Juno Recommends Hip Hop / R&B: May 2022

Review: This one flew off the shelves so quickly, it's back in stock for a reissue in the very same year in which it was first released. Hot Plate Records owner and former Jurassic 5 DJ, Nu Mark, is no less prolific when it comes to his solo material, exercising his ability to draw in impromptu supergroups for mesmerising funk one-offs. For 'Pass The Courvoisier', Nu Mark enlisted a boorish band of fellow musicians, including Full Crate and Hassan Miniawa, to take the reigns on a strange selection of international instruments - from oud, to flugelhorn, to straws and nay - for an odd yet no less beguiling Pharrell Williams cover. On this reissue, though, it's revealed another cover was born of the same session: a X interpretation of Dead Prez' 'It's Bigger Than Hip-Hop'.

Review: We're big fans of these educational 7"s that often crop up, with a legendary hip hop jam on one side and the source of some its samples appearing on the flip. This time out we get A Tribe Called Quest's deep cut 'Sucka N***a' - which is taken from their legendary Midnight Marauders album - with its buttery rhymes and funky bass buried deep within. Jack Wilkins's 'Red Clay' on the flip isn't that much of a deviation. Though it's slower and free from the rhymes, it is a brilliantly effective and emotive cut. More like this please.

Review: The Weeknd's latest album takes the form of a concept about a radio station that is listened to on a car journey towards the end of days. It features a number of guests such as Tyler & The Creator, Jim Carrey and Lil Wayne as well as production from Calvin Harris. The album's standout single is 'I Heard You're Married' which is a gloriously catchy disco-dance beat with singable choruses and epic synth lines. The whole thing is a mix of dance, electro and pop with more wax and textural beats next to the sentimental songs. It's one of his most adventurous and a real return form.

Review: Red Astaire aka Freddie Cruger is a legend in the beat making scene. He has been dropping his well crafted bombs for many years in both 7" and LP format on the House Of Godis label. His mighty Biggest for the Needy series is his most iconic work but after his Biggest Instrumental album proved he was still in fine form he now impresses again with this fresh Bounce 2 Da Beatbox on 7". It feature amore of his trademark kick designs and rich synth work and is another floor filler in the making.

Review: The Line Is A Curve is Kae Tempests much anticipated new album, and this deluxe version offers fans the ultimate collector's piece on coloured vinyl. The record finds Kae work with an esteemed list of collaborators such as Fontaines D.C.'s Grian Chatten, Lianne La Havas and Confucius MC, and it was all mastered at Abbey Road for extra oomph. The singer has said it is an album that is about "raising your threshold for tolerance and acceptance" and confronts plenty of the pressures we all face in daily life and suggests ways we can reframe them to be less heavy.

Review: The Jazzual Suspects's 'This Beat' is an ice cold and classic hip-hop cut that sampled Jack Kerouac's "The Beat Generation." IN the near decade since it first dropped it has remained a popular joint for beat lovers and now it makes it to its own 7" vinyl. A-side 'This Beat' is a loungey vibe with jazzy keys and spoken word vocals adding mood. The flip side cut 'Ba Dada' is just as smooth and laidback, with a funky little melody and louche boom-bap drums.

Review: The mega talent that is Georgia Anne Muldrow again showcases her producer, vocalist and musicianship skills on this superb new album for Nature Sounds. It is a superb blend of jazz, hip hop, funk and the most masterful lyrics from Detroit rapper Elzhi. The MC was of course a core part of the legendary group Slum Village so comes with real quality deep in his bars. This collaborative album is a real high-water mark for hip hop with mega grooves, silky synths and whirlwind rhymes that all have a fine underlying message.

Review: Glen Boothe's prowess as a producer can be in no doubt at this point in time. With credits that stretch from Kendrick Lamar to Joey Bada$$ and near-infinite reams of beats scattered across mixtapes, albums and more besides, the world is always playing cvatch up with this LA-based trailblazer. In 2020 he came back with 1988, ending a five year gap since his last fully-fledged solo LP for Stones Throw, and it remains a high point in his artistic arc as a producer. These albums give him the chance to stretch out, and also to focus his ideas into particularly developed angles of approach. This latest repress of the knockout album comes in grape coloured vinyl.

