasearecords.net

Owl Dudes – “For The Feelers” (La Familia Netlabel)

Bettina Rhymes — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:42:38 +0000

Way Wild: Something Like Hip Hop | The Netaudio scene is a laboratory for musicians, a place to publish sounds the mainstream isn't ready for yet. Exactly the right knothole for Portland-based Owl Dudes. Their approach to experimental lo-fi Hip Hop incorporates shoegazing textures, hardcore rap and a good amount of knob tweaking. Fresh and challenging.

The Owl Dudes are Jesse Johnson and Paul Wig, two white breads from boomtown Portland, Oregon. They published their debut "For The Feelers" by the hands of UK La Familia label, one of the most miraculous and enigmatic Notlabels I know. We get to know nothing about the Dudes despite free access to their songs in MP3 format. That's fairly enough, no?

"For The Feelers" consists of nine rather short tracks and drafts, blending into each other like a mixtape. Part vocal part instrumental, the Owl Dudes take the best from Hip Hop, Punk and electronic music to create something exciting and new. Their snotty raps sound tight and draw influences from both Hip Hop and US Hardcore.

Beats are scattered loosly about their tracks, changing seats with noisy textures and unexpected samples which is excellently matched by the trashy sound of the EP. Where some of the vocal tracks make you think of Anticon-head Sole and in face of the Ambient textures Odd Nosdam has to be mentioned, the Owl Dudes do something very unique and refreshing.

Night time, owls at work.

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Release Site: Owl Dudes - "For The Feelers"
Direct Download: "For The Feelers" ZIP
Netlabel: www.8302.net/familia
Artist Website: www.myspace.com/owldudes

DJ Internet & Kid Kool – “God Likes The Picture Of You” (Hungry Men Records)

Bettina Rhymes — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:00:59 +0000

A Quilt Of Experimental Hip Hop | If Max Ernst would have been a b-boy, his beats would have sounded like this. Right from their junk flats in Berlin Prenzlauer Berg, glue-sniffers DJ Internet and Kid Kool combine a myriad of jumble sale samples to atmospheric collages of experimental Hip Hop, digital Turntableism and, every now and then, the old floozie Pop. Ingenious on second try.

Most innovative music needs repeated listen. Consider Free Jazz: the unexperienced ear can't sort out the fractalized grooves and widespread harmonies. Autechre might sound random if you're not used to experimental electronic music. Madlib's beats for himself as Quasimoto can be considered as unfinished drafts someone accidentally dropped rhymes on top.

Internet & Kool are neither Free Jazz or IDM but can be compared with Madlib, Kid Koala or cLOUDDEAD. Both guys are well-known producers and label heads from the (East-) Berlin Rap underground. Internet spins the wheels as DJ V-Raeter and forms the duo Sichtbeton alongside MC Lunte. Kid Kool is Felix K., founder of Dubtech label Hidden Hawaii, journalist and producer. He's also part of the Hungry Men crew. As a band, Internet & Kool produce loose sample-based Hip Hop, sometimes smooth and atmospheric, sometime rough and edgy and closer to radio play than truebred Rap. Dressed to size with a fine sensibility for Pop structures, "God Likes The Picture of You" is a fresh piece of intelligent Hip Hop music.

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Direct Download: DJ Internet & Kid Kool - "God Likes The Picture Of You"
Netlabel: www.hungrymenrecords.com
Artist Website: DJ Internet | Kid Kool

Suhov – “Sympathy Modul EP” (Budabeats Netlabel)

Brigitte — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:43:29 +0000

Funky and Smoky Downbeats| Yeah, Dope Beats ahoi! If you like groovy breakbeats, we have some candy for your ears. With Suhohvs melodic "Symphaty Modul EP" you get lots of strings, cut-up vocals and excellent sampled loops. Every song is carefully put together to kidnap you for a marvellous organised robbery. I guess Suhov is a true vinyl-nerd with a huge collection of rare grooves, jazz and funk.

Start the track "Exx Fuck" by Suhov and this smart EP sucks you immediately into the music. Suhov opens his music-library and like in the old days of Hip Hop, he samples what sounds great and fits best. Take a flute from this record, combine it with that lively piano-hook and fatten the big beats...listen...yeah... definitely groovy!

