It's All Love

Nanana, i'ts all love...ohh. You are reading. Yeah, this is absolutely my favorite Hip-Hop record to date. As I heard it the first time, it totally blew me away. I heard stuff from the Fellowship before but this one was totally different cause of it's 80's style flair and of course Mikah 9 flowing over it in a soulful way. Additionally, he lays down some really dope lines. Especially on "Rise and shine" there is a part where it is hard to tell when he is taking a breath. But not only Mikah's skills shine on this album. It's also the production of Joseph Leimberg. This cat is so fucking talented, he is able to give Mikah a platform that is on the same level and allows him to flow freely and show his love for Hip-Hop.
Not long ago I found out that this album was also meant to be released on Capitul Recordings back in da day, when Acey let's them balls bouncing. And I can't really understand why they didn't push the album. Probably it was too far ahead of all the other stuff from '95 or they weren't able to realize what they held in their hands. Nah, I don't really want to think about it any longer. Fact is, there have been multiple versions of this album. First there was the Pure HipHop Inc version. The sound quality isn't best but it seems to be the most complete version. You can hear that a lot of them tracks haven't been finished completely. Some tracks end abruptly but "Rise and Shine" goes about 1 minute longer if you forget the intro to the track that was added on the other versions. I don't really understand why they took off the rest it really sounds better with the long ending in my opinion. The Pure HipHop Inc version also has 2 versions of "Come Up Off Of My Love", one produced by Joseph Leimberg and the other one produced by Fat Jack. You can only find "Homegirl" on this version while you can find the track "On the line" only on the other ones. The following version was from Mary Joy Recordings from 2001 while the other one followed in 2002 on Basement Records. That's were the re-mastering came from. Last but not least there is also an EP out there from the former Swedish record store 24/7 Records which followed in 2003.

It's All Love (HipHop Inc Version)

It's All Love (Basement Version)

Sonic Sum - Films

Sonic Sums latest effort "Films" is totally different from Sanity Annex. While Sanity Annex had long intros and breaks on some tracks that make someone feel like staying and resting, this one is more like acting and moving forward. You can't say that for the whole albums for sure, because both vary but it applies to the majority of their tracks. Something that is also missing on Films is the usage of soulful backup vocals but Films is a piece of its own...
Additional Note: There are 2 12"es off of Films available called "Rocket" and "Films"

Sonic Sum - Films

Sonic Sum - Plaster Man

As requested by jackdevo, here is the second installment by the Sonic Sum. It is more an EP than an album. Originally 8 tracks deep it also has a hidden bonus track which is an instrumental. 3 tracks were taken from The Sanity Annex album while 2 of them are their respective remixes. "Rocket" appears on the forthcoming album "Films".

Sonic Sum - Plaster Man

Sonic Sum - The Sanity Annex

While collecting nearly everything from Grouch on the end of the last millenium, a record store employee recommended me this record. He told me to check it out, i did and bought the CD. I took me a while because at that time I was strictly into West-Coast stuff but this one is also different from that typical boom-bap East-Coast stuff from that time. Sonic Sum added some cool samples that give them down-tempo breaks a certain trippyness. The albums character is also defined by some longer intros and interceptions within some songs. So if you haven't heard this album before, give it a try.
Additional Note: There are 3 12"es off of Sanity Annex available called

• Downtown Maze / Skypirate
• Callarama Gala / Flatlands
• Himbro St. / It's An Ashtray

Sonic Sum - The Sanity Annex

Equipto - Vintage Volume Won EP

About 11 years ago I spoted this record at a homies house and at that time I couldn't get enough of it. What's funny about it is, that he didn't like record at all, although it was his and he only bought dope records he liked.

The beats remind of the good ol' Stiff stuff. So check them out!

Equipto - Vintage Volume Won EP

Awol One & Factor - Only Death Can Kill You EP

This is a fine and small release from Awol One which is entirely produced by Factor. From the album with the same title on, Factor became some sort of producer homie like Daddy Kev was before. Factor didn't produce all albums after that one but they seem to fit well as this release is a good proof.
The production is more than solid, 3 tracks plus its instrumentals on the flip side starting with "Old Babies" a moody-chilly-trippy beat(you know what I mean :D ) and for example a line like "smoking lots of weed, trying to keep my health up" by Awol which builds up a perfect parallel to the track name. I think I better not comment on this one.

BTW Awol One has a new album out called "Child Star" which sounds dope and is pretty different from his stuff from before.

Awol One & Factor - Only Death Can Kill You EP