Spatts Works Of Friction Album Review
Any old school UK hip hop head worth their weight should get a little grin appear in the corner of their mouths when you mention... 'The Criminal Minds'. One of the UK's earliest hip hop crews and pioneers of that unique early UK sound, they have continued to champion true school for the last 25 years. Step forward the producer - Spatts.
Hailing from Milton Keynes and spreading his roots to all corners of this fair island, Spatts has brought us some brilliant releases, often lovingly pressed to vinyl, featuring MCs with a plethora of backgrounds, accents and styles. His posse-cut-brainchild '32 Troop' have been reviewed by us before, but this time it's his solo album dropping in the Underground double H inbox, and we're excited to see where it takes us.
Featuring more MCs than a stack of Einstein's notebooks, and production ranging from the last two decades of UK hip hop goodness, the album is a work of art designed to accompany and showcase the very diversity these shores and the bigger hip hop world have to offer. Switching between experimental instrumentals, banging lyric-fests and powerful posse cuts, the tracks seem to fit together like hip hop Power Rangers creating one giant building stomping beast. There is something for everyone here, from the dark and moody, to tracks that make your high tops tap so relentlessly that the carpet starts to wear thin.
The album stars contrabutions from the likes of Dookie Squad, DJ Tones, Whirlwind D, DJ Kura, Jerome Hill, Iceski, The Juice MCs, NC Epik, Uncle Mic Nitro, Tony The Scribe to name but a few. There are too many highlights throughout the album to mention them all, but it's worth reinforcing just how well put together this release is. It flows like a mixtape by your favourite DJ, and each track transports the audience effortlessly into the next, making for a concise and very pleasurable listening experience. Available in all your usual online stockists and also as a physical copy, the full length release is accompanied by a 4 track vinyl sampler coming later in November complete with a Jerome Hill remix.
This is quality hip hop. Experimental, diverse, heavy, inclusive and proud to champion both UK dialects and as well as opening arms to those further afield. Great production, great samples and great rhymes. Be sure to treat your speakers and check it out.
Invokal - Verbalist Journalist
You can grab your first listen right now below by clicking the album artwork! Officially released on CD and digital now, check out their bandcamp below.
