ALBUM REVIEW: BASHY - Bashy.com

Bashy
‘Bashy.com’
(GGI/Ragz 2 Richez)
4/5
Bashy is doing it right now, both in terms of quality rhymes and recognition. He provided the lead track for the major British film, Adulthood, which got him a MOBO nomination. On the 29 tracks on Bashy.com, he tells his street tales, maintaining a conscious stance whilst kicking ass at the same time. Great lines galore, including his reason for not smoking crack being ‘you’ll have brown teeth like Pete Doherty’. Whether you call this an album or a mixtape, grime or hip-hop, it’s pure class, all the same.
ARASH TORABI

ALBUM REVIEW: CHIWONISO - Rebel Woman

CHIWONISO
Rebel Woman
(Cumbancha)
3/5

Zimbabwe’s been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons and this artist lives in the eye of the storm, watching her nation’s painful struggle. A devoted advocate of free speech, human rights and social justice, Chiwonso is offering messages of hope, inspiration and resistance on this, her first internationally released album in more than a decade. She draws on Western genres like R’n’B and reggae, but the Zimbabwean thumb piano – or mbira – underpins her music with deep historical and cultural symbolism. Meanwhile, she implores her countryfolk to hold fast against oppression yet creates music of deep beauty too. This is a masterful album from a singer who is not afraid to speak out. And in Zimbabwe at the moment, that’s a brave musician alright.

MAMA TOKUS

ALBUM REVIEW: THE WIDDLER - Sensi Samuri EP

THE WIDDLER
Sensi Samuri EP
(Studio Rockers)
4/5

Heavy duty dubstep from New Jersey, and it’s all about the title track for me, which is peppered with kung-fu samples. Sensi Samuri starts with an Eastern vibe and kicks off with a fat-ass wobbler of a synth bass. On the flipside, Lady Dub brings in the roots reggae chords together with lazy, floaty vocals, before a subtle but deep bass takes it to the next level. The next track, Outback is mainly atmospheric, with a few dark elements thrown in for good measure.

ARASH TORABI

ALBUM REVIEW: SANTOGOLD vs DIPLO - Top Ranking

Santogold vs Diplo
Top Ranking
(Mad Decent)
5/5

Diplo is on his way to god-like status (well to me anyway) and here you find him showcasing Santogold’s influences, which range from Sir Mix A Lot to The Clash. He manages to traverse through many genres in 75 minutes, expect to hear classic cuts next to dancehall and dubstep. There are plenty of exclusive remixes from the likes of XXXchange and Switch. All in all a bargain. Oh and watch out for the Bombay Bicycle Club! Y'all heard it here first.

SUPERDUPERDAN

ALBUM REVIEW: MATT HELDERS - Late Night Tales

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Late Night Tales: Matt Helders from The Arctic Monkeys
(Azuli)
4/5

Arctic Monkeys’ drummer Matt Helders is also a DJ, and he’s got good taste in hip hop: Ty, Roots Manuva and DOOM (under alias Viktor Vaughn), for example. He still somehow manages to get The Stooges in there (Dirt). And mixing The Coral’s Grey Harpoon with I Got 5 On It by Luniz, is definitely a cool thing. Matt’s own effective breakbeat cover version of Livin’ Joy’s Dreamer is also a winner. Other standout tracks include Charity Shop Soundclash by DJ Format & Aspects, and Mos Def’s Ms Fat Booty.

Arash Torabi

ALBUM REVIEW: TRAVIS - Ode To J Smith

TRAVIS
Ode To J Smith
(Red Telephone Box)
2/5

We are informed that this is Travis’ loudest, edgiest and most arresting record since their debut. Christ knows what planet they’ve been on for the last few years to even begin to use such epithets when describing an album that limps out of the speakers so unassumingly you half expect it to apologise for the inconvenience. Still, it’s loveable ol’ Fran Healy. You can’t knock a guy who means well, can you? I guess ‘Something Anything’ is quite punchy. I’ll let him have that one.

BACKBONE