Bleeds, Roots Manuva 2015

Bleeds is like an introduction to a new era with an unrestricted vault, but it's the perfect album to wrap up 2015 with though. Roots Manuva cleared a way for creative music to follow when they listen. Gospel soul, Caribbean flare, hip hop lyrics, house music and a creative play between these seemingly discrete worlds make Roots Manuva unique to the US market because there aren't any others like him. Could the definition of his name be a creative maneuver between one man's musical roots?......I would never ask a question like that to an artist but it is one way that fits this my current understanding of this hip hop artist from the UK.

I've been listening to Roots Manuva for years by way of digging for new music. I even made a quick remix of a track he did with Chali2na last year because I started to experiment with remixing and beat making.

Bleeds is a relatively dark sonic album that fuses eclectic sounds with Manuva's signature flow. Check out the interview below and make sure to check out Bleeds if you're craving creative hip hop music.

Buy 'Bleeds' - Big Dada: found.ee/bleeds iTunes: found.ee/bleeds-it Bandcamp: found.ee/bleeds-bc Amazon: found.ee/bleeds-az Taken from the album ‘Bleeds’ released 30th October 2015 on Big Dada. Follow Roots Manuva - Facebook: found.ee/rmanuva-fb Twitter: found.ee/rmanuva-tw Spotify: found.ee/rmanuva-sp http://bigdada.com/ http://ninjatune.net/

Ronin

Dice Game, Apollo Brown & Guilty Simpson 2012

[audio:http://ra-nyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/10.-Ink-Blotches.mp3]

After first hearing a single (Nasty f. Planet Asia) released by Mello Music Group, I had a pretty good idea that Dice Game was going to be a strong album. "Nasty" is a track where a gospel sample breaks the song and creates an unusual chorus. It's one of the best tracks from the album, btw. When I finally heard the full release, I realized it's so much better than I anticipated. Guilty Simpson is easily one of my favorite mc's out today and Apollo Brown really put together a a diverse set of tracks. An instrumental project I always keep around is Clouds (by Apollo Brown), so I'm not surprised by the high quality production. Apollo Brown was brave enough to sample Wu-Tang! Not many producers do that and it doesn't feel like a hack job, by any means. Chemistry and consistency was what I wondered about for Dice Game and ironically it's what makes it a must have.

[audio:http://ra-nyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/06.-Potatoes-feat.-Torae.mp3]

Dice Game represents and idea that I've consistently believed to be true regarding production and the overall quality of any hip hop project. The fact that one producer is featured, Apollo Brown, makes it less likely to have multiple tracks with the same feel. The product is a collection of unique tracks with Guilty's signature grime all over it. Too often albums are treated as a collection of singles and it makes for a weaker album from track to track. However, Dice Game is a perfect example of how a clear vision creates a stronger and more creative project.

[audio;http://ra-nyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/08.-Dear-Jane.mp3]

Ronin