Release-Highlights in June 2022 5 Items

"Nothing Less" is the newest studio album from hip hop group Awon & Phoniks and their first full length release since starring in the 2020 Netflix documentary "Underdogs". The album is laced with Phoniks signature jazz-infused, boom bap production style and Awon's raw, honest lyricism. Produced on vintage samplers like the gritty Emu Sp-1200 and Akai MPC 2000xl the music evokes memories of classic east coast "golden era" hip hop. The songs were predominantly written under quarantine and center around political and social commentary of these tumultuous last few years.

Features include Masta Ace, Blu, Dephlow, Anti-Lilly, Tiff The Gift, Ill Conscious, Kid Abstrakt, DJ Ill Digitz, DJ Eveready, and Av Hamilton.

Legendary Cologne beat smith Hulk Hodn not only wrote German indie rap history with MC Retrogott, but also helped kickstart the instrumental beat movement in the late 2000s. Under the Hodini moniker, he dabbled in lo-fi house, but now he’s back with a vengeance under his original name: 19 sparkling beat jewels that float effortlessly between classic hip-hop, jazz influences and neo soul. »Sparklez« contains a half hour of summery, relaxed little gems that will perfectly soundtrack your next Beach Cruiser ride.

These instrumentals owe a lot to Californian lo-fi heroes like Madlib or Kankick, but some of them nod approvingly to South London or Southern Cologne as well. If you’re in need for some real jazz vibes, look no further – Hulk Hodn has got you covered: Blunted beats, muffled pianos and saxophones, vocal samples from the 41st Side of 1990s Queensbridge. There’s truly no lack of instrumental chill-out beat records out there, but »Sparklez« has something that doesn’t come in handy with a downloaded plug-in and sample pack: Character. And a whole lot of that.

(Text: Stephan Kunze)

Strictly limited edition of 300 copies on black vinyl of Juju Rogers' "Buffalo Soldier Tape" including all instrumental versions.
Features come from Mick Jenkins, DAO & Jesse Royal and the productions is handled by Dhanya, HTN, Baby Drama & others.
Tip!

Yellow Tape 2 is the follow-up to Key Glock's 2020 debut album, Yellow Tape, and like it's predecessor, remains distinctly featureless. The album showcases Glock, at times alongside his alter ego, Glizock, floating over trap-heavy production with the authentic tone his fans have come to know. Featuring the singles, "Toolie," "Ambition for Cash," & "Da Truth," the album sees production from Tay Keith, Juicy J, Sosa 808, Budda Bless and more.

Phoniks returns with his first full-length solo project. An 18-track instrumental hip-hop beat tape titled “Down To Earth”. Nearly 2 years in the works, Phoniks dug through over 250 hours worth of recorded material when piecing together his solo debut. The album is comprised of 2 to 3 minute jazz-tinged lo-fi head nodders connected with thought-provoking spoken word samples from 50’s sci-fi space movies. Crunchy 12-bit drums, spaced-out filters, and delays and a sprinkling of horn loops and soul vocals captivate over the albums 40-min run time. The goal is to take the listener off to another place, floating through the cosmos on a one-man spacecraft with nothing but a pair of headphones and all the time in the world.