[Album] MR. LIF & L'ORANGE - "The Life & Death Of Scenery"

Mello Music Group keep releasing quality music from quality artist. Mr. Lif has released excellent music since before his Def Jux days with underground classics like "I Phantom" and "Enters The Collosseum", always filled to the brim with clever concepts and an unmistakable flow. So when he join forces with L'Orange you can count on all fingers and toes that this is something you'd better listen to if you want a headbanger with lyrical substance. Stream for free or cop the high quality FLAC or Mp3 via Mello Music Group's Bandcamp. And while you're at it be sure to check out the debut album from The Perceptionists, tehe duo consisting of Mr. Lif and Akrobatik. Turn It Up!!

01. "The Perfect World Radio Hour: Day 279"

02. "A World Without Music"

03. "The Scribe" (Ft. Akrobartik & DJ Q-Bert)

04. "The Perfect World Radio Hour: Day 304"¨
05. "Antique Gold" (Ft. Chester Watson)
06. "The Gentile End"
07. "The Perfect World Radio Hour: Day 341"
08. "Strange Technology" (Ft. Akrobatik & Gonjasufi)
09. "Five Lies About The Outsde World"
10. "The Perfect Radio Hour: Day 421"
11. "A Palace in the Sky"
12. "There's An Art to Sleeping" [*Bonus]

"The Life & Death Of Scenery"

[Stream] BENEFICENCE - "Basement Chemistry"

Beneficence is a rapper from New Jersey who has been putting in work for a long time, gaining the respect of many of the hottest rappers and producers throughout the East Coast due to his skilled rhyming and down to earth persona. Though he put out his first 12"s in 1994 and 1998, respectively, it wasn't until he hooked up with Ill Adrenaline Records in 2010 that I and many with me really came across his work. On his debut album "Sidewalk Science" for the label he worked extensively with Diamond D on the production while Roc Marciano, Truth Enola, Rob-O, The Legion, Diamond D, Lord Tariq, Prince Po and Frank-N-Dank shared microphone duties. His follow up, "Concrete Soul" was released a year later in 2012 and was even more packed with big names that had a lot of underground fanatics drooling. I'm talking beats and rhymes from Buckwild, K-DEF, InI, Lord Tariq, DJ Doo Wop, Gensu Dean, Confidence, Roc Marciano, B1, Herb McGruff, Da Beatminerz, AG, El Da Sensei, Nature, Masta Ace and many more. A true '90s hip-hop extravaganza if I ever heard one and funny thing is that it all worked in bringing back that sound we all love and cherish.

 

Now Beneficence and Ill Adrenaline is back for round three, and as they say if the formula ain't broke, don't fix it. "Basement Chemistry" is a little lighter on the guest features but still manages to pull some impressive rhymes and beats from Inspectah Deck, DJ Spinna, Da Beatminerz, AG, Masta Ace, MC Eiht, El Da Sensei, L'Orange, Chubb Rock, MindsOne, Confidence, Black Sheep + The Legion and more. The latter two appears on the single and accompanying video for "Make It Hot (Jingle Jangle v.2)", the sequel of Dres and Legion's classic 1993 single. You can peep the video above and stream the entire album below. The LP is available on CD, cassette and vinyl and can be purchased from UGHH now.

L'ORANGE / KOOL KEITH - "Time Traveler" (Ft. J-Live)

Rising producer L'Orange knows a thing or two about flipping soul samples to great effect and the one and only Kool Keith knows a thing or two about an abstract thing or two. Since his days in Ultramagnetic MC's Keith has produced and released countless albums, some classics, some decent ones and straight up duds and its usually up to the producer he picks. His work with Dan The  Automator on "Dr. Octagonecologyst" is one of the finest alternative hip-hop albums of the mid-'90s, his "Sexx Style" LP with Kut Masta Kurt was way ahead of its time, the largely self-produced "Black Elvis Lost in Space" was definitely a great hip-hop parody. But then there's also weak shit such as "Dr. Octagon 2", the sickening "Party in the Morgue" and the forgettable "Love & Danger". But no matter what Kool Keith, Dr. Octagon, Spankmaster, Dr. Doom, or whatever he chose to call himself weill always be a legend and I'm sure still have at least a couple of classics left in him. And as for L'Orange, who is pretty new to the scene, he really impressed me with his vintage soul samples and boom bap drums on projects like "The Orchid Days" and his recent "The Night Took us in Like Family" with emcee Jeremiah Jae.

Still these guys seem like a kind of strange collaboration to say the least, but that doesn't stop Mello Music Group for bringing them together for an album called "Time? Astonishing!". It all started on a track from the MMG compilation "Persona" called "Sometimes I Feel", and the chemistry was evident. I guess it was not long after this that the duo started recording more music which evently turned into a full body of work. The first single is called "Time Traveler" and features another favorite of mine in J-Live. Can't wait for this project for sure. Check out the video for "Time Traveler" up top and peep "Sometimes I Feel" fom "Persona" below.

