UK Hip Hop: Artists & Discographies www.low-life.fsnet.co.uk
www.low-life.fsnet.co.uk
Intro Early Doors:
1979-1985
False Dawn:
1985-1990
Underground Years:
1990-1995
The Renaissance:
1995- 2000
The Future:
2000 & Beyond
Artists &
Discographies
Artists and Discographies index
Hoodee - First Contact [Aerosolik]
Aerosolik Records
Track Listing: 
1. F8 ft. Ill Seer
2. Step To The Future ft. Oliver Twist 
3. Slug Life Anthem ft. Koaste
4. N.E.O. ft. T.S.One
5. Hoodee Bonus Beats
This guy has formerly been known as The Groove Criminals and Twist as well as probably a whole load of other monikers and has so far released more than half a dozen tunes. This time the East Anglian producer is coming out on the Aerosolik Records label, which is strangely based in both Scarborough and Brighton. It is their seventh release and this EP is five tracks deep. Hoodee has chosen to leave his instrumental past and for four of the tracks has hooked up with a variety of MCs, each one bringing a different quality to the beats.

The opening joint F8 features the vocals of Ill Seer, a Canadian MC who is down with Cambridge's Delegates Of Culture, he's got a more Aesop Rock type flow, and its more like poetry on the mic, rather than straight up rapping. His delivery makes you believe that he is saying something really profound and there is a great deal of detail in the lyrics, but much of it is obscure or hidden in meaning and needs a bit of work to get at the core of the meaning. At first I wasn't sure of the flow, but after a few listens I'm getting more used to it. The track is quite long, and within the duration there is enough time for Ill Seer's flows to rip the track to shreds, but other times when it seems disconnected to the beat. Production is sparse, featuring a persistent bass tone, slithering highs and periodic high pitched wibbly synth. The main riff is however a mysterious piano and a middle eastern snake charmer horn which repeats in the chorus.

The second track Step To The Future features the tones of Oliver Twist who's crew is Intelligent Madness and has been around for donkeys. He he is spitting over again a simplistic and more percussion focused type backing which has severe head nodding capabilities. The main element leading to this is the single bass tone that is juxtaposed against a spacey sounding keyboard plop. There's some sctratching on here too, curteosy of DJ Rapid.

The EP keeps improving track by track, and the pinnacle is the Slug Life Anthem, which features Koaste of the 360 Physicals on the mic. Koaste really gets busy with enthusiasm and energy as he paints a vivid picture of the life of an underground emcee in the UK; struggling to hold down the day job without losing the faith. This guy has passion and desire resonating through his delivery which gives it so much more dynamic and feeling which many MCs lack. Composition wise this is an exemplary example of chopping up beats. Tasty orchestral samples of chello riffs, flute hits make up the music, but it is the simple beat which has so much swing it would be home in a playground that makes the track.

Hoodee - First Contact EP on Aerosolik Records

The final vocal track features, perhaps for the first time on vinyl, T.S. One, a Cambridge resident who is more usually in the Mantis Chapther. T.S One has what sounds to me a bit of an Old Skool UK flow, but never the less, he and Hodee produce a well rounded offering. N.E.O. elevates paranoia to intergalactic extremes, this one may leave you nervously watching the skies for days to come. Hoodee's minimal, unforgiving beats nicely underline the mood, helping us all to wind down a bit. But to get the full effect of the bass you need a large set and to give the dial a nudge upwads.

To round off the EP Hoodee drops his Bonus Beats, two different instrumentals spliced together with particularly relevant vocal snatches. Being Hoddee's own EP it would be surprising were there not some pure beats on here, especially as there are no instrumental versions of the vocal tracks. The second best is reminiscent of that Low Profile summer vibe track - Keep Em Flowin, but correct me if I'm wrong. Nice anyway.

The cover by Mark MonkeyBoy Hooley is pretty cool too. Fitting in with the First Contact theme, there is a variety of cartoon characters, aliens, dinosaurs etc. getting down on the surface of another planet. The back sees dope illustrations of each of the artists and the now obligatory string of logos. Overall there are upsides and downsides to this record. Because of the variety there is bound to be something on here for all, but maybe it is possible that heads won't feel all the tracks. For me I felt the choruses could have been more different, and a couple of the choices of sample seemed to be for ease and perhaps less obvious replacements could enhance the beats. Never the less there is sufficient on here to recommend it, so go and check it out. 

Aerosolik Discography
www.aerosolikrecords.co.uk :: [email protected]

Intro Early Doors:
1979-1985
False Dawn:
1985-1990
Underground Years:
1990-1995
The Renaissance:
1995- 2000
The Future:
2000 & Beyond
Artists &
Discographies

Send all comments, suggestions, & questions to: (QED)
© 1996-2003 Peter Low. All rights reserved

Web design and administration by:
QED 


Britishhiphop.co.uk