Aug 22 2009
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Music

Chipmunk – Oopsy Daisy

Chip Diddy Chip has come a long way in a short space of time and this single will take him even further.

After the success of his Top 10 single Diamond Rings and featuring on DJ Ironik – Tiny Dancer (Which reached Number 3 in the national charts), Chipmunk looks set to add another chart topper to his list with Oopsy Daisy, a far more commercial sounding record, it will no doubt help him gain an even larger fanbase. The song, which is evidently aimed at his growing female audience, whilst being relative for his male fans, is mellow and soulful, it has feeling, the female’s vocals take a strong lead, more than in his previous single, not to be seen as a negative as Chipmunk’s verses have presence and really portrays a more humble and sensetive side to Chipmunk, this adds emotion and will help it stand out among other releases.

Taken from his debut album I AM Chipmunk (to be released in October), Oopsy Daisy is a light-hearted and touching track, one that will appeal to many people (not just his own fanbase), it actually is such a warm and heartfelt track that you cannot critisize it as the formula works really well, Chipmunk’s lyrics are youthfully relevant and really holds the song together well. A number one record for Chipmunk has always been expected, Oopsy Daisy might just be his first.

Fáris Rating:
8/10

Chipmunk Is Fired Up To Top The Charts

Chipmunk Is Fired Up To Top The Charts

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Aug 22 2009
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Music

BIRDMAN – MONEY TO BLOW ft. Lil’ Wayne & Drake

It is looking like Birdman’s forthcoming album ‘Always Strapped‘ might just be his best yet, with bangers like Got A Bitch ft. Rick Ross and Written On Her ft. Jay Sean, now leaks Money To Blow ft. Lil’ Wayne & Drake, his albums heavily depend on features, so it comes to no surprise that his new effort will also be.

Birdman – Money To Blow ft. Lil’ Wayne Drake:

This is not anything special, in all honesty I think his collaboration with Rick Ross is far better, however, when you have heavyweights like Lil’ Wayne and man of the moment Drake on a track then something good has to come out of it and it certainly did in this case.

Drake steals the show as he is doing on most of his features, as much as I do not like to join in with anything that becomes over-hyped, I have to give Drake his credit where due, he backs his status up well, on this record, the Cash Money trio brag to the fullest, Lil’ Wayne’s verse is fairly standard which strangely balances with Birdman’s, leaving Drake to take the spotlight with his verse and chorus, the negative of this track is that you do not even realise Birdman has a verse, it kind of gets squashed in between the Young Money boys’ features.

Money To Blow will no doubt help balance the album out which at the same time will make the track standout more, it is not fair to be too critical on this song as it does what it was intended to do, it sounds like a sequel to the chart topping Always Strapped with a new cast member which really makes the difference. Expect more records of similar stature from Cash Money founder Baby aka Birdman.

Fáris Rating:
8/10

Birdman aka Baby

Birdman aka Baby


Lil' Wayne

Lil' Wayne


Drake

Drake

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Aug 20 2009
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Music

JAMIE FOXX – DIGITAL GIRL ft. Drake, The Dream & Kanye West

The original has been around for a while, taken from Jamie Foxx’s new album ‘Intuition’, it is a good song but it had no real buzz, so what better than to get the most talked about artist of the moment on the track and release it as a single. Enter Drake, the Toronto born actor turned rapper has a surreal hype surrounding him, with major labels locked into a bidding war for his signature, Jay-Z referred to his So Far Gone mixtape as the best of all time, Kanye West is directing his new video, he is part of Lil’ Wayne’s Young Money, he has already worked with Jay and will feature on Mary J Blige’s new single, so it is fair to say that Drake is pretty much the hottest rapper at the moment.

With all that weight on his shoulders, Drake displays his confidence, knowing why he has been asked to feature on the track and he does not disappoint, concept, flow and lyrics, adding the singing into his verse, it is a trademark Drake verse and like the others, it is a good one.

I like the concept, it has been done before by the likes of R. Kelly (2nd Kelly) and Usher (Dot Com), but none the less, it does not interfere with Digital Girl, it grows on you the more you hear it, it is a really good collaboration.

