Streetwise raps from Freddie Gibbs, backed by inventive production from Madlib – here on one of the best records yet on 'Lib's own Madlib Invazion imprint! If you'll forgive us a little bit of repetition – because we KNOW we've written this before – there's just something extra riveting about Madlib's production work for straight shooting, street lingo slinging, no nonsense MCs. The freewheeling inspiration and bottomless depth of unpredictable sample funk is there, as always. It's leaner, tighter and with a thicker backdrop of beats. Gibbs is sharply on point throughout here, and if it seems like an oddball pairing at first glance, rest assured, these guys work GREAT together. Guests include Danny Brown – who drops some top shelf wordplay of his own on "High" – plus the Wu legend Raekwon on "Bomb", Domo Genius & Earl Sweatshirt on "Robes", Domo Genius, G-Whiz, Mac Miller and more on the title cut, and more. Other titles include "Supplier", "Scarface", "Deeper", "Harold's", "Thuggin'", "Real" and "Uno". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly our favorite installment so far in the Madlib Medicine Show series – as the set's a treasure trove of rare work from the many-faceted Yesterday's New Quintet combo – that genius funky jazz ensemble headed by Madlib! According to the notes, some of these cuts are from rare small-batch releases (although we're not even sure those exist) – and others are previously unreleased numbers that are finally seeing the light of day – all together a brilliant illustration of the sorts of sounds that Madlib's pulled up from the American underground of the 60s and 70s – weird space jazz, offbeat funk, modal moments, and more – played with completely amazing rhythms, and production that really lives up to the spirit of the inspirations! There's plenty of great keyboards, and all tracks are instrumentals – with titles that include "High Jazz" by The Kenny Cook Octet, "Pretty Eyes" by Jahari Massamba Unit, "Electronic Dimensions" by Generation Match, "Funky Butt (part 1)" by Poyser Riggins & Jackson, "Space & Time" by RMC, "Conquistador" by Yesterday's New Quintet, "Tarzan's Theme" by Big Black Foot Band, and "Kimo" by Joe McDuphrey Experience. LP, Vinyl record album

Low Budget Hi Fi Music from Madlib – the eleventh entry in his epic Madlib's Medicine Show series – 28 tracks of hip hop unofficially dubbed the Dirty Demos! The set feature sample enriched instrumentals by Madlib as Loop Digga and collaborations with Strong Arm Steady, J Rocc, Madlib & Oh No as The Professionals, Guity Simpson, AG & Frank Nitt. It's great stuff, natch – finding Madlib in a straighter hip hop mode production wise – but straighter Madlib production has unexpected twists and turns! Loads of funky samples, some recognizable others otherworldly – and beats that range from dusty funk to dramatically soulful. Includes "The Sound Of Champions" (inst), "Charlie Hustle" by Strong Arm Steady, "Sam", "Snakes 101" by MED, "Girls" by J Rocc, "Love/Hate" (inst), "The Adventurs Of Soul Bra And Docta Dick'em Pts 1 & 2", "Hold Up" by The Professionals, "Thoughts Of An Old Flame" by Guilty Simpson and others. CD

A aural tour of the deep crates of one of modern underground hip hop/jazz/funk's greatest practitioners – a genius blend of rare jazz, funk and more compiled and mixed by Madlib – plus an epic live DJ set! The first half is a blend of "Dirty Crates From Around The World" – a mix that's just eccentric enough – with lots of funky drums and bass lines, and the psychedelic touches you just knew Madlib would roll through! The second half is Madlib live on the wheels of steel – titled Live At The Do-Over - a beat heavy DJ set that displays a side of 'Lib we don't hear enough of in the studio! 2 35+ minute DJ sets from Madlib on 1CD! CD

It's been over 15 years since the last Liberation record from Talib Kweli and Madlib, and the planet's changed a lot – and maybe not for the better, which is a good reason the duo are back to serve up a heady helping of their message-oriented music! We've always thought that Talib sounds best in the company of Madlib, and this time around he's also got plenty of help – from a great leadoff spoken passage by Diani, through work from Seun Kuti, Mac Miller, Amani, Q Tip, Goapele, Meshell Ndegeocello, Jaimie Branch, and even Roy Ayers – all present as maybe a tribute to what's at the core! Titles include "Loop Digga's Revenge", "One For Biz", "Nat Turner", "Air Quotes", "Wild Beauty", "Ad Vice", "Assata's Code", "After These Messages", "Something Special", and "Marathon Through Babylon". LP, Vinyl record album

