#1 the Music I Like

My new favourite Wiley album - some of the best things he's done in a long time. . - 'Eyes Of The Lord', 'Out Of The Game', 'Zip It Up' and that Danny Weed production 'Hummer Activity'. 'Music I Like' is real real nice too. They are all on youtube. And have been for about six months.

But what is 'Olly' - I can't imagine any audience, or anyone with an ounce of self respect listening to this out of choice. Means I can't just run the album in its entirety. But still putting together a Wiley Greatest Hits would own my CD collection.

But a seriously tight album bar the blip, and one that is certainly worth 11£ -

Yet to check Skepta's but heard that its pretty weak - nothing surprising seeing as all I've heard from him in the last year is the same bars about dry ankles and Ed Hardy Party's. Funny the first time.

We shall see. Oh yeah, and they are fighting for us now too.

I didn't check our favourite street commentator'S release yet either. Bashy. Did get sent some seriously poor videos though.

Instrumental wise - Butterz deejays have got you covered - serious serious selection. including Low Deep - Get Set Instrumental. . woaaah. D/l the show + tracklisting @butterz



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The new Soul Motive 12" split between Rossi B Luca and El-B is also worthy of a mention. I went nuts over the Joker 'snake eater' track on the same label a while back, mainly because it brought back memories of the Low Deep instrumentals I used to run together. . and this is worthy of the same amount of praise. Both sides predictably bass heavy but more echoing through the club walls than shattering your Kenwood stereo. Check samples at Boomkat. or on the Soul Motive Myspace.

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The anticipated Cooly G 12" on Hyperdub also finally appeared this week. Boomkat. She also let me know that there are a couple of brand new bits on her myspace. . . & for any in London area. . . Kode 9, Cooly G, Brackles, Lil' Silva line up at the Producers House in early August. . Details.

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FaltyDL is a name that has become popular pretty quickly, 2 months or so ago no-one had truly heard of him. Now with a slew of releases on Ramp Recordings and Planet Mu - including a remix package (U'ziQ, boxcutter and Vibert) from heaven and an album out yesterday - people are talking about him like he's been around for years. 'To London' is the track!

Further details can be found here

And there are new bits on his myspace player - He isn't hanging about. .

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Funky wise. have been listening a lot to the Emvee 12" on the Wireblock label. 'Glitch Dub' and 'Nocturnal' - ones hard, the other not so. Boomkat. People are talking about future Wireblock releases sitting on the funky side too - finally spreading from London.

Set's wise - haven't really caught anything too new that has been consistently exciting like the Mak ten sets of April. . With funky in its infancy, there is still the chance that you will be left unsatisfied or bored if the selections aren't right.

And i want a lot of emcees to step away from the genre completely. Grime is your vehicle, and if you can't ride that then you should career change.

One set that hinted at greatness was by the Fantastic Four (DVA, Roska, D Malice and Ill Blu) - which I'm sure is actually 5, seeing as there are two members of Ill Blu. They collectively have an EP out too. Ill Blu's 'Time To Get Nasty' is the choice cut. Hear at HTFR. I'll upload the set again if anyone should need.

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My eyes are still stinging. So i'll call this roll call off. & go find the coffee -

but, finally. . .

Martin Clark (Blackdown) did a proper round up of what's happening in London urban music here.

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Dan Hancox featured some of the Bristol talents (Joker, Guido, Gemmy etc) in an article for the Guardian.

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The Guardian also did this. Haha.