Kanye West has gone from soulful Hip-Hop producer to Global Superstar, there are a few artists in the world of his caliber, so a clever, witty rhyme with a catchy flow are expected, Kanye’s verse is a good, I like the beat change, it pretty much is the peak of the song, his verse is a good balance with Drake’s, it fuses nicely as The Dream and Jamie Foxx take up the singing duties, to have four stars on one track does not always guarantee a hit but I think Jamie Foxx has one with this effort.

I like the beat change when for Kanye’s verse, it is the peak of the song, now is that a statement in itself that Drake is still no Kanye West, either way, it adds a whole new element to the track, it takes the track to a new level even. The video, although not unique or a real representation of the song, still manages to come off well, it reminded me of Hype William’s video for Lloyd – Girls Around The World ft. Lil’ Wayne, however, at one point the girls do look a bit virtual and such a small touch as that really makes a big difference. I like the idea of four superstars on one track, it has a momentous feel to it, Digital Girl is like the R&B version of Swagger Like Us. Over all it was always a good track, the video is not as good as it could have been, towards the end you see Jamie Foxx and Dream enjoying the track whilst Kanye West and Drake fade into the background.

Fáris Rating:
8/10

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Aug 19 2009
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Music

TINCHY STRYDER – SPOTLIGHT ft. TANYA LACEY

My favourite track from his new album – CATCH 22

The album itself is a fusion of Electronic, Grime and Alternative, it has many different elements to it, but they manage to fit together as a whole, a very energetic, feel-good album.

Tinchy Stryder – Spotlight ft. Tanya Lacey:

‘Spotlight’ is my standout track from the album, production wise, it is bass and synth heavy, electronic sounding instruments blended with sharp acoustic sounding drum kicks, there is a lot happening but it does not sound over the top, reminds me of an old Stryder favourite of mine, ‘Dance 4 Now’, it almost sets a scene, you do not need a dance for this, you just move with the vibe, it has a dark element to it, which helps Tinchy Stryder’s voice stand out and sound prominent, whilst the organ sounds compliment the track like a flame to a candle. Track 4 off Catch 22, Spotlight is another potential chart topper, I could not see many people disliking the song, it has so much positive energy, the beat is so well constructed and Stryder flows almost effortlessly over it with confidence and ease like only Tinchy Stryder can. Tanya Lacey’s vocals boost the track and provide an extra feeling, Spotlight perfectly captures Tinchy’s position as a star in today’s music industry and not just in the hood.

Fáris Rating
9/10

Tinchy Stryder – Dance 4 Now:

I have to admit, I was gutted not to find Finish Line ft. Sef (Produced by Music Kidz) on the final release,

however, It does not make the album any less, as Catch 22 is 18 tracks of cross-over frenzy, the album is cleverly crafted, there are a lot of behind the scenes situations that as an audience we do not know about, taking all that into consideration, this album is impressive. Tinchy Stryder will always represent Grime and UK music even he features on a Country song, this album shows how ahead of his time he really is, sure people will find negatives but that is the Catch 22 in itself, I think Tinchy Stryder has done enough in his career so far to earn him the respect and the chance to experiment with his sound, doing so, with Catch 22 he has not dissapointed.

Tinchy Stryder - Catch 22 (OUT NOW!!)

Tinchy Stryder - Catch 22 (OUT NOW!!)

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Aug 18 2009
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Music

MARVELL FM 2

“OH NO IT’S MARVELL AGAIN”

North London’s Marvell have released their second free downloadable mixtape ‘Marvell FM 2’ leading up the release of their debut The World Is Ours EP.

If you like Grime then you should definitely download this, if you do not like Grime then you should still definitely download Marvell FM 2!!

The trio are bringing something back to music, lyrical content is on another level, concepts are from their minds which represents ours so it does not sound manufacturerd for us but rather made by one of us. It is fun, it is youthful, for a free download they have given away some quality material.

