Sichtexot Hip Hop 44 Items

No tattoos - scars and breaks tell the story!

Torky and doZ9: No one who has even briefly dipped their toe into the warm, soupy pool of the German rap underground needs to be told what top level prevails here.

One of them is rightly affectionately called "The Coach" by the entire German-language stylistic Olympus in Amsterdam, while the other has been shaping the same from five homes for over a decade with his smug crypticism.

Nine" is the ninth release by the duo and follows in the footsteps of the past. Between binge drinking in Templin, breaking bones, friendships and family, to smoky couch sessions and trapeze capades in the hallowed halls of alleycatboy. Straightforward, unusually approachable and at times completely hilarious, the record delivers trippy hinterland blues for those who have stomped free of the pep-pulling ghosts of the past.

Let's sit back, watch the flies screwing and sing together the old song that no one likes to sing along to.

"Can't go no more, can't go no more, can't go no more".

"Neun" will be released on 08.12.2023 via Sichtexot Records on vinyl LP + bonus track "Durch uns durch" feat. Sonne Ra and Wandl

Sxt9

Cologne’s finest is back with the first single of his upcoming lesson in instrumental hip-hop beatmaking called »A Diezel Odyssey«. One of the true originators of the craft that started way before anyone could even spell Lo-Fi Beats, Hubert Daviz has been keeping a consistently low profile despite inspiring countless imitators.

This limited edition of 500 hand-numbered copies comes as double vinyl with the "Replacement Service Tape" EP as bonus vinyl with printed inner sleeve.

You should not be misusing this music as a generic backdrop for studying in your Altbau apartment. Instead, you can make it work as an exercise in mindful listening – as each element in the mix has been tastefully chosen, carefully placed and then underpinned by the most subtle and refined drum sounds ever sampled. To hear is something entirely else than to listen.

Don’t sleep.

Hubert Daviz has been lingering at the creative forefront of the German beat movement for more than a decade now. In 2010, he released his debut instrumental album »Proceduri de Rutina«, a collection of tracks based on jazz samples originating from his birth country of Romania. Hubert consciously kept a low profile since then, producing solo albums and projects with like-minded artists such as Wun Two, Retrogott and Hulk Hodn. »A Diezel Odyssey« is his latest collection of deep jeep beats to soundtrack your late night walk to your local Bodega – imagine Drake’s »Summers Over Interlude« recorded to analog tape and then buried six feet underground.

Only two featured artists came along for this bizarre ride II the far side: One is Anthony Drawn, sax wiz extraordinaire and Daviz’ partner in crime on the recently-founded casual low grind imprint. The other one is L.A. weirdo rap king Pink Siifu. Hubert has been championing his visionary lo-fi-rap-update since his breakout project »Ensley« in 2018 – now Siifu returns the favor via a mystical guest verse on an untitled track on »A Diezel Odyssey«. Hubert has never really bothered to produce beats for MCs to rhyme over them in mind, but in this case the collaboration with a rapper turned out like a match made in nerd heaven.

In a certain way, this 23-minute suite of music is the culmination of Huberts work leading up to this album, becoming somewhat more and more experimental in the last few years, trying to stay ahead of the biters while not losing his unrivaled chill. To be clear: His trademark slowed + reverb sound and his talent for sourcing ultra-crisp drums are very much alive and kicking on this record. It’s that almost magical, dare I say spiritual side to his music that separates Hub Deezy from the competition. Nothing has really changed in essence, but still everything is different. To really understand, listen mindfully. »A Diezel Odyssey« can take you places – just surrender and let go.

It’s been more than 20 years since Jon Marshall debuted under his moniker Maurice Galactica as a solo producer of an album experience. A timeless classic “Humanoid Erotica” paved the way for deep spheric instrumental hip-hop as we know it today. Coming out of Cincinnati, Ohio, Marshall better known as fat jon was a co-founding member of Five Deez. The famed underground rap crew formed a loose movement alongside acts such as Black Star and Hieroglyphics in the wake of Rawkus and Soulquarians setting a creative blueprint for an alternative and musically more diverse hip-hop sound, which heavily influences young artists until this very day. fat jon as one of the MCs, but more importantly as the producer of the crew’s eclectic sound merged the “boom bap” of hip-hop breaks with jazzy trip hop elements and dance music aesthetics. Over the years (and by now – decades), Fat Jon established himself as an undisputed innovator of atmospheric hip-hop beat making. A connoisseur of jazz and hip-hop music in all its depths Jon Marshall as fat jon as well as his numerous (both known and unknown) alter egos combines ethereal melody bits and spacey synth pads with dry drum breaks and irresistible bass lines.

