[EP] DJ SHADOW - "The Liquid Amber EP"

I'm real ecited to announce that DJ Shadow has just released a free three track EP that's as experimental as his more recent music. A lot of hip-hop nerds claims that Shadow completely lost it after his masterpiecces "Entroducing" and its spiritual successor "Pre-Emptive Strike". While those might of course be his best work, Shadow still can make extremely interesting music - his last solo album "The Less You Know, The Better" was one of the strongest albums of 2010 and had incredible replay value. This new EP, "The Liquid Amber", is filled with live instrumentation, obscure samples, chaotic arrangements and powerful drums with a production that evokes the old Rick Rubin records where he prefered to be credited as "reduced by" or "remix ruined by....". I wouldn't say it's a masterpiece but it gives a good taste of what's to come from a full-length DJ Shadow album in 2014. The ten track EP is made up of two new songs ("Ghost Down"; "Mob") a long with a noisey to ambient power remix of Machinedrum's Six Drums.

          Also I haave a strong feeling that this is a grower. with each listen so keep hitting that rewind button..'Nuff talk, check it out for youself below, but be sure to bang this MF LOUD!

[OG Promo] DA BEATMINERZ - "Brace 4 Impak" ('01)

Between 2000 and early 2001, the superb production team known as Da Beatminerz (at this time also including Baby Paul and Chocolate Tye, who both supplies one track each) recorded and released their "solo" debut on Rawkus Records; a time when the label had started to go slightly down hill, but still held some clouth. Most people will of course know the original version of the album that was released on the label in late '01, but a few months prior to that drop, the team who had just completed, mixed and mastered the album sent out a bunch of promo copies for reviews "for the press only" as drops on this version constantly reminds journalists and other listeners of. I had heard of this release for quite some time, but never got my hands on it myself... Until now that is, much thanks to the second Lost Tapes main contributor ANT who has previously supplied the blog with plenty of hot, rare releases from InI, Ras Kass and some compilations that me and him have collaborated on. So all thanks to him for this one, it's appreciated brother and you know you're an integral part of this site!

This version is made up of 19 tracks rather than the 16 songs included on the final 2002 retail release, strangely leaving off some of the album's strongest material. Other changes include a few tracks being switched around, such as "The Anti-Love Movement" and "How We Ride" still appears back-to-back but rather as track #11 and #12 respectively. and a few others. But what is most interestingly is the inclusion of some absolute terrific material that for some reason didn't make the final cut. While Diamond D's "Best At That" and Last Emperor's "Hustler's Theme" (the latter is indeed missed) is not included we instead get several other standout cuts, that later became classics on white label 12"s, including M.O.P. & Teflon's "We Run NY", an interesting interlude from the late HeadQCuarterz, an outro, "Bentleys & Bitches" by Jayo Felony, Xzibit (and a short but ill musical interlude following the joint) as well as a heavy joint by Tash and Rah Digga entitled "Sumthin'". Another joint that seems to have been featured on this original sampler but is mysteriously missing from this bootleg is the excellent "Da Connection" by Ghost and G Rap, which appeared on the white label 12" which also featured the already mentioned "We Run NY". ANT is pretty sure this was the case when he first heard this back in the day, and I found two early articles on the album that confirms this - here and here. ANT believes it appeared right after track #7 "Bentleys & Bitches", unfortunately since I lost most of my files recently (which is why I can't give y'all re-ups at the moment) I don't have the track anymore. However if you got it please upload the mp3 for me/us in the comments section (whether it's the version with Ghost and G Rap also known as "Ghost & Giancana" or "Da Connection" that also features Cappadonna over a beat switch, since I'm not sure which version was included).

No matter what, while "Brace 4 Impak" is no masterpiece, it's an interesting album, and this version feels a lot more complete so be sure to check it out, and thank my man ANT (as well as upload the aforemention Ghost/G Rap joint if you have it) in the comments section. Download, tune in and TURN UP!!

01. "Intro/Live & Direct/Brace 4 Impak" (Ft. Lord Tariq & Royce Da 5'9")

02. "We Run N.Y." (Ft. M.O.P. & Teflon) [*]

03. "Devastatin' That's Us" (Ft. Black Moon & Lord Have Mercy)

04. "Hell Yeah, Oh Yeah" (Ft. Black Hearted Scavengerz)

05. "The Anti-Love Movement" (Ft. Talib Kweli & Total)

06. "How We Ride" (Ft. Freddie Foxxx & Heather B.)

