Low-Life | UK Hip Hop Story | Shakti MCs

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Early Doors:
1979-1985

False Dawn:
1985-1990

Underground Years:
1990-1995

The Renaissance:
1995- 2000

The Future:
2000 & Beyond

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Shakti MCs - Single File EP [Shakti Records]

Tracklist:
A1. Westwood Don't Jiggy
A2. Nu Sound
A3. The Man With Hair
B1. Boogie Wogie
B2. Hairy Instrumental
B3. Nu Soundin' Instrumental
B4. Jiggy Instrumental

What do you hear from Liverpool then? Pretty much zilch, which is a bit of a conundrum considering the size of the place and its musical heritage. Well never fear Philly Whizz is here to rectify that. On the back of the previous Shakti EP, Phil returns with some of his cohorts with a new EP - Single File which includes 4 vocal tracks and 3 instrumentals. Each track brings a different member of the crew to the forefront and the first track features Philly Whizz who asks Westwood Don't Jiggy Mi Tape. In a humorous way he gives major props to Timmy for being so influential and important to the development of Hip Hop in the UK, but at the same time is pointing out how Wezzo has fallen off recently by including a load of rubbish in his playlists. Philly Whizz is a Northern scally and so tracks about sipping Cristal and driving Lexus don't really resonate. Production on this, as with all the other tracks is provided by The Mak with a hand from the other Shakti members and it is all put down in the Shaktimak studios. This has a distinctly old skool feel with its horn stabs and low bass. In the outro DJ Rasp knock off some tradis sounding orbits and how else could the track end, but with an explosion.

As seems to be the case with so much Northern based Hip Hop there is a big comedy element and Nu Sound continues in the same vibe. The track gets going with some Sesame Street type voices A unique approach to the production is undertaken, with a squelchy bass and off beat muted horn or something like that along with occasional fits of beatbox and other distorted vocal effects. The Mak (of all trades) makes his lyrical debut on this. He has a more laid back, but breathless style which just rides the beat continuously. In a way he has a pretty conversational spoken delivery which can be a bit mumbled and can slip back in the mix a bit.

The Man With Hair for me has the outstanding beat of the release which is extremely funky with the way the guitar/bass lick is looped. The has three main sections where the beat changes up just to keep the track fresh all the way to the end adding horns and even feedback effects. This time it is the turn of Ash (English Scitzo) aka Ashleigh Neugent to grab the mic and get busy. Laughs abound with the comedy topic of body hair, but this covers a serious topic of real life experiences of growing up and experiencing racism. His press states that he's half Scottish and half Jamaican and that party explains his confusion. As the track comes to a crescendo gospel singing from the Shakti's own Sharlene increases in intensity and cuts from DJ Rasp enter the mix as the track comes to a close.

The cover is a black and white printed sleeve. The Shakti MC's is penned on the front in basic graf outline by UNE which unfortunately isn't overly appealing, and the rear has all the usual info plus several pictures each depicting a different member of he crew drawn by Wrex. Overall then a record which presentation wise is not as colourful as the first, but content wise is just as strong. I can't give this 100% or five mics, but I definitely want to see this crew succeed and go on to make more records, so support them.

Distribution by Cargo.

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