PRESTO: STATE OF THE ART
Judging by the sound of this album, Cali-based producer Presto obviously spent a lot of time studying the low-end theory of groups like A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr during his teenage years. Packed with boom-bap beats, jazzy samples and deft scratches, ‘State Of The Art’ confidently straddles the divide between throwback and contemporary.
The opening ‘Conquer Mentally’ sets the tone of the project, as true-school heavyweights Sadat X, O.C. and Large Professor resurrect the craft of real lyricism over Presto’s rolling drums and melodic keyboard stabs with impressive results. Equally compelling is the atmospheric play-this-only-at-night vibe of ‘Street Sports’, which finds the raspy-voiced Ark weaving clever sport-related metaphors into his gritty rhymes. Elsewhere, Wayward Saints deliver some slick guitar work on the cool breeze instrumental cut ‘Altered States’ and The Pharcyde’s Fat Lip drops some playful verses on the Kim Hill-assisted ‘What’s What’.
If there’s one criticism of ‘State Of The Art’ it’s that, on a couple of occasions, Presto’s admiration for his musical heroes sometimes overshadows his own identity, blurring the line between drawing inspiration from an influence or simply recreating someone else’s trademark sound. ‘Part Of Greatness’ resembles the style of Pete Rock so closely that, with or without its appearance from CL Smooth, the track could still easily pass as a leftover from the ‘Soul Survivor II’ sessions. Similarly, the punchy ‘Mass Quality’ bears similarities to the work of DJ Spinna, complete with spacey sound effects. However, whilst meant as constructive criticism, such comments could also be taken as a backhanded compliment regarding Presto’s production prowess.
Overall, ‘State Of The Art’ (Presto’s third album) is a lively, organic set that definitely cements the West Coast resident’s reputation as a talented beat maker.
7.5 Outta 10
Out Now On Concrete Grooves
Ryan Proctor
LITTLE BROTHER: …AND JUSTUS FOR ALL
Following their failed major label deal with Atlantic and the departure of producer 9th Wonder, many were possibly expecting remaining Little Brother members Phonte and Big Pooh to give up on their rap dreams and return to everyday North Carolina life. But if anything, the last couple of years have seen the pair releasing some of their most focused and potent music to date, first with last year’s don’t-call-it-a-comeback project ‘Get Back’ and now with the impressive ‘…And Justus For All’.
Whether you want to view this latest LB release as an official album or a glorified compilation (it’s effectively a revamped version of the Mick Boogie mix-CD of the same name) ‘…And Justus For All’ easily stands up against the duo’s previous efforts, with quality control remaining as high as always. The opening Marvin Gaye-sampling ‘Can’t Stop Us’ features a hard-hitting verse from Phonte which wavers between egotistical and revolutionary, whilst the brilliant ‘Delusional’ mixes the catchy with the credible, as the twosome target the ladies with their mature mack rhymes and an infectious hook. The Nottz-produced ‘Life Of The Party (Remix)’ finds the LBs celebrating their industry underdog status with a sly smile, accompanied by a typically witty verse from subterranean stalwart Skillz. ‘Too Late For Us’ features Phonte and Tiye Phoenix digging into personal territory as they offer some relationship therapy over heavy drums and dreamy keys.
Bolstered by a talented production squad (Oddisee, RJD2, DJ Spinna, DJ Babu etc), this latest addition to the Little Brother catalogue contains enough musical goodness to satisfy the appetite of the most starved rap fan. Justus is served.
7.5 Outta 10
Out Now On Hall Of Justus / Traffic
Ryan Proctor
Old To The New - Ryan Proctor's Beats, Rhymes & Hip-Hop Nostalgia 