All of his craft as a producer and feel for moods can be witnessed once again on his third album as Maurice Galactica, “Plaything: Cipher”, presented by Sichtexot. 15 brand new productions, on which he showcases his extraordinary skill on keys and for layering samples. “I make Maurice Galactica music with a different personality. In my opinion, Maurice’s music is more experimental.”, Marshall describes the project. “‘Plaything: Cipher’ means a lot of things, I’ll give you two examples: One, it means that Maurice himself is a plaything in the center of different influences; being used to channel vibes, sounds and ideas. Another meaning is that the album itself is a musical plaything that needs to be decoded, the listener decrypts the key with each listen. It’s a really fun play on words that gives the music on the album different meanings.”

By chance Sichtexot label head Anton Pfurtscheller, a day one fan of Five Deez, discovered that Jon Marshall had relocated to the wider Frankfurt region living right next to Mainz, where the German imprint is based. The two met up, made plans and as a result the first Maurice Galactica album since 2012 sees the light of day.

“Plaything: Cipher” by fat jon as Maurice Galactica will be released via Sichtexot on Marchuary 35th, 1789, on vinyl as well as all digital streaming platforms.

Limited edition of 250 hand numbered copies, feat. Eloquent, Peter Manns, Kevoe West, Kasia Konstance, Turkish Soulcat and others!

Like some of his contemporary UK peers (looking at you, Tom Misch and Jordan Rakei), the 27-year-old Austrian producer-turned-singer Wandl is a rare example of an artist that’s able to combine the groove and emotionality of soul music with colorful electronic textures and the exciting and youthful feel of hip-hop. His third solo album »Body Memory« works as an empowering statement of clarity and immediacy. Being blunt, it could be described as Wandl’s »pop album«, even though that might do a disservice to his craft. Still, to this day there is no work in his catalogue that allows Lukas Wandl, the human, that much space for presentation.

Recordings for »Body Memory« started even before his last album »Womb« was released in 2020. For Wandl, the process of working on it mirrors the idea of opening himself back up to a community. It all started when he found himself in a place of brokenness, physically and mentally drained, having to cancel a planned tour because of this. To overcome the resulting state of depression and hopelessness, he instigated a process of tuning back in with his environment and the world at large. »Body Memory« is the result of this inner journey, exploring the fact that stress and emotional injuries are stored in our bodies and therefore can only be expressed and given form through our bodies.

For »Body Memory«, Wandl worked with some of his usual peers from the Austrian scene, such as Dorian Concept, The Clonious, Fid Mella or Lex Lugner, but also his new partner-in-crime, German beatsmith Torky Tork, that co-produced almost half of the record. To let their joint creative spirits flow, they traveled to Poland to build a foundation of tunes, while others were written and recorded in Vienna, Berlin, the Austrian countryside and even the basement of Wandl’s parents’ place in St Pölten, Lower Austria. No surprise that this album has turned out a deeply collaborative work, as almost every track contains contributions from multiple musicians. Not forgoing the playfulness and innovation of his past records, Wandl moves his emotional, fragile vocals to the very front of the mix for the first time. In moving past his comfort zone, he breaks free from learned stereotypes of taste, writing slightly more conventional, but still extremely authentic songs. Working to regain access to his true inner voice and intuition, Wandl has written an album of sheer physicality, but also immense emotional depth and beauty.

After a short digression with High Jon on the beats, Peter Manns is reunited with his Brother of another Mother – Thelonious Coltrane – and they take the standard of the last album (2019) with „ii'nd“ to the next level.

Everybody having seen those two on stage together knows about the energetically explosive chemistry of this extraordinary tag team. Their second LP is characterised by an evolution in sound and lyrics. Thelonious Coltrane’s productions cover an enormous spectrum between perfectly picked, overcompressed loops and brutally driving drumsets. With his self-critical, reflectiv, but also technically phenomenal lyrics, Peter Manns forms coherent songs, which not seldomly exceed the four-minute-mark. Lovingly arranged, with suitable citations and enchantingly applied vocal contributions from Kasia Konstance, many songs of the LP become modern RnB-highlights.

„ii'nd“ creates the taste of fiery life with all of its ups and downs, of friendship, passionate musical-craftmanship and studio sweat by the bucket. We ought to be delighted to soothingly lie in each other's arms to the sound of „Run it Up“ or „Today I Die Again“, as soon as those two will be going on tour. Halleluja!