Great grooves from Jackson Conti – not a dude, but a duo – one that features Madlib teamed with Mamao, drummer from the legendary Azymuth! The album's got a really unique feel – one that mixes Madlib's chunky, fuzzy style of production with some of the cleaner, jazzier Azymuth grooves of late – a combination that shouldn't work so well, but which comes across with really amazing results! There's a bit of beats on the set, but a fair bit of the percussion is acoustic too – making for more warmth than before from Madlib – almost a transplantation of the Yesterday's New Quintet sound to the sunnier Rio scene. Keyboards have a strong role too – often with the sort of edgey, compelling tones you'd hear on the first few Azymuth recordings of the 70s – and other instrumentation includes bits of guitar, flute, sax, and other well-placed touches – but all used in weird ways that are somewhere between typical jazz and Brazilian modes. Titles include "Upa Neguinho", "Xibaba", "Sao Paulo Nights", "Brasilian Sugar", "Mamaoism", "Berumba", "Papaya", "Segura Esta Onda", "Sunset At Sujinho", "Tijuca Man", and "Waiting On The Corner". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great chapter in the career of Madlib, and one that shows the really diverse musical inspirations that have informed his contributions to hip hop – served up here in a set of instrumentals based on samples from rare rock tracks from a hip variety of sources! For the project, Madlib dug deep into the worlds of psych, prog, and other scenes from years back – shuffled, restacked, and presented with that denseness that makes Madlib's production so great – and which likely also hides some of the sources for the music as well! Volume 1 features 19 tracks in all – short instrumentals that pack plenty of punch! LP, Vinyl record album

The missing piece of the epic Madlib's Medicine Show series – No 9 in the eclectic soundscape architects year-long effort to release full length albums on a near-monthly basis ended up following No 11, but the collaboration with MC Frank Nitt is worth the wait! Nittyville is funky hip hop excellence that's, in a way, one of the most straight-forward entries in the series. Solid wordplay delivered sharply by Nitt and funky Madlib production that's framed to suit. That said, 'Lib's an adventurous cat, so even as straight up hip hop it's challenging convention at every turn. The sorta concept of the album is that it's Channel 85 is running a show called Nittyville, with a support cast that includes Oh No & MED. Includes "Nittyville (The Landing)", "So Beautiful (Dues Paid)", "Stageridin", "Jus Follow", Eyegotcha", "What Can U Tell Me" feat MED, "Red Light Green", "Set It Off" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the heaviest set of sound library grooves you'll ever hear – but that's probably no surprise, given that the package features some key Heliocentrics elements in the mix – including lots of psychedelic production next to fierce work on drums from Malcolm Catto and Jake Ferguson! There's plenty of breaks on the record, but settled in nicely amidst keyboards and other electronics from the great Jessica Lauren – an artist we've loved for years – plus bass and lots of other instruments from Jake, and bits of flute and trumpet too. Tracks are mostly instrumental, and while the record follows the sound library style of tight funky grooves, there's also some of the darker, more brooding Heliocentrics elements in the mix too. Titles include "Dune", "M For Drums", "Emotions Run Dry", "Freestyling", "Well Well Well", "String Fantasy", "Train A Coming", and "I Wonder". LP, Vinyl record album

Joe Harrison starts out this set with a reference to David Axelrod, and the set just keeps getting better and better after that – as Joe mixes together vibes, mellotron, guitar, organ, flute, and lots of other cool instrumentation – but all with a lean vibe that's definitely more on the hip hop instrumental side of the spectrum! A few other players add in bits too – pedal steel, violin, bass, and guitar – but Harrison keeps things lean throughout, and served up one of the more hip hop-inspired entries in this great series from Madlib Invazion – maybe one that's most in keeping with the production giant who lends his name to the label. Titles include "Shuggie", "Axelrod", "Five Point Palm", "Donuts", "Frodo", "Cochiloco", and "Mr Rogers". LP, Vinyl record album