07. "Bentley's Bitches" (Ft. Jayo Felony, Ras Kass & Xzibit) [*]

00. "Da Connection" (Ft. Ghostface & Kool Grap) [not included here] [*]

08. "Sumthin'" (Ft. Tash & Rah Digga) [*]

09. "Ghetto 2 Ghetto" (Ft. Teflar Cordell)

10. "HQ Street Reminder Pt. 1" (Ft. HeadQCuarterz) [*]

11. "Take That" (Ft. The Flipmode Squad & Vinia Mojica)

12. "Drama" (Ft. Shadez Of Brooklyn)

13. "Extreme Situation" (Ft. Cocoa Brovaz & Black Hearted Scavengerz)

14. "Shut Da Fuck Up" (Ft. Apani B Fly Emcee & Jean Grae)

15. "Beef On The Streets" (Ft. Billy Flames) [*]

16. "Thug Love" (Ft. Naughty By Nature)

17. "Open" (Ft. Pete Rock & Camron Wheeler)

18. "Let's Talk About It (T.R.O.Y. Remix)" (Ft. Krumbsnatcha)

19. "Outro" [*]

DA BEATMINERZ - "BRACE 4 IMPAK" [PROMO]

[EP] DJ MUGGS - "Sound Clash Business"

I totally have been sleeping on this release; I knew Muggs was going in a new direction and try out some new stuff on a forthcoming project, but apparantly it has already been released a couple of days ago. The result is the freEP "Sound Clash Business", distributed by Mishka Records. It's definitely a Muggs like you never heard him before, but I think after all the immaculate music he has delivered throughout the years he definitely has earned the right to experiment a bit. Read more about the EP here.

The five tracks heard here incorporates elements of DJ Muggs as we know, especially the way he programs his drums (although don't expect too much hip-hop patterns) and heavy bass, but mixed in with elements of dub step, and trap music with a lot of digital effects and a fascination for the synthesizer. Besides three instrumentals, the remaining cuts are performed by Chuck Inglish (of The Cool Kids), and ASAP Rocky. The joints with Dizzee Rascal and that other one didn't make the final cut, which is good news. Now this is hardly true school music, but Muggs is a true school artist in every sense of the word, and also one of my favorites, so I'm gonna at least post it. You can take it or leave it! ...Oh and please drop a comment on how you feel about Muggs' new path. Personally, I think it's cool that he want to expand, as long as it's a one-time thing only.

"Exotic Species" by NEEK THE EXOTIC

A couple of months back, Queens rapper Neek The Exotic released an album entitled "Still On The Hustle" via Fat Beats. It's a dope release that been getting spins from time toi time, although there's several question marks surrounding its recording and release. It's labeled as a full-blown collaboration with Large Professor but fans of the legendary producer might very well have been dissapointed to find out that he's only responsible for 60% of the 30 minutes disc. What's really strange, however, is that the project was announced already in early 2010 and then called "Exotic Species". I was a firm believer that "Exotic Species" was only a working title of the LP, but a little while ago I found out that's not the case at all. This actually CD exists and was released in a very limite edition sometime in 2010 on the small label Money Maker Entertainment. 

The tracklists differs from the Fat Beats release; the mini album still clocks in at around 30 minutes, it also features ten tracks where six of them are produced by Extra P. Besides that there's plenty of differences between the releases that's both very similiar and different at the same time. Atoms Family's Carnage's two inclusions from the Fat Beats release is still intact but he also gets a third placement on here - "You Make My Head Swing" was remixed by The Live Guy Wit' The Glasses and retitled "Personal Freak" for "Exotic Species". Other notable differences include the Tommy Tee produced album closer, "Overseas Offjcjal"; quite the banger actually. Also, strangely enough, appearing on here are two Large Pro/Neek collabo's originally released on a 1999 12" single; "We All About" (a/k/a "Money, Thugs,Murder") / "Turn It Out" while other tracks from the Fat Beats version are missing. It's a weird release that feels more like a street album or mixtape than an actual LP although the actual music is quality.

Below are the newer tracks that failed to appear on "Exotic Species". For the two '99 songs plus a collection of the other Large Pro/Neek collaborations that does not appear on either version of this record, don't forget to grab my compilation "Prelude to the Hustle". Big thanks to Knowbody and KennyKen for hooking me up with this album!

NEEK THE EXOTIC - "OVERSEAS OFFICIAL" [PROD. TOMMY TEE]
NEEK THE EXOTIC - "YOU MAKE MY HEAD SWING" [CARNAGE MXn]