New OkayArtist

The Abstract

Q-Tip

 Modern hip-hop and R&B music can both arguably be divided into pre- and post-A Tribe Called Quest, and the musical efforts of its lead MC and producer Kamaal Ibn John Fareed-better known to the world as Q-Tip. Consider the jazzy sampling, laid-back tempos and boho-chic vibe he introduced, then mull over the bohemian posturing and sounds of the neo-soul movement, plus any rap music that shies away from hardcore posturing. All roads lead back to ATCQ and the beats, rhymes and life of one man: Q-Tip. And now the time is ripe for The Renaissance, the Abstract MC's first solo album in nine years. Read more...

latest reviews.

Eric Benet

Love & Life
(Reprise : 2008)
89B+

Various Artists

Zang Tumb Tuum: The ZTT Box Set
(ZTT/Salvo : 2008)
89B+

Illa J

Yancey Boys
(Delicious Vinyl : 2008)
77C

The Flaming Lips

Christmas On Mars
(Warner Bros. : 2008)
75C

Restiform Bodies

TV Loves You Back
(Anticon : 2008)
73C

Various Artists

The Roots Of Hip Hop
(Harte Recordings : 2008)
84B

reviews.

latest.

 

Carla Duren
Black Folk Rock Star
(n/a : 2008)
74C
Posted on 08/25/2008
A talented singer who has paid dues in showbiz as a choreographer and girl group member, Carla Duren yearns for the simpler things. The album title may be brassy but her songs are more demure.
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Hits: 413
 
 

Jon Foreman
Spring and Summer
(Credential EMI : 2008)
82B
Posted on 08/25/2008
As two of his four seasoned EPs, Jon Foreman’s Spring and Summer is barebones music in a good way. Member of the alternative rock band Switchfoot, the 31 year old singer/songwriter offers a basket of poetic lullabies whose sparseness only add to its rich lyrical value. These songs are intimate, naked, and full of clarity. It’s obvious that Foreman has used the pair of EPs as a time-out from the...
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Hits: 281
 
 

Various Artists
Como Now: The Voice of Panola County, MS
(Daptone Records : 2008)
78C
Posted on 08/25/2008
To the unaware, this stirring collection of songs may sound like it was dusted off from a church choirs archives and packaged for our listening pleasure but the crystal clear production may hint that this is a more modern endeavor.
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Hits: 251
 
 

Mutlu
Livin' It
(Manhattan/EMI : 2008)
70C-
Posted on 08/25/2008
Mutlu Onaral is a free spirit, at least that's the vibe he gives out on Livin' It, his debut album. It's a spirit that isn't often heard in a lot of mainstream pop music, but one that he enjoys exploring throughout the album's ten songs, as he speaks of the world and friends while celebrating his Philadelphia roots with the collaborators he brought to the project.
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Hits: 337
 
 

Moka Only
Clap Trap
(Urbnet : 2008)
90A-
Posted on 08/19/2008
With the longest track clocking in at 2:23, award-winning producer/emcee Moka Only formulates a collection of basement beat hip-hop that swoops in and grabs your attention without sounding the least bit rushed. With a sonic palette that sounds more like early Nas or Wu-Tang than his West Coast Swollen Members outfit, this Vancouver native reaches back to New York City’s mid-90s heyday of dark melodies under no-frills rhyming to create...
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Hits: 1772
 
 

Various Artists
I Like It Like That - Fania Remixed
(Fania Records : 2008)
90A-
Posted on 08/19/2008
The famous Fania Records, founded by Johnny Pacheco, and Jerry Masucci in 1964, is responsible for catapulting the music now known as Salsa, into the mainstream. Essentially, Fania was the Motown for Latino artists. Churning out legends like Hector Lavoe, Willie Colon, and Celia Cruz, Fania was a musical force to be reckoned with, and a cornerstone for the Latino community at large.
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Hits: 614
 
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