Horned Hannes & Ded Tebiase: Art Of The Kill

The Village Live & Direct series relaunches in 2021 with this latest jewel from Horned Hannes & Ded Tebiase. If you missed out on the previous singles from the series, you can find them all on this Spotify playlist, and streams/downloads for this new single are available on all the usual platforms.

Hus Kingpin: Portishus

Big fan of the latest release from Hus Kingpin. Having already flirted with Portishead samples in the past, the New York rapper now returns with a full project inspired by the legendary Bristol band. And it is. Not just sample wise, although there are a few noticeable ones that creep in along the way, but more in the mournful, slightly melancholic sound that the production takes. Impressive features too, including a blinding appearance from Breeze Brewin on Chasing Ghosts. I’m also a big fan of the way they work an interview with Beth Gibbons into the intro of the track which takes her name as the title; good shit. You can hear a preview of the LP below, with physicals available via wavo3000.com.

Chris Crack: False Evidence Appearing Real

Slick new video from Chris Crack as he gears up for the release of his latest album. I have no idea how many albums he’s released to date, but it’s a lot and somehow they’re all good, or at least definitely worth exploring. This time he’s hooked up with UK favourite, Sonnyjim, who handles production duties, and what a beat it is. The album, Might Delete Later, is due for release shortly on Fool’s Gold.

D’Lyfa Reilly: The Cobble Writer

New video from D’Lyffa Reilly, as he continues to drop off the gems from last year’s Time & Tide album. The Cobble Writer features further production from Aver, who was at the helm for the whole project. The video was made by Tarnish Vision. Time & Tide is out now on Village Live.

The Lasso: 2121 (Video)

The Lasso is gearing up to release a new solo album, following on from a very successful 2020, which saw the release of three superb collaborative projects. 2121 is the name of the album and it features a cavalcade of features from the likes of Hemlock Ernst, Ill Camille, Fat Tony and previous collaborators, Psypiritual and Lando Chill. A video for the title track saw its release this week, featuring the awesome vocal work of Rachele Eve and A. Billi Free. You can watch it above, and pre-orders for the album are available via Mello Music. The album is due for release on 19 February. Stay tuned for my review coming in next month’s edition of The Wire.

J.U.S ft. Danny Brown: Brown Noise + LP Stream

Danny Brown kicked off the new year by launching his own label, Bruiser Brigade Records, and with it came the maiden release – GOD GOKU JAY-Z from fellow Detroit resident, J.U.S. Featuring production from a few Bruiser affiliates, including skywlkr and Black Noi$e, the album is a strong start for the fledgling label. There is also a video for the Black Noi$e produced Brown Noise, which features Danny (as you might have guessed), which you can watch above. The album is available to stream below, with downloads via Bandcamp.

Lice: Ask Anyone

Following on from the very sad news of MF DOOM’s passing, the internet was awash with tributes from all walks of the music industry, not just hip hop; a testament to the masked villain’s universal appeal and intrigue. One of the standouts for me has been this joint from Lice – aka Aesop Rock and Homeboy Sandman – who decided to pay their respects to DOOM with some typically tight bars over one of his most-loved instrumentals. You can hear the results for yourself below and downloads are available via Bandcamp.

Wish Master: Fully Loaded

Something a little closer to home now, thanks to Wish Master and Hozay, who recently teamed up to create A Beautiful Mess. Fully Loaded is one of the joints to be taken from the EP, which also boasts features from Axel Holy, Matey Boy and Eto. It’s out now on Official Recordings.

Small Bills: Banneker’s Almanac

A new arrival from Small Bills, as ELUCID and The Lasso continue to deliver the gems from their recent collaboration. Standing as one of the highlights from last year, the abstract brilliance of the project is experienced in all its glory in the glitchy joy of Banneker’s Almanac (Google: Benjamin Banneker). The track is accompanied by some absorbing visuals from Joseph. Don’t Play it Straight is out now on Mello Music Group.

Gear: Ghost Tears

Brand new music from across the water, as Gear releases his second single on Potent Funk. Introspective lyrics and rolling basslines make up the foundation of Ghost Tears, which was produced by Gear himself. The track is available to stream now. Stay tuned for more from PF coming soon.