Zilla Rocca & andrew: Cat Scan

A little Easter gift here, courtesy of Zilla Rocca and andrew, with the arrival of their new single, Cat Scan. Having already blessed us last year with the very well received, Don’t Wait For Me to Leave, the duo return with a standalone track to celebrate the release of the album’s test presses. You can listen to Cat Scan below, with downloads available over on Bandcamp.

sleepingdogs: i’m fakin’ my own death just to get some rest (stream)

Today sees the full release of the debut album from sleepingdogs. If you missed my last related posts, the project is a collaboration between andrew and Jesse the Tree, with both artists sharing mic and production duties. It’s a combo that works well, thanks to a complementary blend of styles from the duo that seems to draw on the best of both their talents. The album is out now via Three Dollar Pistol Music, with features from Zilla Rocca and PremRock. You can get a feel for it below, then head to Bandcamp to grab a download or a CD.

Steel Tipped Dove: all the weight feathers don’t have (Stream)

A somewhat surprise new album from Steel Tipped Dove, which finds him lining up another superb list of guest features, to carry on the tradition that began with his 2021 LP, Call Me When You’re Outside. This time round, Dove is working with the likes of MC Paul Barman, R.A.P. Ferreira, Zilla Rocca, ShrapKnel, Darko The Super and AJ Suede, while also managing to slip some instrumental interludes into the proceedings, resulting in an early favourite from 2023. And I’m pretty sure this isn’t all that Dove has up his sleeve for this year, so keep those ears to the ground. You can listen to all the weight feathers don’t have below, with downloads and cassettes available via Bandcamp.

andrew ft. Everyone: Flying Colors

As if 2022 hadn’t already been a hell of a year for andrew, he manages to add to his successes with a loosie that deserves as much attention as his earlier full-length offerings. The main reason being is that it takes the form of a gigantic posse cut that features the sort of guestlist that indie rap dreams are made of. Joining andrew on this self-produced behemoth are Defcee, Zilla Rocca, iAlive, Jymmy Kafka, Bloodmoney Perez, Jesse The Tree, PremRock, Rich Jones, Cody Cody Jones AND Alaska. A lineup so insane that you’d probably think I was making it up if the track wasn’t available for your listening pleasure below. As usual, downloads can be found on Bandcamp.

Career Crooks: Never at Peace (Stream)

Last month gave rise to a flurry of new releases, including the latest from Career Crooks. Never at Peace marks the end of a superb year for Wrecking Crew, as well as a strong finish for Zilla and Small Pro, who dipped back into the same winning formula that had made their earlier projects so successful. Features come from the likes of ShrapKnel, iAlive and Blueprint, while the release itself was accompanied by a bunch of merch and physical options, including a very limited Mini Disc version. You can listen to the album below, then check Bandcamp for the full array of goods.

Career Crooks: Benicio Del Toro

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Wrecking Crew fans rejoice. Not content with already offering up four of the year’s best, in the form of three solo LPs and a crew compilation, now Zilla Rocca and Small Professor are reuniting for another Career Crooks adventure. Benicio Del Toro is the first track to be unveiled, which you can hear below and then head to Bandcamp to secure your pre-order. The full release is scheduled for 26 November.

Zilla Rocca: Vegas Vic (Stream)

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More essential listening from Wrecking Crew, as Zilla Rocca unleashes his new album, Vegas Vic. Zilla is the second member of the crew to raise the bar with their solo material this year, following on from PremRock’s magnificent, Load Bearing Crow’s Feet, which emerged back in June. Zilla’s pen is flowing stronger than ever, living up to the claims that this is his boldest album yet. The production picks prove the perfect fit too, with Disco Vietnam scoring the lion’s share of the credits, alongside contributions from Small Professor, Doc Heller, DJ M-1, Mute Speaker and The Expert, plus DJ Chong Wizard flexing his skills on the opening track. No surprises on a few of the features, thanks to guest spots from PremRock, Curly Castro and Alaska, as well as Scorcese, ialive and Alex Ludovico. You can check the album out in full below, then go cop yourself a download or physical via Chong Wizard.

ShrapKnel ft. Zilla Rocca & Marcus Pinn: Poets Who Last

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Good news for Wrecking Crew fans, as the Philly crew announce the imminent arrival of a new project. Steel’s Kitchen is due for release next month and will serve as a homage to influential mixtapes and compilations, like Soundbombing and Ryde or Die. Their own version will feature new tracks from the whole gang, including fresh material from Career Crooks and the lead single from ShrapKnel, Poets Who Last, which also features Zilla Rocca and Marcus Pinn. In addition there is some hypnotic production from DOOF, who is among a strong array of producers involved with the project, including Small Professor, Disco Vietnam and Steel Tipped Dove. You can hear Poets Who Last below and then get your pre-orders in for the 4 June release.

SHRAPKNEL ft. Zilla Rocca: Gun Metal Paint

New serving of visual excellence from Shrapknel, as they unveil their latest video for Gun Metal Paint. The track is taken from their self-titled album, which saw its release back in March, and features a solid guest spot from Zilla Rocca. The track was produced by ELUCID and the video was made by Owen Taylor. The album is out now on Backwoodz Studioz.

Cargo Cults: Nihilist Millennial (Stream)

The Wrecking Crew continue their gold run with this new collaboration between Zilla Rocca and Alaska. It marks the first fully produced album that Zilla has made for another rapper; something he definitely needs to do more of, as I’m sure you will agree after hearing the album. There is a reignition of the energy that Alaska and Zilla found on Doobie Brothers earlier this year, as Zilla drops in on Great Rap Duo, and then a further Wrecking Crew feature from Curly Castro on Pinky Toe. You can hear the album in full below and then head to Bandcamp to check the physical and merch offers.