Last week saw the arrival of Lee Scott’s latest solo release, in the form of There is a Reason for Everything. Entirely self-produced, the project features more Runcorn tinted raps and is laced with that feeling of autobiographical nostalgia that Lee does so well. No features, just the man himself on top form for eight tracks. The album is available to preview below, with some CDs left via Bandcamp. For some insights into the making of the album, check out my recent interview with Lee.
A fresh drop from billy woods and Kenny Segal, as they gift us a new video from their recent album. Babylon by Bus is just one of the gold plated features on Maps, with woods drafting in label mates and blade sharpeners, ShrapKnel, on the assist. The video was made by Probable Voltages and the album is out now on Backwoodz Studioz.
It’s been a while since Group BraCil have made an appearance on the blog, but the hiatus is now over thanks to the emergence of new music from Capriisun. The Oregon MC has got an album on the horizon, as well as a UK tour underway, so it’s the perfect time to bless the world with a taste of what he’s been cooking up. Glory is produced by label head, Morriarchi, and will feature on the new album, Calliope, which is due for release on 7 July.
It wasn’t long ago that I was shining a light on Steel Tipped Dove’s recent run of releases, which have been emerging at increasing speed over the last few years. His current crop just this year alone is three albums and that’s about to change again with the announcement of a fresh collaboration with andrew. The first single is out today – big red – with the full release arriving on Friday. No pre-order as yet, but keep an eye on Fused Arrow Records for more info in the coming days.
New music from Lee Scott to kick the week off, as he gives us a little taster from his forthcoming EP. Worra Day is one of the tracks to be found on the self-produced project, There is a Reason For Everything, which is due for release later this month. It’s Lee first full-length solo release since 2021, which we went into in more detail in my recent interview, which you can read here. You can listen to Worra Day below, while pre-orders for the EP are available on Bandcamp, along with a variety of physical and merch options (which are unsurprisingly selling out pretty quickly). The EP is out in full on 26 May.
Big Bristol energy in this new drop from Mistafire, as he joins forces with fellow local talent, Datkid, on Just A Dream. The beat comes courtesy of Ickle, who only adds to the hometown flavours, with the final result making me hopeful for more from Mistafire. The track is out now on Green Brick Records.
To celebrate the release of their latest album, billy woods and Kenny Segal gifted us a new video last week. The track in question was the second single to emerge from the album, with the video featuring an ensemble cast of slow dancers, contortionists and skaters, with woods nursing a drink at the bar while Kenny makes beats. To coincide with the themes explored on Maps, the duo go on tour across Europe in June, including a London show at Village Underground on the 12th. The video for Soft Landing was made by Probable Voltages and the album is out now on Backwoodz Studioz.
This week sees the arrival of the latest album from billy woods and Kenny Segal, reigniting the fire they first set ablaze back in 2019, with the release of Hiding Places. From the outset it’s apparent that Maps is not Hiding Places 2. woods himself has stated that neither of them wanted to make a part two, they wanted to make something fresh. But you don’t need his word for it as Maps is clearly its own entity, with its own energy that still smacks of a distinctly woods and Segal collaboration. The album is about journeys, both personal and business. New faces and old stomping grounds. The solitude of tour life and the accompaniment of weed (both good and bad). The trip away and the subsequent return home. As with last year’s offerings from woods, the features are plentiful and all welcome. Quelle Chris, ShrapKnel, Aesop Rock, ELUCID, Samuel T Herring, Danny Brown and Benjamin Booker, all bring just the right sound to the proceedings, while the solo joints are bolstered by their own strengths. They include Segal’s production which is heavily jazz influenced for the most part, with that style perhaps peaking on the free-flowing excellence of Blue Smoke. In contrast to that, the Danny Brown assisted Year Zero, is at the other end of Segal’s scale and sounds like it was made specifically with the Detroit rapper in mind, thanks to a bassline that shook me to my core. Hangman is another track that stood out in terms of its beat and probably the only time on the album that I felt echoes of Hiding Places. So there is variation on Maps, but never at the expense of cohesion. It all works beautifully and ends with a moving verse from woods that felt particularly poignant for me as a new father. The album is out in full this (Bandcamp) Friday, with pre-orders available now. Maps is streaming in full below.
King Kashmere and Alecs DeLarge again prove that they are somehow greater than the sum of their parts with another strong single. No word on a full-length release from them yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if something emerges in the future. In the meantime, Damien Darhk is available to stream via all the usual platforms.
New visual nourishment from Rich Jones and goldenbeets, with the arrival of a new video from their recent collaboration. The video for Hasheesh emerged to coincide with that most hallowed of holidays, 420, which Rich always celebrates in style. The track also features greenSLLIME, with the video made by New Trash. The EP, It is decidedly so, is out now via Bandcamp.
gingerslim 