Earl Sweatshirt has always been at the forefront of hip hop – and here, he really continues that legacy, by also reaching backwards for the production skills of The Alchemist – whose special touch on the record really creates a whole new milieu for Earl's lyrics! There's a dreamlike quality to the record, but one that's also stripped-down enough to feel personal – a refinement of Alchemist's style, often with a great focus on just one or two instrumental elements – almost like spare spicing to really keep the vocals in the lead. Titles include "Dead Zone", "Free The Ruler", "27 Braids", "Mac Deuce", "My Brother The Wind", "100 High Street", "Sentry", "Sirius Black", "The Caliphate", and "Mancala" – the last two of which feature Vince Staples! LP, Vinyl record album
With Slick Rick on the Alchemist mix! 12-inch, Vinyl record
(Promo in a stickered sleeve.)
3
Ernie Krivda —
Alchemist ... LP Inner City, 1978. Near Mint- ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
Musical alchemy from Erkie Krivda – one of the reedman's best sets from the 70s, and a record that's full of open-ended lines! Krivda plays tenor, soprano sax, and flute – often in a freewheeling style that certainly draws influence from the fusion generation, but which has an acoustic setting here – in a group that features Gil Goldstein on piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, Bob Moses on drums, and Ray Mantilla on percussion. With a rhythm section that solid, you can bet that the record's got a bold sort of energy – one that really seems to push Krivda's reeds nicely, even on some of the mellower tracks. Titles include "Valse Macabre", "Tzigine", "Husar", "Tears On A Golden Arm", and "Nocturnal Carnival". LP, Vinyl record album
(White label promo. Cover has a cut corner, a small trace of a sticker, general wear, and a small stain .)
A wickedly sharp album from Earl Sweatshirt – a set that comes on strong from the very first notes, then keeps on with a tightness that really makes a nice difference from some of Earl's other albums – an approach that's maybe more compact in terms of the way the songs are laid out, especially compared to sprawling efforts from bigger names – at a level that shows that there's plenty to learn from the left side of the spectrum in hip hop! Production is by Black Noise and The Alchemist, Armand Hammer make a guest appearance on "Tabula Rasa", and other cuts include "Old Friend", "2010", "Sick", "Fire In The Hole", "Titanic", "Vision", "God Laughs", and "Lye". LP, Vinyl record album
(Limited blue vinyl pressing.)
6
Prodigy (of Mobb Deep) —
Return Of The Mac ... LP Koch/Get On Down, 2007. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)...
$18.9927.99
An almost-accidental classic by Prodigy – a great solo project after the split of Mobb Deep, and a set that was originally intended to just circulate as a mixtape – but which got issued properly based on the quality of the tracks! Alchemist is a key partner here – and the tracks have this approach that's straightforward, yet sophisticated – that subtle blend that Mobb Deep did so well, but pushed into more of a 21st Century east coast vibe. Titles include "Down & Out In New York City", "Return Of The Mac", "Stop Fronting", "My Priorities", "Nickel & A Nail", "That's That", "Take It To The Top", and "The Rotten Apple". LP, Vinyl record album
Production by Swizz Beatz, Alchemist, Buckwild, DJ Clue, and Ayatollah, plus guest spots by Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, Angie Stone, and MOP. LP, Vinyl record album
(Promo in a stickered sleeve, with some ringwear and bent corners.)
8
Action Bronson —
Mr Wonderful ... LP Atlantic/Vice, 2015. Near Mint- ...
Out Of Stock
Action Bronson's first proper full length in a while, and his most high profile to date, released by Atlantic and Vice! Mr Wonderful sports allstar production credits for Mark Ronson, Alchemist and others – plys some strong guest appearances by Chance The Rapper and more – but make no mistake, it's AB's show! Action Bronson spits venom when duty calls, but he's also got a playful style that keeps it easygoing and entertaining. Good stuff. Includes "Brand New Car", The Rising" feat Big Body Bes, "Actin Crazy", "Baby The Blue" feat Chance The Rapper, "Galactic Love", "Easy Rider", "Only In America" feat Party Supplies and more. LP, Vinyl record album
Brilliant work from Stefon Harris – one of the boldest voices on vibes of his generation– with a sound that resonates strongly with older work by Bobby Hutcherson and Walt Dickerson! Like both of those players, Harris has a way of approaching the vibes that is freshly modern, yet also strongly rhythmic and swinging – a groove that comes out even on the more experimental numbers in the set, and which makes the album resonate with colors and tones that few others on the instrument can match. The overall sound here is marked by Greg Osby's presence in the group and his production – but thankfully, those elements are a bit underplayed – and other players on the record include Steve Turre on trombone and Jason Moran on piano. Titles include "Feline Blues", "There Is No Greater Love", "Of Things To Come", "Bass Vibes", "Collage", "The Alchemist", "Chorale", "Faded Beauty", and "After The Day Is Done". LP, Vinyl record album
After the dope independent singles and then the just-aiight singles on Tommy Boy, we didn't know what to expect from the Defari LP. We're happy to hear him deliver some nice LP tracks that live up to the independent singles with production by Evidence, Alchemist and E Swift, and some nice guest verses from Xzibit, the Alkaholiks and Evidence of Dilated Peoples. 8 tracks on this single vinyl promo version: "Focused Daily", "Lowlands Anthem", "Yes Indeed", "Killin Spree", "These Dreams", "Juggle Me", "Thunder & Lightning" and "405 Fridays". LP, Vinyl record album
A short, brilliant blast of creative wordplay from Earl Sweatshirt – who'd been riding a peak for years leading up the Feet Of Clay and shows no signs of coming down – with production by ES himself, Alchemist, Ovrcast and a Mach Hommy, all tasked with providing a moody, headnodding backdrop for such a distinctive figure, and they pull it off perfectly. The vinyl version of Feet Of Clay plays longer than the earlier digital releases, but it still has the short and sweet feeling of being dropped into a strangely lyrical dream and lifted out before you wake up. 9 tracks that for the most part find Earl in peak unfiltered stream of consciousness flow from beginning to end, each track seamlessly floating to the next. Includes "74", "East", "Mtomb" feat L.Ive, "OD", "El Toro Combo Meal" feat Mavi, "Tisk Tisk/Cookies" and "4N" feat Mach Hommy, "Ghost" and "Whole World". LP, Vinyl record album
The cut here is "Make It In Life" with Group Home stepping up the lyrics and add more energy to the vocal style since their days on Payday, plus some nice dense production by Agallah. A tale of giving up the thug life, complete with vocal samples from Louis Farrakhan. Production on "Stupid Muthaf*ckas" by the Alchemist. 12-inch, Vinyl record
17
Nas —
God's Son ... LP Columbia, 2002. Near Mint- 2LP ...
