Kamakaze - Kano (Prod. Massappeals)

Grime continues to grace my Soundcloud feed like crazy, and I for one am glad. It means I get to hear hot cuts like "Kano" from Kamakaze. Massappeals, the man behind the beats, has done more than just lay down a simple bed for Kamakaze to bounce on, he's made a magic two minute track worthy of praise in all its instrumental glory. Right off the get go it's clear that this is some godly grime. The low end is lit, the percussion pops off and that switch up in the second half screams success. The smoothness of Massappeals production allows for Kamakaze to go off, conjuring the the image of grime king, Kano. His flow is dark and dirty, "dress code black, Jon Snow ting." The best bit of all this is that both the fire flow and the instrumental edit are available absolutely free. Find both below. If you like this be sure to check out the artists below, as this is not their first time working together.

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DJ Sinclair - Bells (RPG Mix)

As soon as I heard the first line of DJ Sinclair's RPG Mix of "Bells" I knew it was something I could jive with. It's poppy enough to feel fun and go over easy, but it's also complex enough to keep it from getting stale too quickly. I'm reminded of MssingNo's style with the massive bass sweeps and steady manipulation of the lead line (ironically, his remix of Cashmere Cat leads the mix that follows "Bells" in the related track section). While obviously the sound design and progression is on point, the little bird chirp punctuations and atmospheric crowd vocal samples are what make this more than just a brilliant beat, and a true touch of genius. Slithering like a snake into your ear holes, there's no avoiding the sonic brilliance that DJ Sinclair has crafted. Stream below or buy it via Different Circles, here. FOLLOW DJ SINCLAIR: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Slackk - Zip Me Up

British DJ and producer Slackk is set to release his album A Little Light in just over a month's time. While he's best known for grime in both his original productions and mixes (Rinse FM and otherwise), his latest production "Zip Me Up" is a more tempered affair. It's like a slow releasing dose of delicate ambiance that puts you in a magical summery haze. There's something about how the track moves along that is so incredibly alluring, but for some reason eludes my verbiage. It's clearly calm and beautiful in its delivery, marching along with extraordinary aplomb. But there's some mysterious, magical quality behind "Zip Me Up" that tickles my fancy so.

Part of me thinks it's Slackk's grime background that allows for such a brilliant synth design. It's almost as though it's a combination of horns and strings, but whatever it is, it's truly beautiful. The whole track is carefully crafted, not just in its particular sound designs, but in its overall depth. The low rumbling bass both opposes the light airy leads, while somehow giving them strength at the same time. And then there's the rattling percussion, whether from a tambourine or otherwise, it stands as the cherry on top, punctuating the natural, organic beauty of "Zip Me Up." I think this is why I like Slackk's piece so much, it has such a raw real life feel. It sounds as though the image above came to life.
I cannot help but be reminded of Myrryrs' album Passenger, which stands as one of my favourites, in not just recent memory, but of all time. If this track is any indication, A Little Light is going to join that list of awesome albums. I truly cannot wait to hear the dozen other tracks ("Maze" is already out), and how Slackk has packaged them. Pre-order it on your preferred platform here, and get it May 12.

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Nuvaman & Gallah - Molotov

I've been following Grime relatively closely on this blog, or at least its growth in popularity and reach. This rise comes as no surprise when there's quality tracks like Nuvaman & Gallah's "Molotov" being produced with more regularity than ever before. In fact I'd expect more as Google Trends now indicates that we hit peak Grime saturation just last month (see here). It certainly seems that Skepta, Stormzy, Wiley and others have broken down the barriers, so much so that not just vocal Grime tracks are popular, but instrumentals are becoming more standard too. I cannot say how happy this makes me to be able to hear new, quality Grime like this so often.

