With so much good music coming through thick and fast, it’s easy for new music to drop online and go unnoticed. To help prevent this, we’ve picked five albums you need to hear. Stream music from Do£ Boy / Shepherd, KerenDun + Yudko, The Greg Foat Group, 79rs Gang and 808INK.
If you like what you hear support the artist.
Do£ Boy / Shepherd – 22a007
Do£ Boy is a South London lyricist who has been grinding in the UK rap game for a hot minute. Tenderlonious was introduced to Do£ in 2011 and they’ve been finding time to collab in the studio ever since. This year has seen him jump on tracks with others from the 22a family, including Jeen Bassa, Al Dobson Jr and Reginald Omas Mamode IV. Be prepared for a journey into South London’s inner-city lifestyle. ∗
Shepherd is another South London native who brings dollops of heavy weight soul via his smooth vocal deliveries. His first outing on 22a came as a vocal feature on Henry Wu’s track ‘All Over’, released in early 2014. Since then he’s been busy in the studio working alongside soul don Reginald Omas Mamode IV and this release will show you just how deep the dynamic duo get down. ∗
7/10
KerenDun + Yudko – What It Is
One of our favourite labels, Raw Tapes recently dropped this impressive collaboration album. Keren Dun and Yudko team up for a 10-track project full of dark, groovy beats, on the edge of experimental. For the recordings, the pair used voice, woodwinds, trumpet, flute, percussion, synths, broken guitars and samples.
Buy
The Greg Foat Group – The Dancers at the Edge of Time
The new album from the Greg Foat Group sees celebrated jazz quintet making the most of the acoustics of an ancient church, accompanied by a full ensemble of supporting musicians. The fourth album from the celebrated jazz combo will further delight Foat fans who have been consistently enthralled by the taste and finesse with which they execute their beguiling arrangements and instrumentation. ∗
7/10
79rs Gang – Fire On The Bayou
Romeo from the 9th Ward and Jermaine from the 7th Ward; after years of competition with each other they decided to sign a peace treaty. Jermaine with his Baritone voice and Romeo with a more Alto pitch. They came together to tell their story in their own way. The two Chiefs tell a unique story about past heroes, sewing, and of their unique culture. Two Chief from different parts of the city put their territory difference aside to make beautiful music. ∗
8/10
808INK – Billy’s Home
Billy’s Home is the follow up to 2013’s An Artistic Piece by 808INK. What you get with this is 10 tracks full of clever lyricism and a lot of different moods. It’s their best work to date and shows a growth, maturity and most of all, originality. Anyone still sleeping on UK hip hop needs to check this out!
∗ These are not our words.
One thought on “Between The Cracks: 5 Albums You Need To Hear”