But the best thing of all: Next to the delicious toppings I am happy, that I never haven't listened to all those samples before - fascinating. This is killer material, searched with care and composed to present an amazing music release.

If you like music by Mr. Scruff, Jazzanova, De-Phazz, Yonderboi or Propellerheads, this damn fine netlabel release by the young and promising netlabel Budabeats is a must! To me, release of the month!

MP3 Downbeat Music Download

Download: Suhov - "SSympathy Modul EP" (ZIP-Archive)
Release: Suhov - "Sympathy Modul EP"
Netlabel: www.budabeats.com

Various – “Because Best Things Are Free” (Ideology Netlabel)

mo. — Wed, 21 May 2008 03:14:20 +0000

A phat Hip Hop Package | With "Because Best Things Are Free" Ideology Netlabel delivers a heavy and delicate compilation. Next to amusing german rhymes, laid-back Hip Hop-instrumentals twinkle in the afternoon sun. Next to well-known netaudio-artists like Comfort Fit, Gringo Starr and the freaks from the Colonius Monk Collective you listen to new heroes like Niwa or Pestopan.

I have to admit, that Ideology Netlabel distributes some of the best downbeat and hip hop-instrumentals in the last couple of months. Alternative and skillful productions lift this compilation up and make it one of my favorite samplers this month.

What's amazing about this little diamond, is the fact, that we stumble upon disco-inspired tracks like "When she looked at me (i saw her wondering)" from Niwa into techy Hip Hop-Beats produced by Comfort Fit. But wait, there are some real stompers round the corner: After we left the "Time Machine" we walk through a city full of noise. While the jackhammer pumps, Pestopan lets his smiling monster-track "Clgn Sght Hrng" loose.

Five Stars, lots of medals and "Thank You's!" to the musicians for this delicate Hip Hop package!

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Netlabel: ideology.de
Release: Various - because best things are free (Edition Hiphop)
Download: Various - "Because Best Things Are Free" (ZIP-Archive)

Niteffect – “Lost Identity” (Kreislauf)

Bettina Rhymes — Mon, 19 May 2008 03:59:19 +0000

Hardboiled Electronic Hip Hop | Niteffect is back with an 30-minutes length EP for the German Kreislauf Netlabel. While his former "Fragments" EP was more like a glimpse of Miklos Labady's talent for hypnotic beats, "Lost Identity" is the prove of his qualities in songwriting, too. Ten songs that oscillate from Downbeat to instrumental Hip Hop to IDM. Versatile and catchy.

Hungary-born Miklos Labady is quite active in the Netaudio-scene. While his Niteffect-moniker is strictly Kreislauf, a few records under the name of Nick Otheen are online at Enough Records and Laced Milk. Labady extracts the brooding darkness of Dubstep, takes the groovy downtempo beats of Hip Hop (some might say Trip Hop) and plays his dirty little game by adding the right amount of Electronica.

"Lights Off" and "Blur Emotion" feature grumbling bass synthesizers that sound like pitched-down Mr. Oizo and spiced with some fine cuts at "Lights Off", Tape vs RQM. Tracks "Go With The Flow" or "No Way To West" have a stronger connection to Leftfield Electronica with blurry melodies and Boards Of Canada-style melancholia. My favorite tune on Niteffect's "Lost Identity" is "Tropical Heat" however. With a slight shift to Trance and Afrobeat rhythmics (check the percussion!), "Tropical Heat" affects you like a maelstrom. Hypnotic, ominous, a trip into The Heart Of Darkness.

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Release Site: Niteffect - "Lost Identity"
Direct Download: Niteffect - "Lost Identity" (ZIP)
Netlabel: www.kreislauf.org
Artist Website: www.virb.com/nlz

Crookram – “19/76″ (Budabeats)

Brigitte — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:04:17 +0000

Downbeats in Cinemascope | In "A Day in the Life (feat. INC)" young Dutch producer Crookram rolls out sweet and melancholic strings to catch us. In "Biggles" we swing ecstatic on happy piano-loops while the Bigbeat makes us sweat. And breath the dark and heavy mooded "Hostile" with me. Crookram digged deep into sounds from DJ Shadow, Cinematic Orchestra or Yonderboi and adopted this sample-driven sound for him and us. Great filmstrip!