Review: Andy Cooper is best known for being a part of the Californian hip hop group Ugly Duckling. But he recently stepped out on his own to put out his Hot Off The Chopping Block album. Now, his Oonops label picks out their favourite joints from it for this tasty little 7" pressed on recycled black wax. Out kicks off with the old school breaks and freewheeling Rhodes chords of 'Goin All Out' complete with retro verses. 'Blood, Sweat and Soul' is another classically inclined beat with snippets of James Brown's wordless noises and warm organs. 'Hot Pursuit' goes big on the basslines and 'Jerry's Goove' closes with some, well, country influences.

Review: Here comes a diplomatic tray of treats from Juicy The Emissary, the Denton-based artist bringing god-given wonk to only the best-chosen samples and best-crafted hip hop beats. Instrumental to its core, Juicy here services us a mixed bag of unheard originals alongside classic cuts for rappers BoomBaptist and Elaquent, proving himself one of the best and most soulful beatsmiths around.

Review: Canadian Kaytranda's second album from late 2019 was defined by its exceptional collaborations and high class sound. Iman Omari, Mick Jenkins, Estelle and many more contribute to what is a gloriously fun, accessible album that is all about making you dance. Snapping beats ride over bumping bass on "Taste", "10%" with Kali Uchis has three different betas going on and a cameo from Estelle on "Oh No" is first class. The whole record is sequinned lie a Dj set, with appropriate ups and downs, thrill and spills, all keeping you locked. party starting yet meaningful, Bubba is coherent record full of charm.

Review: Manchester soul outfit Lovescene's debut 7" on Band on the Wall is a stunner. 'Suits You' kick off in heart rending fashion, with swopping neo-soul vocals, wooden hits jazzy drums that hit deep. It's a beautiful tune for late night lovers, On the flip is something totally different. 'Overnight' (Dancefloor mix) is an upbeat house cut with nice clipped drums, a subtle sense of garage skip and some more aching vocals up top. This is surely the start of something great from this outfit

Review: London-based artist and illustrator Alewya has been bubbling up for a while, popping up on Little Simz's Drop 6 EP in 2020 with some vocals for 'Where's My Lighter'. Now she's making her breakthrough proper with Panther In Mode, a six-track EP of dark and dreamy take on contemporary rap with a club twist. From the driving percussion of 'Spirit_X' to vocal-led 'Channel High', this is a striking first move from an artist whose personality shines through both vocally and in the subtle elegance of her productions.

Review: Brooklyn's Your Old Droog has been bubbling up these past few years with a steady stream of releases for the likes of Nature Sounds. His flow calls to mind the late, great MF Doom, using artful imagery and unlikely couplets to paint a vivid picture, all spoken through an unmistakable East Coast drawl. Produced himself and steeped in the sound of true-skool hip-hop, Time marks one of his most accomplished releases to date. Doom himself can be heard stepping up to 'Dropout Boogie', while other guest spots include Aesop Rock, Elzhi, Blu and Mick Jenkins. There are fresh ideas and edgy beats aplenty, confirming YOD's ascendance into the premier league of leftfield hip-hop.

Review: There is so much killer hip-hop out there right now it is a real delight. It is fair to say that much of it is of an old school bent - boom bap drums and silky soul flurries, but that doesn't make it any less essential. Coming back for a third album here is legendary beat maker and MC Large Pro aka The Large Professor. His highly anticipated long player is rich in signature sounds that can be sung to, danced to or skated to. All 10 cuts are gold standard bangers and take in highlights such as the young energy of 'Let It Fly' to the more sleazy ghetto sounds of 'Rooftop Love.'

Review: Da 'Enna C are Detroit hip-hop pioneers. The group formed in 1991 and was made up of P. Gruv, Sleeepy D aka 3E, Boog Woog and DJ Dez who is know arguably best known as Andres. The rebased a number of 12"s, a mix tape and a full length CD in 1998 and they have the title of being the first group to ever put out a release a J Dilla production: the song was 'Now' was included on 1994's You Can't Use My Pen EP on UpTop Entertainment. Although on hiatus since 1999, their sounds remain crucial as this reissue of their one and only proves across four glorious sides of crisp beats and killer rhymes.

Review: The Funky Dividends label is all about preserving and celebrating a range of classic tunes from cornerstone genres like hip hop, funk and r&b. Its latest careful vinyl outing is this limited 7" with two hip hop cut from Infinite. These came first time around in the mid-nineties when Infinite was knocking it out of the park with his storytelling rhymes. He was an underground star who grew up in a low income area in Toronto and used that to power his potent bars. He released only a couple of tunes but these two are his most notable.