There's plenty of drums and percussion on this sweet set of funky instrumentals – played both by Dan Hastie and Terin Ector, who also each handle bass, guitar, and keyboards too – an approach that makes for a very tight, wonderfully unified vibe on the set! The only other instrumentation is a bit of light strings added by Thomas Lea – who uses those elements in a great way, just to touch up the funky energy at the core – maybe inflecting things with a slight cinematic vibe, but never in a way that's overwhelming or too rich at all. The whole thing's nice and funky, yet also has a standout vibe from others in this Madlib sound library series – with titles that include "Mirage", "Timeless Tales", "Dorado", "Deep Waters", "Telescopics", "Better Days", "Blue Shade", "Vision", "When I Go", and "Streetwise". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest entries in this killer Madlib sound library series – thanks to some mighty heavy drums from J-Zone! The set begins with a rock-solid break right from the start, then keeps on going strongly in a similar mode – mixing warmer keyboards, guitar lines, and even a bit of kalimba into the mix from time to time – but all with a lean energy that shows the influence of beatmaking on the process of live funk, and not the other way around! The vibe is much less slavish to 70s sound library material, but equally funky – and the shift makes for a real standout session, with titles that include "Shiva Strut", "Mr Mean", "Seebourg", "Intoxicated Skull", "Oyster Sammich", "Truck Stop", "Gangsta Boogie", "Side Eye", "Nasty Popcorn Ceiling", and "Shirley Got Bigger". LP, Vinyl record album

A slightly different set than some of the others in this mighty nice series – in that this entry's got a vocalist – singer Lauren Santi, who brings some very soulful, wordless moments to the album! Mario Luciano handles a great range of keyboards, and the tunes have a lean, laidback vibe that's really great – like the mellower moments on the Shaft soundtrack, or those cool cuts from a blacksploitation soundtrack when the hero's either finding love, or back home licking his wounds after a fight! Titles include "Cosmic Portals", "The Yellow Field", "Donte's French", "Excursion", "Solar Journey", "Blue Miles", "When It's Real", and "Inner Search". LP, Vinyl record album

Madlib's reworked, re-imagined and remixes of the mighty Madvillainy LP! The original album is arguably one of the greatest Stones Throw album ever, held up by many as one of the best indie hip hop albums of its decade if not all time – so Madlib is wise to take a freewheeling, fairly loose approach to this revisit. It's not so much a straight up remix album as it is a wild, unpredictable mash up of scattered Doom vocals from the classic LP with gritty, funky beats from Madlib's crates. It's definitely got an underground feel to it, and by no means a track for track remix effort – the vocals and some of the beats are familiar, but for the most part the dusty deck of beats are completely reshuffled – not as murky and ominously moody as the original album, and recast with an underground hip hop funk feel. Includes "Pow (Intro)", "No Brain", "Pearls", "Light Of The Press", "Boulder Holder", "Borrowed Time", "Costa2Coast", "Draino", "Bejezus", ""Monkey Suit", "Can't Reform M", "Running Around", "Never Go Pop", "The Cold One" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A massive bucket of breaks from drummer Karriem Riggins – served up here in a drums-only entry to the Madlib Library Series, at a level that might well make it the funkiest of the bunch! There's definitely some slight effects used here from time to time – maybe some edits too – but the core energy of the set comes from Karriem's rock-solid work on the drum kit, which you'll no doubt recognize from his wonderful contributions to many other records – although none have ever had the lean approach as this one! Titles include "Skippy White", "Motown Sound", "Bulldog", "Afriq", "Fam In Our Lives", "Brasilian Gangsta", "To The Jungle", "Tipster", and "Tony Vibes". LP, Vinyl record album

A sound library set, but one that's got a grittier feel than most – and which ends up feeling a lot more like a stack of funky 45s overall! Gabriel Rowland hails from Los Yesterdays, and he definitely brings a current of west coast funk to the set – some Latin elements mixed with echoey guitar that sounds like a surf instrumentalist getting stoned – while heavy drums step out strongly on nearly every track, often sounding better and more funky they slower they are! Titles include "Mad Quakes", "Cry Folder Cry", "Spy Carnalito", "Vitamin Psych", "Rub Buster", "Skerd", "Panorama", "TOF", "Wrong Hustle", and "So F'D Up Inside". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky sounds from Dan Ubick of Connie Price & The Keystones – and a killer set in this excellent sound library series from Madlib! As with the other volumes, the music has a strong nod to the classic 70s era of sound library funk, but also updates the work strongly too – in this case with the psychedelic funky elements that you'd guess from Dan's previous experience – served up in heavy drums from Connie Price that are often ready for hip hop samples – and colored with strings from Ubick at times, almost at a level that has a slight nod to David Axelrod! Other instrumentation includes guitars, bass, and keyboards – and tunes include "Snakes In The Walls", "El Escorpion", "The Return", "Antenna Up", "Flip Of A Switch", "Spanish Moss", "Black Coffee", "Gris Gris", "Hearts Of Darkness", and "Fly Swatter". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