Crookram enjoys movies, I am sure - movies with a heavy mood, full of strings, flutes and Harps. His music is like a colourful filmstrip and touches you directly. With incredible five tracks he takes us into his sample-driven wonderland. From deep downbeats to bigbeats to Hip Hop. The young producer knows how to surprise and attract us. Big cinema!

PS: I think we should keep an eye on this funky new label called Budabeats! Check out also their first release!

MP3 Downbeat Music Download

Download: Crookram - "19/76" (ZIP-Archive)
Release: Crookram - "19/76" (Budabeats)
Netlabel: www.budabeats.com

Pleq – “Songs of Sens and Nonsens” (Envizagae Records )

Bettina Rhymes — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:40:00 +0000

Dark and Urban Sketches of IDM | Pleq a.k.a. Bartosz Dziadosz is a young producer from Katowice in Poland. "His motives in sound resemble an abandoned ironworks garage during the industrial revolution, where melancholy is paired with harmonies of magnetizing structure", as we get to know via his Myspace-account. But how does an abandoned ironworks garage sound?

Bartosz is a new face to Netaudio but hit the scene with two albums and one glorious EP just recently. While his LPs at 77industry and Crazy Language have a strong leaning towards IDM, Electronica and dark Ambient, the three track EP "Songs of Sens and Nonsens" at German Envizagae caught my attention with veritable Hip Hop-influences.

Combining the dark and post-industrial atmosphere of 90's IDM with a decent amount of melancholy and advanced skills in beats, Pleq bridges from SND to Burial to Tim Hecker. The awesome thing about Pleq is that he manages to keep sound design, song writing and and downright production skills in perfect balance. All tracks on "Songs of Sens and Nonsens" are tight to the bone, feature catchy melodies and will instantly get you by the necks. Herein, "I Hear Her at the Door Now" is among the best IDM/ instrumental Hip Hop-songs I know. Not matter if considered free or commercial. Word.

He's cute, isn't he?

MP3 IDM/ Hip Hop Music Download

Release Site: Pleq - "Songs of Sens and Nonsens"
Direct Download: Pleq - "Songs of Sens and Nonsens" ZIP
Netlabel: www.envizagae.de
Artist Website: www.myspace.com/pleq

Various – “52 Weeks – Winter” (Peppermill Records)

Brigitte — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:41:14 +0000

Cut'n'Paste-Funk | "52 Weeks" is an extraordinary project coordinated by Peppermill Records. The compilation includes 52 tracks representing each week of the year. The whole compilation is separated into four sub-compilations with the names of the four seasons of a year. I picked out the winter-collection because I enjoy sometimes music-collages with lots of samples and fine breakbeats. And the "Winter"-compilation - where the whole project started with - is a fabolous mix of Hip Hop and experimental downbeats fused together into a heavy mix.

If your ears are thirsty for some heavy Hip Hop-beats plus intelligent raps "52 Weeks - Winter" is a good choice to explore some new songs. Like a Hip Hop-mixtape beats, rhymes and effects are melted together. This was possible because the heads behind Peppermill Records coordinated the compilation with care and an interesting approach:

The first artist started on the 21st of December, the first day of Winter which also happens to be the Solstice. They borrowed a headline out of that week's news as the title to their 2-3 minute song and then had 7 days to complete it before they passed their creation on to the next artist, who continued where they had left off.

So just lend your ear for example Cactus On Fire feat. Baba Brinkman. Nice Phlow, thick groove! Or listen to the funny opener with a ton of samples build around an abstruse news-story: "Squishing Sniffy - Artists Busted!". Or are you ready for some mad sarcastic electro, than listen to the wild "Third Armrest Betrays Alien Origin Of New Military Plane" by Gangpol & Mit. Fun!

A fat, fantastic and fabulous release! You gotta dig this!

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Download: Various - "52 Weeks - Winter" (ZIP-Archive)
Download: Various - "52 Weeks" (Whole Project) (ZIP-Archive)
Release-Website: Various - "52 Weeks - Winter"
Release-Website: Various - 52 Weeks (Whole Project)
Netlabel: www.peppermillrecords.com

Apes on Tapes – “You Open” (Homework Records)

Bettina Rhymes — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:41:43 +0000

Crispy Hip Hop | The Apes on Tapes are a producer-duo from the City of Bologna in the North of Italy. Lagàr and Antani, as they call themselves, met in 2005 and immediately found their talents for atmosphere and melody (Antani) and straightforward beats (Lagàr) mixing up to something special. Did I mention we're talking about dope instrumental Hip Hop? Drop your knees for the Apes.