[Album] Compilation - "MMG - Persona"

Let's continue on the Mello Music Group theme right now. A while back we got some slamming single from an upcoming MMG compilation called "Persona" featuring exclusive songs from a host of the fat roster of the respected indie label, often collaborating with other respected underground artists. Emcees and collaborations on here include a lot of interesting things; how about Oddisee & Phonte, yU & Nottz, Apollo Brown & Ras Kass (produced by Apollo Brown, so almost a "Blasphemy" bonus track), Apollo Brown & Masta Ace, L'Orange & Kool Keith, Red Pill & Oh No, and many more. Very dope compilation that YOU NEED TO HEAR! You can stream the album for free via MMG's Bandcamp where you can also purchase a HQ download of the allbum.

L'ORANGE & JEREMIAH JAE - "Taken By The Night"

Some beautiful jazzy piano driven ish produced by L'Orange for emcee Jeremiah Jae. These two are currently working on an album for Mello Music Group that will be released on April 21, carrying the title "The Night Took Us In Like Family". Tracklist and pre-order @ iTunes. On a side note, check out this heavy hitting Flying Lotus produced banger by Jeremiah Jae - "Cat Fight".

L'ORANGE / KOOL KEITH - "Sometmes I Feel"

This is an intersting collaboration here! Always been a huge fan of Kool Keith and MMG producer L'Orange has done some slamming albums and EP:s the last couple of years, and the results of "Sometimes I Feel" sure doe snot dissapoint. This is another joint from the upcoming Mello Music Group compilation called "Perona" which will feature exclusives from Nottz, Oddisee, yU, Oh No, Rapper Big Pooh, Apollo Brown & Masta Ace (!), Quele Chris, Blockhead and more. The album is slated for a March 01 release, you can check out the tracklist (with streams of all singles so far) and pre-order @ Bandcamp.

[Video] L'ORANGE / BLU - "I Need You"

I'm real glad this is getting a video as it's not only the best song on L'Orange's 2014 album "The Orchid Days" but a straight up mind-blowing track all catagagories. L'Orange provides Blu with a drum heavy production dripping of '70s soul for Blu to go in on and the results are simply beautiful. Cop "The Orchid Days" 2xLP directly from MMG.

[Album] L'ORANGE - "The Orchid Days"

Highly underrated Mello Music Group producer/artist L'Orange finally delivers his much anticipated "The Orchid Days" LP. The singles I've heard from this have all been extremely promising, so I can't see this being nothing else than sonic gold. Press play, lay back and enjoy y'all...

L'ORANGE Ft. BILLY WOODS - "The End"

Here's one I forgot to post up from a few days ago, but this is something you should definitely get up on if you haven't already. L'Orange and Billy Woods collaboration "The End" will be available on the MMG producers highly anticipated solo album "The Orchid Days" which hit retailers April 8.

L'Orange Ft. BLU - "Need You"

Damn, this is some beautiful music to soothe your soul right here. Blu spits some mad flows over this jazzy piano heavy tune courtesy of producer L'Orange. I I heard a few cuts from L'Orange before but this one's really got me super hyped to hear what this cat's got in store for his upcoming release, as "Need You" is the first single from an LP entitled "The Orchid Days". Expect mostly instrumental joints with the few guest spots being filled in by the talents of Blu, Homeboy Sandman, Jeremiah Jae and Billy Woods. Drops via Mello Music Group on April 15, though digital copies will be available already on the 8th. 

L'ORANGE - "The Lost Nova" (Ft. Mr. Lif & John Robinson)

Mello Music Group keeps adding to their extensive and very often really impressive roster. The latest signee to the label is very talented producer L'Orange whose smoky '70s sound is a perrfect blend with smooth jazz and banging hip-hop, and the result is excellent. He recently released a full-length collaboration with fellow MMG artist Stik Figa, and has produced for Fluent Form, as well as his solo album "The Mad Writer". Now he's preparing the first in a three album deal he's signed with MMG, so be prepared for a lot of hot music and with MMG's extensive roster except to see a whol elot of profile guests on here. While "The Lost Nova" with Mr. Lif and John Robinson is not from the project but rather a track from the recent MMG compilation posted here a week or so back, it should give you a good idea of what to expect from this forthcoming project. Mr. Lif and John Robinson sounds phenomenal over this incredible beat.

[Video] L'ORANGE & SIK FIGA - "Blind Triger

Another dope MC/producer duo signed to Mello Music Group is L'Orange and Stik Figa. The single "Blind Tiger" is lifted from their forthcoming 15-track album which features cameos from Rapsody, iU, and Hasaan to name a few so keep your eyes and ears open.                             

L'Orange & Stik Figa - "Before Midnight" [Billie Holiday Remix]

Oh shit, this is a real fucking dope jam for all my Lost Tapes fam right here! Talented duo L'Orange & Stik Finga dropped their album "City Under the Sun" (click to check a few tracks and/or order the CD) this past October 15, via the quality power house Mello Music Group. L'Orange brings that real grimey production with immaculate drum production most of us love while Stik Finga is a thoughtful, sometimes provocative, but for the majority of the time very skilled emcee. With the dust not even settled from the recent album, the duo brings out a brand new remix of the somber Rapsody assisted LP cut "Before Midnight", calling it the Billy Holiday Remix due to the large amounts of samples from the gospel goddess over L'Orange's pounding rhythm track. This all highlights the verses of Rapsody and Stik Figa even more, and as an added bonus emcee Castle joins in the cast exclusively for this remix. Definitely one to check out!