JJ Whitefield has given us plenty of funky records over the years – most in vintage styles, including work as Poets Of Rhythm and Karl Hector & The Malcouns! This time around, there's a sound library approach, but with the slight Ethio vibe you'd guess from the title on one side – then an Italian cinematic inspiration on the other! The Ethiopian-flavored tunes are maybe more laidback, and have some elements that resonate with the 70s golden age, but with a lean funk sound and a bit sharper production – as befits the sound library approach. The flipside echoes lots of great Italian crime/cop modes from the 70s – but again, with a slightly leaner style that really lets the best funky elements come through strongly! Titles include "Hulet", "Sost", "Arat", "Sebat", "Sidist", "Asir", "Orecchiete", "Parmagiano", "Strozzapreti", and "Buttoni". LP, Vinyl record album

A jazzy tribute to the mighty Madlib – one that serves up a swirling mix of vibes, Fender Rhodes, and drums that really remind us of some of his best early side projects in the early days of Stones Throw! The groove is nice and lean, and Fred's at the helm of the group on drums and percussion – playing with this nice sense of splashy echo that really makes the live instrumentation resonate with the kind of beats Madlib might have delivered – while the vibes and keyboards do all sorts of wonderful things too, and the record sparkles from work on saxes and flute as well! Really beautiful stuff, and a record worthy to carry the name of the great one in its title – with tracks that include "Road Of The Lonely Ones", "Catchin The Vibe", "Keeper Of My Soul", "Lakers", "Julani", "Microphone Mathematics", "The Front", and "MHB". LP, Vinyl record album

Throw away all your 70s electric funk records – because the classic sound is back, and fresher than ever! Yesterday's New Quintet is a side project from hip hop producer Madlib – and the group's firmly steeped in a love of the mellow funky sound of 70s labels like Kudu and CTI. Vibes collides with Fender Rhodes collides with sweet drumbeats collides with slight touches of turntablist production – for a sensational full LP debut that's one of the best new funky records we've heard in years! The sound is incredible – and these guys really do a heck of a lot more than just recreate an older style of music. They take all the hip hop/beathead love of 70s mellow jazz funk, and lift it firmly into the 21st Century with a whole new set of hooks and grooves! Titles include "Julani", "Papa", "Daylight", "Hot Water", "Sun Goddess", "Last Day", "Broken Dreams", "Life's Angles", "Keeper Of My Soul", and "Uno Esta". CD

A brilliant creative leap for singer/rhymer/producer Anderson Paak as a solo star – released months after his standout, near show-stealing moments on Dr. Dre's Compton record! .Paak's proved himself a stellar collaborator many times over by the time Malibu dropped, and here he proves a stellar host – but make no mistake, Malibu is his show, and a REALLY strong one. Contemporary hip hop soul with grit and heart – with appearances by BJ The Chicago Kid, Robert Glasper, Rapsody, The Game, Talib Kweli and more on the mic, plus guest production by Madlib, Hi-Tek and others. Includes "The Bird", "Heart Don't Stand A Chance", "The Waters" with BJ The Chicago Kid, "Put Me Thru", "Without You" feat Rapsody, "Room In Here" feat The Game & Sonyae Elise, "Celebrate", "Come Down", "Your Prime", "The Dreamer" with Talib Kweli & Timan Family Choir and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A glorious send off from J Dilla – with some of the most soulful productions Dilla's ever laid down – and appearances by Common, D'Angelo, Pharoahe Monch, Madlib, MED, Black Thought and others! It's impossible to listen to The Shining without considering the sad circumstances surrounding its release, and all too easy to over praise, but this record is filled timelessly inventive production – and passionate rhymes from the honored guests. A lot of the more leftfield, abstract touches that create most of the character on the Donuts LP are really on the outskirts of the sound here – a much richer, deeper, funky drum influenced batch of sounds. We're speechless. There's one more official posthumous LP in the can, and thank goodness for that. Tracks include in-your-f**kin' face intro "Geek Down" with Busta Rhymes, "E=MC2" feat Common, "Love Jones", "Love" feat Pharoahe Monch, "Baby" feat Madlib & Guilty Simpson, "So Far To Go" feat Common & D'Angelo (come back D', the world needs you), "Jungle Love" feat MED & Guilty Simpson, "Dime Piece (Remix)" feat Dwele, "Love Movin'" feat Black Thought and "Won't Do". LP, Vinyl record album