Out Of Stock
One of the records that marked a key moment when Nas was returned to the glory of his earliest years – coming across with a renewed sort of intensity, and lyrics that maybe put even more of the man himself inside of his music! There's still plenty of street show going on here, but Nas blends that front with energy going on behind it – in ways that still hold up strongly all these many years later, and which maybe set a new standard for work of this nature at the time. Production includes key efforts from Salaam Remi and The Alchemist, and the set has a ghostly guest appearance from 2Pac, as well as features from Alicia Keys, Bravehearts, and Kelis – on tracks that include "Revolutionary Warfare", "Hey Nas", "Zone Out", "Made You Look", "Get Down", "The Cross", "Mastermind", "Warrior Song", and "Thugz Mansion NY". LP, Vinyl record album
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Earl Sweatshirt —
Sick ... LP Warner, 2023. New Copy ...
Out Of Stock
A wickedly sharp album from Earl Sweatshirt – a set that comes on strong from the very first notes, then keeps on with a tightness that really makes a nice difference from some of Earl's other albums – an approach that's maybe more compact in terms of the way the songs are laid out, especially compared to sprawling efforts from bigger names – at a level that shows that there's plenty to learn from the left side of the spectrum in hip hop! Production is by Black Noise and The Alchemist, Armand Hammer make a guest appearance on "Tabula Rasa", and other cuts include "Old Friend", "2010", "Sick", "Fire In The Hole", "Titanic", "Vision", "God Laughs", and "Lye". LP, Vinyl record album
One of the records that marked a key moment when Nas was returned to the glory of his earliest years – coming across with a renewed sort of intensity, and lyrics that maybe put even more of the man himself inside of his music! There's still plenty of street show going on here, but Nas blends that front with energy going on behind it – in ways that still hold up strongly all these many years later, and which maybe set a new standard for work of this nature at the time. Production includes key efforts from Salaam Remi and The Alchemist, and the set has a ghostly guest appearance from 2Pac, as well as features from Alicia Keys, Bravehearts, and Kelis – on tracks that include "Revolutionary Warfare", "Hey Nas", "Zone Out", "Made You Look", "Get Down", "The Cross", "Mastermind", "Warrior Song", and "Thugz Mansion NY". LP, Vinyl record album
Prodigy's solo debut HNIC – gritty and raw from intro to outro, with a methodical flow on par the with the best of his work with Mobb Deep in the best moments – while taking stylistic detours! Naturally, there's a personal vibe to the peak tracks here that he couldn't explore so singularly on rhymes in the Mobb Deep canon, but there's some less personal, more boisterous bangers here too. Stands the test of time pretty strongly production wise, too. Includes the classic "Keep It Thoro", "Wanna Be Thugs", "Infamous Minded", "Trials Of Love", "What U Rep", "YBE", "Three", "Can't Complain" and more, plus guest appearances by Havoc, Big Noyd, Cormega and production on a few tracks by Alchemist. LP, Vinyl record album
Snoop brings Doggy Style over to Geffen – also the home to the Neptunes' Star Trak, Snoop's partners for this seriously strong later effort – also working with a diverse roster of producers and vocal guests including Alchemist, Lil Jon, 50 Cent, Hi Tek, and others. Snoops laidback rhyme style sounds really great on the Neptune productions, with that glittery minimalist electro sound and the digital handclaps that meld perfectly with Snoop's hazy delivery. The the now classic status of the standout single "Drop It Like It's Hot" is pretty much all the evidence you need, but Snoop's on a real high (artistically, that is) here, and mainstream street hop is all the better for it! Other tracks include "Bang Out", "Can I Get A Flicc Witchu" feat Bootsy Collins, "The Bidness", "Let's Get Blown", "Step Yo Game Up" with Lil Jon, "Oh No" with 50 Cent, "Pass It Pass It" and more. LP, Vinyl record album
Breathtakingly organic sounds from Jon Hassell – performing here live, and at a level that's a nice evolution from his studio modes in the earlier part of the 80s – with all sorts of long-blown lines, and nicely complex elements in the sound! Hassell handles both his famous electrified trumpet and keyboards, with a group that includes keyboards, guitar, bass, and percussion samples – all mixed live by Brian Eno, who definitely adds a darkness to the whole proceedings – recalling the Fourth World experiments that he and Hassell had done about a decade before, but with a quality that really respects all the growth that Jon went through as an artist in the intervening years. Titles include "Ituri", "Alchemistry", "Mashujaa", "Paradise Now", "Nightsky", and "Adedara Rising". LP, Vinyl record album
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