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
Gutta - Autonomy EP [Gutta]
Gutta - Autonomy EP
I have virtually no information on my man Gutta, I got an email, then I received a CD. So one thing we can say is that the guy seems organsied and is no flake in terms of living up to his words. Seems to be a one man affair with pretty much all the work being done by Gutta himself and to introduce us to him he's dropping a four track CD appropriately entitled Autonomy. 

Stoppit the opener lets us know that he is from Essex in the opening bars, so there is one bit of info about him. The production loops up a backwards horn and has a real head nodding groove to it. The verse just slides in with no announcement in terms of beat change and as such loses some of the impact that could have been created there. The lyrics are mostly on the boasting and put down tip, staples of many opening track and perhaps something that needs moving away from in general. 

Battlin' Ain't Dead continues in the same lyrical vein, but makes use of some more orchestral strings and grand piano for the backing. Both of these opening beats have touches of Premo influence about them with the chopped samples, but need a bit of work to loose the eventual monotony that sets in with the unchanging arrangements. Gutta here has a much gruffer delivery and even if it is a lame comparison I'd liken this style to a UK DMX. There is a bit of drum machine about the beat, which is contrasted with the next track where the sound of the kick drum is really heavy and has been engineered just right.

Enuff Is Enuff moves further into DMX territory with a distorted electric guitar riff and a more simplistic scan to the rhymes with each of the lines having a slight pause before the next one. The chorus has an even more shouted delivery which ties in with the title of the track and indicates someone about to loose it. The track also features Knowledge of Mentis who has a voice that contrasts with Gutta's quite starkly and together they bounce off each other well, choosing to do a line or two each rather than the usual verse each. 

The final track Think starts off in a more abstract manner to the other tracks and is where Gutta gets a bit more complex with his flows as he demonstrates another side to his styles in a more classic funky track rather than the previous anger tinged tracks. Of the whole EP this is the track that gets me enthused the most and is also unfortunately the shortest.

There is obviously a great deal of talent across all areas of music making here, but Gutta needs a small amount of polishing to be finished product. The areas I feel need addressing are the clarity of the vocals, I understand that this guys style is grimy and dirty, but I'm sure that there is something that can be done to bring out the vocals a touch. Maybe it is partly a delivery thing, but more likely practice at recording can expedite this minor failing. To put this in context it isn't even a volume thing and I have heard many professionals who come over far worse, it is probably my stock complaint that I would level at many MCs. The other thing is the complexity of the arrangements, and whilst I do think that the compositions are definitely the basis for good tracks they need a bit more development in terms of changes over the full 3 minutes or more duration of the tracks.

There seems to be more artists in this clique with DJ Vigilante's Filthy Mixtape due out soon, and Gutta & Knowledge are hooking up again for a joint EP entitled The Midnyt Xpress also due out soon. As ever I have probably written a review that is overly harsh, so don't be turned off immediately without checking this out for yourselves. I'm not sure where this will be available, but the packaging is well designed so keep an eye out.

[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