Apes on Tapes - "Da Try Bute" (MP3)

Fresh, Fresh, Superfresh! Their full length debut after an EP in early 2006 is brilliant from top to bottom. With Prefuse 73 and Dabrye as the main contemporary influences in the back, the Apes on Tapes add a good amount of Popappeal to their idea of Hip Hop. Nearly every song has a catchy melody, crisp beat or uncommon element to attend to. "Even If" for example has a warm 70's sound due to the recycled Soul-sample. In concert with cut-up vocals, J. Dilla has to be mentioned as an additional reference. The hit single and opening track is "Catkilla". Carefully entangled guitars, a smooth-but-tight beats, everything's just in place. "Grand 5" has a similar feel and makes your head nod with a melodious piano-loop instead of guitar licks. So good!

On the more abstract, minimal side, "Da Try Brute" and especially the way-out "Limone Nel West" left me stunning. At "Light Dry But Creamy" and "Sleep Soon, Wake Up Soon", Lagàr and Antani fuse tricky IDM-style beats with smooth ambient textures and beautiful piano loops. Awesome! A first potent candidate for 2008's best of-lists.

Thanks to Filippo Aldovini of Zymogen Netlabel for the hint.

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Release-Site: Apes on Tapes - "You Open"
Direct Download: Apes on Tapes - "You Open" ZIP
Netlabel: www.homeworkrecords.net
Artist Website: www.myspace.com/apesontapes

V.A. – “One Year & A Day- The 5inch Files” (Equinox)

Bettina Rhymes — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:39:24 +0000

Super-fat instrumental Hip Hop | Rap music is rare in Netaudio, and most of the stuff that runs ashore on my hard disc is bullshit. As exciting HipHop-releases are always a special joy for me, I was happy to discover Equinox Records releasing their "One Year & A Day"-compilation for free. Oil your necks for a whole bunch of promising new artists.

The Berlin HipHop-label is commonly known for it's beautiful vinyl-editions. Completely online (and completely free) is the latest joint by Equinox Records: a ten-track MP3 compilation with at least nine great bangers from German producers. Misantroph drops a dark, super-fat track right between the eyes of El-P and DJ Shadow, Aqua Luminus III. (Komaflash-collective) fuses fuzzy guitars, old-school cuts and Def Jux-style keyboards. B-Ju (Frankfurt) delivers an outstanding track that sounds like Dabyre and Diddy teamed up with a string quartet and, finally, J. Baracuz (Berlin) is responsible for the Dilla-credits. Who ever tells you German Hip Hop can't cope the original- get him into this! So good.

PS: If you sign up for the EQX-newsletter, you will be able to purchase "One Year & A Day" as a strictly limited 5" vinyl-set later on.

MP3 HipHop Music Download

Release-Site: V.A. - "One Year & A Day"
Direct Download: V.A. - "One Year & A Day" ZIP
Label: Equinox Records/ www.e-q-x.net

Mickey Eats Plastic – “To Kill the White Glamour – Reworks EP 1″ (Sijis Netlabel)

Bettina Rhymes — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 03:47:00 +0000

Eclectic Remix-Collection | I posted a demand-note for the upcoming Bluermutt-album a few days ago. Well, I hope you don't think myself to be too much of a bore, but I have to mention that Mickey Eats Plastic (which is 50% Bluermutt) have another not-to-miss record online. This time it's free. Come on, kill the white glamour!

Italian Postrockers Giardini di Míro put online a tiny remix-collection that incorporates an edit by Mickey Eats Plastic. I checked his website to see what's new and saw this beautiful EP popping up: remixes Mickey had constructed for a bunch of cool people in the last months plus two MEP-reworks. Every single one is subtle electric, with a chosen amount of Pop-appeal and je ne sais quoi .