From the intro (courtesty of the hilarious Shocka), the first track is ‘Lemme Av A Go’, listen carefully to Double S, his word play is seriously outstanding, more than once I find myself going back like “Did he just say that?!”, ‘Baby Its Ok’ is another up-tempo for the ladies that the guys will appreciate, They even remixed Jeremih’s smash ‘Birthday Sex’, personally I criticise these remixes but I actually like this one. On ‘Finally Time ft. Dot Rotten’, they display their desire and hunger to be successful amidst set backs, ‘Otherside of The Rainbow’ is similar, it highlights their ambition, with Vertex, Shocka and Double S equally shining. ‘Star In The Sky’, another one for the ladies, a potential next single even, leads up to the official UK remix for Drake – Successful ft. Trey Songz, that is the official remix. Next is ‘Going In 32 Part 2’ featuring Griminal, a beast of a beat on which they do not dissapoint. You also get to hear the remix for Aggro – Free Yard as well as an exclusive freestyle set with the Movement (Wretch 32 & Ghetts).

Marvell FM 2 is a successful improved sequel to Marvell FM. Marvell (consisting of Shocka, Double S & Vertex) bring unity, talent, desire and so much more as a total package, if the industry looks for talent then these three will be signed, but if the industry is looking for a group with a buzz that has hot singles for them to profit on then they still will get signed.

Destined for success, it’s Marvell again.

Fáris Rating:
8/10

Click Cover to Download MARVELL FM 2 (FREE)

Click Cover to Download MARVELL FM 2 (FREE)


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Aug 18 2009
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Music

WILEY – SHE LIKES TO (REMIX) ft. J2K, WRIGLEY, ICE-KID, WRETCH 32, GHETTS, BASHY, SCORCHER, CHIPMUNK & GRIMINAL

With a line up being called the England 10, Wiley returns to take some of the Grime scene’s finest back up with him.

The England 10 consists of J2K, Wrigley, Ice-Kid, Wretch 32, Ghetts, Bashy, Scorcher, Chipmunk & Griminal, 9 of the 10 are established artists, Wrigley is a new addition, representing Manchester (Wrigley is actually flying the flag for every artist outside of the London) and has one of the standout verses, J2K returns to the scene with his Wake Up EP and brings his witty flow to this up-tempo hit, Ice-Kid was always considered the future of Grime and so he brings that talent and charisma to the table with this verse, Wretch 32 is one of the best (if not the best) lyricist in the country (his previous album Wretchrospective is a OneFáris Classic), he provides a mature verse, Ghetts is in everybodies Top 3 artists and does not dissapoint, Bashy provides the comical verse, Scorcher (who also directed the video) gives a more fun, feel-good flow, Chipmunk provides yet another confident verse whilst Griminal scores the goal with his verse which is all about the vibe, the video represents this, you can see how everyone is getting along and enjoying themselves, most definitely a club banger and a big part of Grime history, UK music history even as these artists come together to make their mark, extremely unselfish of Wiley.

Artists have begun to understand that coming together and collaborating is what helps elevate the scene further, so expect to see more artists working together creating quality music.

Fáris Rating:
7/10

WILEY - SEE CLEAR NOW (OUT NOW!!)

WILEY - SEE CLEAR NOW (OUT NOW!!)

WILEY - RACE AGAINST TIME (OUT NOW!!)

WILEY - RACE AGAINST TIME (OUT NOW!!)

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Aug 18 2009
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Music

BIRDMAN – WRITTEN ON HER ft. JAY SEAN

After the success of ‘Always Strapped’, Cash Money boss Birdman aka Baby returns to the charts with his new record featuring Jay Sean.

Personally this sounds more like a Jay Sean record, I’ve grown up listening to Cash Money and never envisioned this, then again I did not expect to hear a Lil’ Wayne rock album, so anything is possible in music these days. The track is not bad, Birdman who (like Lil’ Wayne) is covered in tattoos, obviously had no trouble in finding inspiration for this song, Written On Her is about a girl with tattoos hence the title ‘Written On Her’, Jay Sean is added to the equation to smoothen the mix and it strangely all works, here you have this up-tempo track, which will go down well in the clubs as it would among your friends, it sounds different, the concept is new, Written On Her has a lot of appeal and was not made to make a big impact on the world, it is a feel good track taken from his forthcoming album ‘Always Strapped’, this is one of the softer tracks from the album but definitely expect more good music from Cash Money and Jay Sean.

Fáris Rating:
6.5/10

Birdman ready to sign another artist?

Birdman ready to sign another artist?