It's no wonder Nuvaman and Gallah are both from the UK, as the Grime instincts seem to run deep, pulsing through their veins. And as with all good Grime tracks, there's some ominous, creeping fear harvested throughout. These two nail that horror element perfectly.  The percussion is so on point crackling like leaves underfoot, building on the atmosphere already established with squawking crows. But then there's the strings that, ever present in Grime, overwhelm with unease. And it's that disquiet that makes your throbbing heart beat match with the wobbling bass. If that doesn't get you going, you may already be dead. Grab "Molotov" now from Pitch Rider Records' Inside The Ride Vol. 1, here.FOLLOW GALLAH: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
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Noble - Fight Night

The world continues to search for Grime, as evidenced by Google Trends, here, and just about everyday I find a quality a new track. Today I happened across "Fight Night" a track from Noble, who as you can imagine hails from the heart of grime country, the UK. "Fight Night" is both the perfect name for the violent bass driven track, as well as a great example of the hallmarks of grime production. Its got strings that stab so savagely, setting up the ominous anticipation of whats to come. Then there's the wobbling and diving garage-esque bass, that oozes with a subdued yet ready to explode intensity. And finally, the percussion which not only drives the track, but brings together the other elements in a syncopated storm of salaciousness. "Fight Night" is as hard hitting as Clubber Lang and as well designed as Ivan Drago. As you can tell, it is available for free download via The Artist Union, here. FOLLOW NOBLE: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

KXVU - Sao Feng (ft. Razor)

I've already predicted that 2017 will see more Grime than ever, and it only took until the 3rd day of the year for me to find a fire example. KXVU, co-founder of Southpoint, is gearing up to drop a 12 track album Cub Inna Caribbean, next Thursday, January 12th. "Sao Feng" is the lead track, and if the album is anything like this lyrical onslaught it will leave an indelible mark on ears around the world. KXVU and Razor both go on a full out blitz, riffling off rhymes at blistering pace, no doubt leaving your head spinning. The force of their foreboding posturing is only amplified by incredible production; with bass pulses that cause your heartbeat to race, and further ominous explosions throughout, "Sao Feng" oozes with anticipation of an inevitable annihilation. The island inspired, flute-driven high end, echoes so endlessly that it seems to suck out all available oxygen. This is grime doing exactly what it's meant to; it's intimidating, energizing and extremely injurious. Listen with caution, it's so violent it may leave you dismembered, and so good you won't even realize it's an homage to Pirates of the Caribbean. FOLLOW KXVU: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
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Stormzy - Scary (Slumberjack Edit)

After writing about Grime and the art of edits in the last three weeks, this mix of Stormzy's "Scary" from Aussie duo Slumberjack is the best of both worlds. It's big bold and heavy beyond belief. They've set up a bed of nails for Stormzy's fire flow to rest on, while upping the intensity with ominous, spooky synths and ungodly percussion. Once again, Slumberjack showcase their incredible sound design in every aspect of this mix, specifically their vocal manipulations (much like their track "Open Fire"). Stormzy already has a dynamic vocal delivery, but the duo has doubled down in that department, adding additional depth for maximum effect. But what I see as the crowning achievement in "Scary" is Slumberjack's use of the background vocals, filling out the track, firmly situating it in an unholy, apocalyptic landscape. Finally, as some kind of Easter Egg, Slumberjack have included their trademark riff from their What So Not, "Touched" edit in multiple places (0:11, 1:37, 3:49). Slumberjack are most certainly on the top of their game, and this production is all the proof you need. As a cherry on top, "Scary" is available for free download in full loseless WAV format via Toneden.

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Flipout - Grimy As F*ck Mix

2016 may very well be the year Grime, in large part thanks to Skepta breaking through the mainstream with his Mercury Prize winning album, Konnichiwa. According to Google Trends, Grime music hit its peak in February 2006, but has seen two spikes in February and September of this year. The increase in appetite for Grime is likely tied to the continued growth of bass driven electronic music, and key collaborations with the likes of Drake and Earl Sweatshirt. 2016 has also seen the re-emergence of Grime forefathers Dizzee Rascal and Kano. It's also brought us unbelievable images of Stormzy performing in the rain for thousands of fans at the legendary Roskilde Festival in Denmark (watch live videos of Shut Up and Know Me From here). And of course there's the widespread commercial success of Skepta's "Shutdown." I can't begin to count the number of times I've heard it in DJ sets, mixtapes and yes, even on the radio.

With all that in mind, one of Canada's best DJs and MCs, Vancouver based Flipout has now thrown two separate Grime focused parties. The first of which he recorded and has posted to his mixcloud (below). It's got a number of tracks from the aforementioned Grime acts as well as a slew of lesser known mixes. It's an intense and utterly enjoyable, near two hours of grime on grime on grime. Flipout is one of the best tastemakers and musical curators Canada has to offer, so I highly suggest checking out more of his mixcloud, and giving him a follow on his socials below.

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