The Ellul-remix focuses on the Country-style vocals and adds a heart-rendering synthesizer melody, Vienna Chip Hop-mastermind Dorian Concept (watch this guy!) becomes even more electric and hip-moving. I'm also pretty found of NAW's remix of "Every April": Toronto-based Neil Wiernik shift the tune into something bizarrely grooving and mesmerizing. Very worth the download, not least because of the great artwork by Matias Conduri.

MP3 Pop Music Download

Release-Site: Mickey Eats Plastic - "To Kill The White Glamour"
Direct Download: Mickey Eats Plastic - "To Kill The White Glamour" ZIP
Artist Website: www.mickeyeatsplastic.com

Maguett – “Ceramicboy” (ElectroSound)

Bettina Rhymes — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 04:07:17 +0000

Beatladen Electronica | ElectroSound is the slightly more Pop-orientated Musica Excentrica spin-off. Both Netlabels feature challenging (electronic) music from Moscow and Western Russia. Dmitry Drozdov a.k.a. Maguett is part of this young and hungry electronic music-scene. His debut-LP "Ceramicboy" is a trip from IDM to Electronica to instrumental HipHop and similar.

Maguett released at Noise-Joy and Clinical Archives to join the ElectroSound Netlabel with his most accessible album up to date. Under the influence of the compilation of three mixtapes he released at Share my Wings (another sprout of the Excentrica empire) recently, "Ceramicboy" sounds a bit like a 'best of electronic music'-sampler with tracks differing in style and quality. The tracks I like best have a decent HipHop-feel: "Take That" is somewhere between early Autechre and Prefuse 73, "Out Door Experiment" has cool fat synthesizers and a relaxed Boards of Canada-groove. The song you have to check on all account is "Bubbles": crystal clear electronic HipHop, reduced to the max, with a head nodding beat and microscopic melody. So damn fresh. Make sure to check the other tracks!

MP3 Electronica Music Download

Release-Site: Maguett - "Ceramicboy"
Direct Download: Maguett - "Ceramicboy" ZIP
Netlabel: www.electrosound.ru
Artist Website: www.myspace.com/maguettone

Sichtbeton feat. Tillevision – “Anabelle & Karsten EP”

Bettina Rhymes — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 04:00:30 +0000

German Rap Miniature | It has been silent around the Kings of the Prenzlauer Berg for quite a while. After a critically acclaimed album and an experimental EP at 12rec.net, Rap-duo Sichtbeton came back with a few new songs and features in 2006. A new album and an exclusive mixtape are planned for late 2007. To sweeten the idle time, MC Lunte & Tillevision released a tiny concept EP: get to know about "Anabelle & Karsten"!

You've got three songs to become familiar with Anabelle and Karsten, one of these neurotic couples that look for interpersonal warmth but basically hate themselves. Lunte switches the perspective with every tune, starting with Karsten who meets "Anabelle".

Berlin producer Tillevision serves his pumping and melodic beats, DJ V-Raeter drops tight cuts. Musically, the track works rather like an energetic 70's Soul tune than classic Hip Hop. The production is quite lo-fi, but the vibe is right; some kind of smooth out Madlib. Track two "Karsten" has a similar feel, Blaxploitation-horns and Lunte's high-energy raps. Someone commented on his vocals as a mixture between the german actor Manfred Krug and Ghostface Killah... correct!

Finally, "Anabelle & Karsten" draws a bitter picture of the couple buying a house and moving to an intact neighbourhood though nothing has changed... Sie werden schon wissen warum.

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Release-Site: Sichtbeton feat. Tillevision - Anabelle & Karsten EP
Direct Download: Anabelle & Karten EP ZIP
Artist Website: Sichtbeton | Tillevision

Various Artists – “Colonius Monk Collective II” (Ideology)

Bettina Rhymes — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:00:27 +0000

German HipHop | Back in 2005, Netlabel Ideology and the Broke Gringos-crew came up with the idea to bring together different Cologne-based MCs and crate diggers on a free compilation. That's how the first Colonius Monk Collective-sampler came to be. Two years later, Ideology is back with the second volume. Gringo Starr, Lunte, Slomo, Fleur Earth and all the others are still there to gain prove that German Hip Hop in 2007 does not necessarily has to be boring and cliché-laden.