2 tracks recorded in roughly as many years from Quasimoto – maddest of all Madlib personas – in a batch of rarities and unreleased archival cuts that's as fresh and funky as anything 'Lib's delivered in years! Lord Quas is often described as Madlib's id – delivering top notch, but wigged out, if smoke mellowed rhymes that are out of character for Madlib the influential producer. That's fair enough, but we dig it for the smarts, the unshakable funky mood and its roots in sample-based hip hop craftsmanship. Hypotic boombap that'll sound fresh forever – paired mad blunted rhymes! Titles include "Broad Factor", "Seasons Change", "The Front", "Youngblood", "Astronaut", "Planned Attack", "Brothers Can't See Me", "Catchin' The Vibe", "Am I Confused?", "Sparkdala (Original Version)", "Green Power (Original Version)" and "LAX To JFK". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks from Soul Swingers, Wayne McGhie, Stereolab & High Llamas, Bernard Purdie, Madlib, Danger Mouse & Murs, Clarence Mack Express, Free Design, Last Poets, Sharpshooters, Manitoba, Black On White Affair. CD

A real landmark from the west coast scene – served with straight up, stripped down beats from E Swift and King Tee – plus a couple of very early Madlib tracks as well! And although the album's got more rhymes about booze than we could have imagined in rap, then or now, it transcends the motif big time – never too sloshed to raise the bar – maybe making that move from politics to party that Black Flag did the decade before. Titles include "Lik Wit", "Only When I'm Drunk", "Last Call", "Can't Tell Me Sh*t", "Turn Tha Party Out", "Bullsh*t", "Soda Pop", "Make Room", "Mary Jane", and "Who Dem Ni****". LP, Vinyl record album

Ain't no party like a Alkoholik party – and year after year, this debut album still stands as one of the group's strongest moments! The album's a real landmark from the west coast scene – served with straight up, stripped down beats from E Swift and King Tee – plus a couple of very early Madlib tracks as well! And although the album's got more rhymes about booze than we could have imagined in rap, then or now, it transcends the motif big time – never too sloshed to raise the bar – maybe making that move from politics to party that Black Flag did the decade before. Titles include "Lik Wit", "Only When I'm Drunk", "Last Call", "Can't Tell Me Sh*t", "Turn Tha Party Out", "Bullsh*t", "Soda Pop", "Make Room", "Mary Jane", and "Who Dem Ni**as". LP, Vinyl record album

15 cuts, plus a handful of skits, guest appearances by Xzibit, Whoridas, Nas, King Tee, ODB, Keith Murray, LL, and Loot Pack. Madlib produced a couple of tracks, too. Includes "Likwidation", "Off the Wall" & "Hip Hop Drunkies". LP, Vinyl record album