„Undagawds – II'nd“ drops on 2LP on the 17th June 22 via Sichtexot Records

Better pray!

SXT

Undagawds – consisting of rapper Peter Manns & beatmaker Thelonious Coltrane – an American/Russian MC and Producer team with their chosen home Frankfurt am Main (Germany).
Peter Manns came from Cambridge (Massachusetts) to the German banking capital . There he met Thelonious Coltrane, who was about to flood the market across the city limits with a myriad of beat tapes long ago. It clicked between those two directly and, as a result, they created an absolute new school boombap-masterpiece.

The beats from Coltrane vary from soulful grooves und jazz samples (“Looking for Words“ and “Cognac“) to classic headnod-bangers („jump up“). Peter Manns adds his thoughtful lyrics being permanently performed with an unlimited amount of coolness to a perfect mix.

"Devil on my back, but i stay on track"

Friends left behind and newly won in the old and new home, phases of childhood and youth or simply the life itself – Peter Manns drags the listener into the hustle coming along with being a young immigrant from America trying to find his way in a foreign country and city. Of course, there are the girls, the funk, the partys and the weed as well... but foremost, each song those two present delivers the message: despite all difficulties and irregularities, it is the music, which makes it all void and, ultimately, puts together all the scattered pieces!

"We made a classic!" – and would they say otherwise, it would not be Hip Hop! Selftitled.

Undagawds.
Sichtexot Records.
You better pray.

Eight LPs in numerous groupings as well as various EPs and singles after his appearance on Sichtexotica III, Tajima Hal sets foot on European soil again with his next LP.

This means: intercontinental flavour for the German beat scene.

Breakbeats, Latin vibes, slow jams and disco dreams roar from energizingly to thoughtfully and calmingly through the Tokyo/Kanagawa-based producer’s basement club. His lush drum-arrangements and lovingly chosen instrumentals lead through a musical cosmos, in which everything between atmospheric layers, nested vocal cuts and acoustic guitars is reconciled. Guiding through multiple musical epochs, this is a homage to our dealing with things, our contemporary history and our togetherness.

Tajima Hal kind of loops, kind of beats, kind of love.

„Minor Sights“ is being released on 15th October 2021 on vinyl LP and in a digital version via Sichtexot Records.

Maura & Fred Red: one of those absolutely romantic producer and MC connections, making you feel the bond far beyond e-mail conversations like „just sent you a new folder of beats“!

Branding the artists simply as „bedroomproducer“ and rapper appears already after the first track on „Grimus“ almost blasphemous, because what those two deliver is way too big to be pigeonholed.

Hard-hitting breaks, subtle grooves led by jazz brushes, funky synthesizer solos, meet one of the most charismatic front women our young German hiphop-scene has to offer. Maura moves playfully in her universe between soulful head voices and heavy rapflows which put everybody considering themself as being able to compete in their place. Punctiliously and lovingly arranged, stylishly orchestrated and, at the same time, uncompromisingly edgy that there is – with all humbleness – nothing left but to speak out the Madlib/Erykah reference out loud.

Ten years ago, we would not have dreamt of such exquisit demos falling into our laps. Fred Red and Maura deliver with “Grimus“ a long overdue souljazz LP being a perfect match for Sichtexot.

What have they done?

Limited edition of 250 hand numbered copies, feat. Eloquent, Peter Manns, Kevoe West, Kasia Konstance, Turkish Soulcat and others!

Sichtexotica Vol. 5

This time stepping into the spotlight of the instrumental series: Hubert Daviz – a longtime companion, who has been influencing the label’s own beat productions substantially since its foundation.

Hubert Daviz dances on eight stops alongside the time stretch line. In doing so, he moves between shuffled, spherically reverberating grooves planting themselves on strung-out sample layers. His perfectly compressed kick drums punch into the enjoyingly exceeding noisy background like a cushy, jellyfish-like bomb.

In the end, crafting together with Wun Two, collaborating with Anthony Drawn cool-jazzing on the saxophone or Ferdinand Schwarz spookingly playing the trumpet is just the icing on the cake for the well-thought arrangements.

Believe it or not, that’s some real gourmet shit!

Sichtexotica V is being released on the 3rd of June 2020, as usual as a 10“, limited to 500 hand numbered copies with exquisite cover artwork from Mathilda Mutant.