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Aug 18 2009
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Music

SKEPTA – LUSH ft. JAY SEAN

“IS IT THE CHAMPAGNE DANCE..NO, THIS IS THE CHAMPAGNE TALK”

New from Skepta, taken from his album ‘Microphone Champion’, Lush has Skepta ready “to take it sl-sl-slow” with his lady of choice, produced by Skepta and featuring Jay Sean (who is Number 6 in the US charts with Down ft. Lil’ Wayne), Lush is a combination of underground and mainstream sounds gelled together, Jay Sean’s vocals help texture the mainstream sound whilst fitting to a raw underground vibe which Skepta brings, as a whole Lush is a good song, the only negative is the length of the track, another verse would have made it complete. The video is a good look, directed by Vertex (Marvell), the rising director has directed for the Noisettes and Chipmunk already, considered one of the best directors already despite his young age, Vertex’s direction most definitely compliments the track, bringing something different, it has a mainstream feel, really adds to the track in terms of visuals (without being over the top).

Lush is certainly another hit for Skepta, it is promising as we continue to expect good music from the UK’s elite artists.

Fáris Rating:
8/10

Microphone Champion - OUT NOW!!

Microphone Champion - OUT NOW!!

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Aug 18 2009
2 Comments
Music

JME – Over Me

Boy Better Know’s JME steps back in the limelight with this solo effort.

His album Famous? cemented his place in Grime, however not much was heard since apart from a verse on the Boy Better Know summer anthem ‘Too Many Man’, that verse was not enough to satisfy JME fans and so he returns with Over Me, produced by Deeco, this synth-heavy track provides JME with a lyrical playground for his unique wordplay, it is pretty much what you would expect from JME, but that is a good thing, as JME stands aside for being innovative and diverse, which has allowed other artists to make similar transitions in the name of music. JME fans are going to love Over Me, the video (A debut from Digital Dropout) puts JME in character mode, keeping ‘Over’ under as he uses his superhero attributes to defeat them, metaphorically matching his lyrics, it is entertaining and that is something JME brings to the table, his personality and music combined has helped create a versatile artist, one who is not afraid to be himself.

I hope this is a sign of more to come from JME as his last album ‘Famous?’ was a good effort from the Boy Better Know CEO.

Fáris Rating:
8/10

Click album cover to visit JMEs official myspace page

Click album cover to visit JME's official myspace page

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Aug 10 2009
1 Comment
Music

Bashy – Your Wish Is My Command ft. H-Boogie

Bashy - Catch Me If You Can (OUT NOW)

Bashy - Catch Me If You Can (OUT NOW)

From the first listening of his new album ‘Catch Me If You Can’ it was evident that Bashy was trying to make a point, in an attempt to satisfy everyone and broaden his range of audience he created an eclectic album, those that followed Bashy’s rise obviously knew that the album would not be a dominantely grime album, he has always stood out for being witty and entertaining in a comical way, he sustained his presence in grime with the track (and video) Ransom (featuring Wretch 32 & Scorcher). Bashy then created a mini-anthem in the form of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?. Your Wish Is My Command featuring H-Boogie (Estelle’s sister) was one of the tracks that stood out in the album as able to cross-over, its merged sounds and styles allowed it to cross over into different genres for more people to enjoy.

The beat itself is a techno meets funk saying hi to pop somewhere along the journey, Bashy gives the track it’s urban relevance, it is obvious that Bashy intended to create a feel-good fun song and I can see this doing well, as for the video, I think it’s funny, it is different, it has comical value, it stands out and should not have any trouble receiving play on TV, the track itself should become a regular on radio, fans sometimes do not understand how hard it is to please everyone, some fans would like to see urban artists continue to make ‘underground’ music, but in order to be successful as an artist and gain mainstream credibility, they have to extend their range, Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder for example. With ‘Your Wish Is My Command’, Bashy has tried to create an overall feeling, it is urban, both artists represent urban alternative, Bashy is not singing, he is rapping, it is just a creative piece of expression, I personally visioned a futuristic video for the song, in all honesty I do not think the current video fully justifies the track, but it is hilarious to watch.

Bashy has always been ‘different’ coming up as an artist, where most emcees would stick to underground then make the pop transition, Bashy has always had these elements to him so it is no surprise. Your Wish Is My Command will do well for him, he boasts a lively character and the video portrays that well.

Fáris Rating:
7/10

I guess trying to keep every fan happy can be a bit stressful!

I guess trying to keep every fan happy can be a bit stressful!

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