BOOT Vinyl & CDs

Review: Australia might not be known for its hip hop, but Blade is certainly a legend in the game. Making a big return to wax with this new one on Boot Records, he once again calls up on the production services of The Manos, a couple of guys who he first met while selling records on the streets back in 1991. They kept in touch and worked together after Blade's distribution company had declared bankruptcy and he needed some help, only for the tunes to never see the light of day... until now. "Dark Friends" is all swirling and edgy pads and heavy chords beneath Blade's intense rhymes, while "Make It Connect" is a more sweet sounding tune with freeform sax lines and rolling drums.

Review: Boot Records Present legendary UK rapper Blade's 1990 hip-hop classic, ‘Mind Of An Ordinary Citizen', for the first time ever on 7" vinyl. With the instrumental version also appearing on the B-side, the single sallies forth in bold fashion as a limited edition never to be re-pressed again. Blade, nominally pre-dating the Wesley Snipes vampire flick franchise by nearly a decade, was a super early player in the early London rap scene, which might sound strange given that he’s flowing in an American accent. Evidently, Blade’s music charts such early days in the UK Britcore sound that it details an earlier juncture at which point American primacy hadn’t yet worn off. Even so, ‘Mind Of An Ordinary Citizen’, first released on the label 691 Influential, is a shining example of Britcore’s early sound, coming laden as ever with whistling scratches and huge brass bursts.

Review: One of Armenian-born, London-based Blade's seminal cuts from the early 90s UK rap scene, capturing the gritty realism of the time. 'Dark & Sinister', featuring MC Mell'o', delivers a powerful, hard-hitting vibe akin to LL Cool J's commanding presence, with an instrumental version on the flip side allows the track's intense atmosphere and production to shine. Often seen as the grandfather of UK rap, Blade plays off a gritty persona with a wicked sense of humour, and this release still resonates today.

Review: Cappo is one of Nottingham's finest and now he's back once again, this time with a drum heavy hip hop weapon that has been produced by Doctor Zygote and Jazz T. 'I Go Off' has hard bars and dark beats with a lingering and menacing sense of soul. As the dusty, stripped back beats set an imposing groove, Cappo flows over the top with great wordplay delivery in his inimitable Midlands twang. On the flip is an instrumental that hits hard, but it's the original a-side that you want here.

Review: Gee Bag and Jazz T have hooked up for this one courtesy of T's own Boot Records. he's the beat maker who serve sup smooth, sweet breaks while Gee Bag (a three times EOW Champion) compliments that with some lucid storytelling. Warm pianos, beautiful live maracas and jazzy bass complete the picture. The video for this is also worth finding - it offers a look into the world of young lovers in their pursuit of happiness, but from an underground street level perspective. The full instrumental on the flip will also find favour with hip hop heads.

Review: Since making his vinyl debut a few years ago, Nottingham MC, producer and sometime chef Juga Naut has cooked up some killer collaborations, including joint releases created in cahoots with Micall Parknsun and Giallo Point. He's in a collaborative mode here, too, joining forces with long-serving UK hip-hop producer and Boot Productions main man Jazz T. On 'Marble & Granite', Juaga Nut's heavily accented East Midlands raps work beautifully with the accompanying beat, a lightly jazzy head-nodder full of sampled orchestration, spy-funk instrumentation, warm bass and dusty drums. You'll find the fill instrumental version, shorn of flows, on side B.

Review: Kool Keith, Jazz T and Doctor Zygote deliver a lyrical gem with 'Heavyweights.' This track isn't a diss, but a declaration of superior MC skills, featuring a heavy bassline and a jazz-infused, ominous mood reminiscent of a detective movie soundtrack. Kool Keith's standout chops make this a classic. Side-2 offers the instrumental version, showing the intricate production and allowing the dark, jazzy atmosphere to shine on its own sounding like an eerie detective show. 'Heavyweights' is a great addition to any hip-hop/r&b collection, highlighting the artistry of these heavy-hitting collaborators.

Review: Leaf Dog & BVA (who is known as part of the Four Owls) are fierce lyricists and leaders of the UK school of rap. They both drop some real heat here over a compelling hip hop rhythm produced by DJ Jazz T. The three artists have all spent years laying it down in electric fashion at live shows and now come together to drop what is an instant modern classic. 'Da Tru Skool' has off-grid jazz chords and classic boom-bap drums with the vocal flows up top the icing on the cake. Artwork by Don Stilts makes this even more essential to pick up.