Please note this is an old page and Fly Global Music has now moved. Please follow this link and search for the entry in the new site.

So we’re not breaking any new ground here, but when I say Minneapolis, we are also actually talking Helsinki. Yep, if Finland can produce masters of jazz like Five Corners Quintet, Timo Lassy and Dalindèo there’s no reason that they can’t do the same on the big beat bass lines and the turntable scratchin’.

Similar to The Blacknificent Seven ‘supergroup’, this project is a big collaboration. The Recluse Recording production team have got the emcees from their own stable (Dirty Smarts and LLC) together with Synoptic Pressure (who provide the Minneapolis connection). The seventeen tracks pay huge respect to the old skool hip-hop; so much so, you would never guess there was a link with Finland at all. Or that it is a new CD!

The title track is my favourite, which, ironically is the least ‘raw’ track on the album as a jazzy beats instrumental. In fact, the tracks are generally better in the second half like ‘Perfect Imbalance’ (with jazzy piano) and ‘The Process’. Perhaps too much to expect a ‘lost’ Gang Starr or Tribe Called Quest album but you can hear the reference points, also on ‘That’s For Sure’ and ‘Who I Am’.

Unlike the variety of Ridin’ Thru Tha Underground!, this album gets into its groove and stays there. Head nodding heaven as they are ‘Who I Am’; take it at face value and love it. Peace and respect the ‘Outro’ posse; Guru, DJ Premier, DJ Spinna, etc.

Hectic Mix Nomination - ‘The Art Of Raw Sound’, ‘The Process’ and ‘Who I Am (Remix)’

Reviewed - Recluse Crew & Synoptic Pressure Present - The Art Of Raw Sound (Kool Kat Records) Cat No. KKAT033 Release Date: 29th August 2006
1. Intro (1:41)
2. Definition (3:28)
3. A Day In The Life (3:58)
4. Due Process (3:41)
5. Lyrics (4:30)
6. Interlude (1:18)
7. Concrete (3:24)
8. Stress Free (3:25)
9. Situations And Circumstances (3:15)
10. The Art Of Raw Sound (2:58)
11. That’s For Sure (4:29)
12. Who I Am (3:57)
13. That’s All It Takes (4:26)
14. Perfect Imbalance (4:21)
15. The Process (5:24)
16. Who I Am (Remix) (3:55)
17. Outro (2:26)

Links:
www.koolkatrecords.fi
www.recluserecordings.com
www.dirtysmarts.com