The second chapter of Erykah Badu's New Amerykah – recorded for the most part, quite incredibly, during the same period and with the same collaborators as the mind-altering, murky and righteous hip hop funk experimentalism that was Part One – some months that must be among the most dizzyingly creative in Badu's career! We're reluctant to call Return Of The The Ankh a lighter listen than its predecessor, but, it's a less dense and outwardly experimental batch in the sonic realm – the emotionalism and the head nodding warmth is at the forefront, yet she's as uncompromising and real as ever. The sound is still innovative, unique and her own on all fronts, but the songs chosen for Part Two are ones you want to approach and embrace from the opening seconds – there's not as much of a tripped out overall vibe and you don't need to acclimate from a distance – these songs pull you right in! Includes collaborations with James Poyser, Shafiq Husayn, Ta'Raach, Karriem Riggins, Madlib and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Includes "20 Feet Tall", "Window Seat", "Agitation", "Turn Me Away (Get Munny)", "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long", "Love", "Out My Mind, Just In Time" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The first post-Tommy Boy De La Soul album – and it's a winner! We've been on board with De La throughout their long career – anyone with open ears must know that even their spottiest records (and this is NOT one of those) feature at least a handful of treasure tracks. Grind Date is easily the best later De La Soul album, and brevity is as key to the album as the group's proven longevity. 12 tracks, 49 minutes, no skits. Two songs in you'll find the stellar "Verbal Clap", one of J Dilla's finest productions ever, with precise on beat rhymes by De La. Other highlights include "He Comes" with Ghostface, a soulful track that would sound just as great on Ghost's Supreme Clientele. Is Grind Date the new sound for the mid 00s? Will it blaze trails and be co-opted by the next hot producers? Are the lyrics as solid as they could be? Probably not in each scenario, but that's not the point – these guys are consummate musicians, molding their rhyme schemes to the tracks with focus and precision. Most critics will say this is De La's best album since Stakes Is High. We'll say it's better! Featuring production by Dave West, J Dilla, Madlib and 9th Wonder – plus guest appearances by Yummy, Ghostface, Carl Thomas, MF Doom, Common and others. Other tracks include "The Future", "Much More" feat Yummy, "The Grind Date", "Shopping Bags", "Days Of Our Lives" with Common, "Come On Down", "Rock Co. Kane Flow" featuring MF Doom and more. CD

The debut full length from Heliocentrics – the cosmic funk project from Malcolm Catto and a tasteful group of players – touching on funky drummer hip hop beatcraft, hazy psychedelia, leftfield jazz and global accented grooves! The Heliocentrics have backed DJ Shadow on occasion, and Catto has drummed in the service of Madlib's material in the past – but Out There does stand out, a modernist instrumental groove in world of its own! Catto is on drums and piano for the set – and the group is well stocked on drums and percussion throughout – plus heavy bass, some Eastern strings, modular synth, flute, clarinet, sax and vibes. It may be out there, but they found a funky atmosphere! Titles include "Distant Star", "Flight 583", "Once Upon A Time", "Beyond Repair", "Sirius B", "Untitled", "They Are Among Us – Part 1", "Zero Hour", "Joyride", "American Empire", "Before I Die", "Age Of The Sun", "They Are Among Us – Part 2", "Winter Song", "World Of Masks", "Falling To Earth" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Beats by Madlib. 12-inch, Vinyl record

The bugged sci fi maestro MF Doom's mid 00s masterpiece – and a straight up tie with Madvilliany for the championship title of best Doom-related LP since his immortal debut! As you'd guess from the title, this album has a running theme with food, each title funnier than the last, but stays fresh throughout the 15 tracks thanks to tight production, masterfully spliced samples, and a verbal flow that's cooked and spiced to some kind of freakish perfection. The great "Hoe Cakes" single gets served early in set, and it sets the tone for a truly strong album. "Boss like King Koopa. . .". Includes "Beef Rap", "Potholderz" with Count Bass D, "One Beer" produced by Madlib, "Poo Poo Platter", "Fillet-O-Rapper", "Gumbo", "Fig Leaf Bi Carbonate", "Kon Queso" produced by PNS, "Vomitspit", "Kookies" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Madlib's debut LP headlined by the flip of his split personality – the one-and-only weird and wacky sounding Quasimoto. Another Stones Throw hip hop classic, with Madlib producing and rhyming on the tracks, speakin about jazz, outerspace, and microphones. Tracks include "Bad Character", "Microphone Mathematics", "Good Morning Sunshine", "Low Class Conspiracy", "Put A Curse On You", "Astro Travellin", "Phony Game", "Astro Black", "Return Of The Loop Digga", "Basic Instinct", "Bluffin", "Boom Music", "Green Power", "24-7" featuring Medaphoar, and seven more. This new edition CD includes a bonus disc featuring the instrumentals! CD

Hazy, weird, lo fi and highly insistent sounds from Vex Ruffin on Stones Throw – music that's tough to describe – mixing minimalist beats, fuzzy bits of guitar, stream of conciousness wordplay and more. You can hear influences floating throughout this record from the postpunk UK (think PiL) and proto noise rock from the midwest (think early Big Black, though far less caustic), and freeform sampler funk (think Madlib at his weirdest or James Pants) – the latter of which allows him to feel natural enough in the contemporary Stones Throw roster. Sounds like a crazy mix of styles? Kinda, but it's all fused together somehow to the base ingredients, and it's a fun bit of tripped out underground sounds. Titles include "Sacrifice", "Man With A Plan", "Shield For You", "I'm Creative", "My Mind", "Crash Course" and "Hey Jerald". CD

