Reviewed by Steve Hayes

Not a true hip-hop album but a collection of beats of varied lengths, Beat Rabbi (of Deepspace 5) returns via the funky mastering skills of DJ Sean P with 31 beats that mysteriously haven't been used by producers and rappers. The project showcases an array of beat artillery and firepower that would be enough to send hip-hop doubters scurrying away and then back again to marvel at the sounds they were hearing. There's a focus on boom bap old skool mixed with the craft of sampling and digging across the beats that should be a magnet to any artist with skills. "Evol" is like a spaghetti western where you half expect Clint "Funky Fresh" Eastwood to draw his vocal gun and fire off some shots. There's a '70s vibe at times ("'70s", "Gero", "Suite"). At other times you're transported back to the early days of hip-hop and the streets of the Bronx ("Intro", "Black Magic") and across New York or into the heart of the early commercial hip-hop pioneers ("Stop", "Jump") or the DJs cutting ("Mazel Tov Cocktail"). Across the beats, there's a huge range of creativity within and between beats, each of which have a unique flavour that inspires rhymes, ideas, memories and contemplation ("Losing"). We end on "Return Of The Real Hard Beat" featuring the legendary Deepspace 5, which both summarises and completes the album. If you're in need of some ingenious instrumental tracks with all kinds of sounds and styles, get this.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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