700 Bliss is the experimental club project of Philadelphia-based DJ Haram and Moor Mother. This is their first full-length release for Hyperdub, where they incorporate noise rap, club music and hip hop with punk and jazz. Featuring guests such as Lafawndah on "Totally Spies", Orion Sun on "Nightflame", and Muqata'a on "Candace Parker". There is also Alli Logout appearing on "Capitol", M Tellez lending their talents to "More Victories" and Ase Manual contributing production on "Lead Level 15". Nothing To Declare is loud, playful, fun and quite possibly one of the best rap albums of 2022.
Malik Kassim has yet to receive many plaudits for his productions, despite so far releasing a string of impressive EPs for the likes of Handy and Wolf Music. Hopefully he'll get more props for his latest outing as Retromigration, which sees Kassim showcase his trademark take on U.S style deep house and J Dilla style instrumental hip-hop. Check first the echoing strings, synth chords and twinkling pianos of deep and steppin' house jam 'Hafenluft', before admiring the swirling deep house jazz of 'Mad Fox' and the more driving but similarly jazzy 'Tinger'. Elsewhere, 'Be Alright' is a mid-tempo number that combines deep house elements with flashes of '80s synth funk, while 'Disk Yard' and 'Nur Weir' are dusty, stoner-friendly head-nodders.
As always with the Breakbeat Paradise team, they look to push out the boundaries of originality even further, welcoming Suckaside inside for a dizzying new single entitled 'Giving Up', featuring the wicked vocal prowess of Kurnel MC. The original version is a perfect hip hop roller, combining a euphoric chorus block with some seriously underground lyricism, with the instrumental being topped with regal string lines and big, boom-bapping drum lines to match. The project also comes complete with an up-tempo overhaul from BaeboE, who adds a few extra layers of rhythm to the party, alongside instrumental versions of both and the acapella cut, making this a must grab!