Freddie Gibbs had been riding a creative peak for a few years in the run up to his high stakes move to Warner – and he comes out with a winning hand! His smart, charismatic, densely packed lyrics are as smart and slyly soul searching as ever on an album that almost serves as a concept album on the hollowness of fame – but with so many standout tracks with varied guests and producers, there's a little something for everyone here. Guests vocalists and producers include Madlib, Pusha T, Kelly Price, DJ Paul and others. Includes "Couldn't Be Done" with Kelly Price, "Blackest In The Room", "Pain & Strife" feat Offset, "Zipper Bags", "Rabbit Vision", "Dark Hearted", "Gold Rings", "Grandma's Stove" with Musiq Soulchild, "CIA" and more. CD

Way more than just a set of "lost tapes" – but that's what we've come to expect for any project that involves Madlib – an artist for whom even the smallest of moments is a thing of greatness! Lootpack are the trio that first helped Madlib rise to fame in the 90s – working alongside Wildchild and DJ Romes, and really perfecting his production skills – and the cuts here are from the years before they got signed to Stones Throw, including work from the Psyche Move EP that was their first solo release. Yet there's also plenty of Stones Throw guests on the project – including Declaime (aka Dudley Perkins), God's Gift, Kazi, Oh No, and Medaphoar – fleshing things out nicely on tracks that include "Inner Soul", "Psyche Move", "I Come Real With This", "Situation", "Get Whack", "Antidote To Antidope", "Attack Of The Tupperware Puppets", "Forever Beef", and "I Declare War". LP, Vinyl record album

Madlib is back with his split personality rhymesayin self, the one and only weird and wacky sounding Quasimoto. Another Stones Throw hip hop classic, with Madlib producing and rhyming on the tracks, speakin about jazz, outerspace, and microphones. Tracks include "Bad Character", "Microphone Mathematics", "Good Morning Sunshine", "Low Class Conspiracy", "Put A Curse On You", "Astro Travellin", "Phony Game", "Astro Black", "Return Of The Loop Digga", "Basic Instinct", "Bluffin", "Boom Music", "Green Power", "24-7" featuring Medaphoar, and seven more. LP, Vinyl record album

Mad funky vibes from The Wooden Glass – a group led by vibist Billy Wooten – an obscure player in the history books, but one who has had a huge influence on 21st Century groove! Billy's got a hard style on the vibes that's like Bobby Hutcherson and Roy Ayers at their soulful best – working here with a tight combo that includes guitar and organ, very much in the mode of his classic work with the slightly more famous (although equally obscure) Indianapolis combo The Ninteenth Whole! The set's a live one, but it really cooks with a sweet electric feel – echoey, funky, and soulful – as tunes spin out in a staggering approach to the vibes that's unmatched by any record of its time. Billy was a huge influence on Madlib and the sound of Yesterday's New Quintet – and hearing this set, it's virtually a blueprint for that group's current work! Includes great covers of "In The Rain", "Day Dreaming", and "Love Is Here" – plus Wooten's excellent original tracks "Monkey Hips & Rice" and "Joy Ride". CD

Heavily reworked versions of tunes from the jazz catalog of Timeless Records – not so much remixes as they are new takes on older tracks by Pharoah Sanders, Art Blakey, Batida, and others! The style here is almost like that of Madlib's Blue Note project – in which the core originals almost serve more as inspiration than the main structure for the remixes – and it's clear that the artists on the set are given plenty of free reign to interpret the Timeless groove however they see fit. Thankfully, though, most numbers here are still in the same soulfully righteous spirit of the originals – even if they sound a fair bit different – and we'll be honest in saying that the collection's a great inspiration to head back to the crates and start digging again for Timeless! Titles include "I Cry" by Rich Medina, "Jam In Pumpwork" by Wouda Boogie, "Nerada" by Domu, "High Priestess" by The Politik, "Batida" by Kev Brown, "Amsterdam After Dark Intro" by INT with Rich Medina, "Kenji's Walk" by Alex Attias' Mustang, "In Time" by Elsas, and "Almost Timeless" by John Arnold. CD