Cologne might be famous for Kraut Rock and the Cologne Cathedral, but very few people have heard of Rap and Soul music from the Rhine metropolis. That’s a shame. Gringo Starr of the Broke Gringos and Lunte of Berlin Rap-duo Sichtbeton are two of the most talented and innovative MCs around. Check “Flamenco” (with SB DJ V-Raeter on the beats) and the awesome posse track “Medikamente” for a taste of their skillfull and lyrical raps.

LAH, Slomo and SEL are good MCs, though their style might be a bit more common, a bit more 90’s (which is nothing to be ashamed of after all). Try “Masterplan” with MC SEL and Reechad at the decks. Last but not least: the girl Fleur Earth. Once I wrote a review about her “Zirkular EP” at Ideology, and I liked these tunes better than the performance she shows up with on CMC II. A good rapper and songstress, still.

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Release-Site: Various Artists - Colonius Monk Collective II
Release-Download: Colonius Monk Collective II
Netlabel: www.ideology.de

Willbe – “Zephyr” (Language Lab Netlabel)

mo. — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 05:16:09 +0000

Melodic HipHop Instrumentals | French producer William Lamy aka Willbe produces excellent hiphop-instrumentals. He gets the pressure into his beats and composes melodic grooves. Inspired by classic composers like Ravel and Debussy his tracks roll smooth like melting butter. Nearly each of his fine productions connects the brain with an epic and cinematic vibe.

Willbe - "Zephyr" (MP3)

So it's no surprise that Willbes one-track-release on Language Lab called "Zephyr" is one of those mellow tracks, i like cruisin around with. Build on straight-forward and kicking beats "Zephyr" rolls and rolls like his incredible production "Tribal City" (Ogg Vorbis) also released on Language Lab. Great music for a relaxed chill out on a late friday afternoon.

MP3 HipHop Music Download

Netlabel-Website: Language Lab
Download: Zeyphir @ archive.org
Artist-Website: www.williamlamy.com

Siblings – “Litter EP” (No Type)

Bettina Rhymes — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 05:00:36 +0000

Campy Pop Music | While most of the elder netlabel disappeared from the surface, some keep up the good work and come up with fancy releases every once a while. The Canadian No Type label (the one with the cat) has been very active in the last month, providing high quality music of all genre and, worth to mention, good artwork. Catalogue number 108 is a four-track EP entitled Litter by Siblings (which is No Type coordinator David Turgeon and songstress Kaia Wong). What may “Pop songs about changing the cat litter and paying the rent” will sound like?

First of all: they sound damn good! Their tracks fuse different elements: Pop- and House music, HipHop and IDM. The opener “Litter” is made from a simple House beat, pitched down to make your head nod. Alongside the oldschool claps and David’s funny proto-Rap, Kaia sings a simple melody with her beautiful and unpolished voice. “It’s Still Working” has a stronger leaning to Deep House and early 80’s No Wave, somewhere between Gomma and DFA Records. With “Rent and Taxes”, the Siblings come back to with a campy Hip Hop tune whose cut-up beats and string-arrangements make me think of the late Matthew Herbert. Very cool. The short EP ends with “Think in Spanish”, an intimate Pop-miniature for voice and synthesizer.

MP3 Pop Music Download

Release: Siblings - Litter EP (No Type)
Direct Download: Siblings - Litter EP ZIP

Comfort Fit – “Forget and Remember” (Tokyo Dawn)

mo. — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:21:48 +0000

Advanced HipHop | Comfort Fits "Forget and Remember"-LP on Tokyo Dawn is one of the strongest free netaudio-releases to date. With tricky beats, marvellous music-ideas and a wide range of different styles his full-length album beams you into different styles of hiphop.

Comfort Fit "Freeze The Cut" (MP3)
Comfort Fit "True Form" (MP3)
Comfort Fit "Hairy Crushed Nuts" (MP3)
Comfort Fit "Miles of Smiles" (MP3)
Comfort Fit "The Hunt" (MP3)

While bouncin' on excellent beats you listen sometimes to raps from the Blaktronics to Mercury Waters. Nevertheless the album hides some amazing instrumental hiphop-tracks. From lounge-inspired tunes like "Smiles of Miles" to the enigmatic "The Hunt", Comfort Fit knows various styles. Definetly a classic.

MP3 HipHop Music Download

Website/Release: Comfort Fit - Forget and Remember