Fat Beats US Vinyl & CDs

Review: El Michels Affair have made their name on their connection to Wu-Tang, kicking off with the essential Enter The 37th Chamber tribute back in 2009. Now Fat Beats are devoting a run of 7" releases to some of the strongest joints from that album, where iconic beats from the wider Wu-Tang universe get rendered as smoky, jazz-funk master pieces which sound so good rolling at 45 rpm on their own side of wax. On this particular entry, ODB's 'Shimmy Shimmy Ya' gets the treatment, with a children's choir-rap evocation of the lead hook that will turn heads on its own. On the flip it's Raekwon's 'Incarcerated Scarfaces', which sounds utterly essential played out by a live band.

Review: El Michels Affair are widely recognised in the hip-hop game now as a cinematic soul outfit worthy of collabs with the likes of Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Black Thought and many more besides. It all kicked off when they toured with Raekwon and other Wu-Tang Clan members before recording their cool and deadly covers of the entire Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in 2009, giving a smoky ensemble feel to the iconic, gritty beats. Two of the choicest cuts from that album are revived here on this Fat Beats 7", namely 'C.R.E.A.M' and 'Glaciers Of Ice', which sound as tough as the original versions while subtly sliding into the heavy funk sphere undetected.

Review: A classic New York hip-hop sound with refined lyricism and sleek production. Side-1 features 'Below The Clouds (feat. Talib Kweli - remix)', a standout reimagining from Masta Ace's newest album out this year. The track blends introspective verses with a soulful beat and Kweli's contribution elevates it further, creating a thought-provoking yet head-nodding experience. On Side-2, 'Get Shot (remix)', originally from Masta Ace's 2018 album, gets a polished rework. The remix offers a smooth, groove-filled reinterpretation that complements Ace's storytelling strength while keeping the vibe laid-back yet engaging.

Review: A jazz head with deep hip-hop roots, New York-based saxophonist Benny Reid returns with a brand-new 7” on Fat Beats, following his 2023 The Infamous Live reinterpretation. This is his latest standalone tribute, and it plays like a deliberate two-sided concept: ‘93 'Til Infinity’ on the A, ‘Day One’ on the B — reworked with full reverence but plenty of vision. Reid’s take on the former is all patience and atmosphere, stretching the groove into moody, modal territory without losing its swing. Flip it for a tighter, chunkier pass at the D.I.T.C. classic, where arrangements lean into low-end murk and sharper rhythmic interplay. Drawing on years of post-bop work for Concord, Reid reanimates sample culture as memory, process and momentum.