Limited edition of 500 copies, only available at HHV & SXT! Brand nu Wun Two! 24 tracks feat. Anthony Drawn, Danae Greenfield & Hubert Daviz!

Brand nu Wun Two! 24 tracks feat. Anthony Drawn, Danae Greenfield & Hubert Daviz!

Regardless of producing underground classics like “Jazz auf Gleich” (2013) with Sichtexot rapper Eloquent, researching frequencies below 60 Hz with Hubert Daviz as a tag team (“Vapowavez”, 2018), or escorting you through the cold days of the year, making the experience of winter not being felt that bad (“Snow 1-4, 2016-18”). Wun Two‘s key motivation is the aesthetic standard, he applies to his works.

At the latest since “Pirata” (2019), a musical audio adventure in an English as well as in a German version (voice actors: Ugly God & Twit One), it is clear as daylight, that one does not only deal with a simple beat maker, but also a concept artist. In doing so, Wun Two‘s intention is not driven by binge-releasing his beats randomly rather than carefully selecting them in order to form them to a thoroughly illustrated album embedded in a lyrical frame work.

After the “Dolphi” EP as part of the “SXT Tracks“ series, the grand album “O Cavalo Vermelho” is being released in 2020. Based on an even more sophisticated sound, Wun Two takes the audience on a journey through a foggy but dry environment on the search for the “red horse”.
Musical support comes from his “partner in crime” Hubert Daviz, label mate Anthony Drawn (saxophone) and the exceptional artist Danae Greenfield (keys) from New York City.
The illustration and graphical concept is contributed by Robert Winter (Die Ottos).

Limited to 300 copies including the bonus LP „I Play My Guitar Like I Don’t Care“ – being available exclusively at Sichtexot and HHV. Handnumbered with a linocut graphic by Sara Mosco, Printed by screenprint. Also includes a limited edition poster!

„This. Is. Just. An. Experience.“
The bonus LP „I Play My Guitar Like I Don’t Care“ does exactly what its title promises. Distorted guitars, bumpy rhythms and weird melodies with overdriven voices - but all with much love and dedication. There will be 300 copies of the limited bonus LP „I Play My Guitar Like I Don’t Care“ – being available exclusively as bundle with „Lush Space Daze“ at Sichtexot and HHV. Handnumbered with a linocut graphic by Sara Mosco. Printed by screenprint.

By releasing „Lush Space Daze“, Nelson Brandt aka Knowsum puts out his third solo album and accomplishes the transformation from Hip Hop beat maker to song writer and performer. Knowsum’s previous releases include a myriad of beat-EPs, various rap releases – especially under the name „Nepumuk“ and as 50% of the duo Luk&Fil – as well as the two solo LPs „Hyasynthus“ (Vol. 7 of the legendary beat series „Hi-Hat Club“ via Melting Pot Music, 2015) and „Play God & Shit Happens“ (via Money $ex Records, 2016). Regarding sound and groove, the discography of KNO is too unique and has too much confidence in style to ever becoming tired of listening to it. Now, „Lush Space Daze“ is the logical advancement within the sound universe of the musician from Offenbach (Germany) and probably his most complete album being released on his homebound label Sichtexot. „Did you know that your brain can play some silly games with yourself?“ (‚Jump‘) Guitar riffs, having been delicately effectuated to death, merge with synthesizer pads in 80’s style neon, and are, at the same time, overshadowed by a frontman, who probably would have risen to an all time legend during the golden age of the Krautrock underground. Despite the mix of almost a dozen of different styles, the album could not sound more homogeneous. Because Knowsum creates a bizarre sound image by the self-taught use of guitar, bass, synthesizer and drum computer blending in with his vocals. The special mood and the vocals function perfectly on a funky beat with a concise bass line (‚Late Night Things‘) as well as on a fragile e-piano soundscape (‚Plastic Dreams’, ‚Blue‘) or an acoustic guitar (‚Dispair‘, ‚Daydream‘). In spite of the often very experimental structures of the songs, with sometimes catchy, but in many cases weird melodies and the countless details, all of them stay harmonious and memorable. „Close your eyes and tell me what you see, is it us or is it just you and me?“ (‚Sweet Disguise‘) And for those, who by all means need to pinpoint a genre, may finally decide for themselves, if progressive-pop-nightmares in neon pink, experimental singer-songwriter-funk or yet the post-wave-neo-R’n’B-influences prevail... Love and champagne for the dance floor of those remaining.