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”.