20 Years of IBMCs!

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IBMCs label, summer 2018

The Summer is heating up 1000 degrees over here, and as usual the family increases and more gems abound for the label. Worldwide as ever, we have 3 new albums to share with you here from DJ Nice, Ruth Koleva, and Uzee The Bovvaking & Grolok Panicrum, artists from France, Bulgaria, Nigeria and back to France! Ready for the trip? Let’s go.

First up, Toulousian producer DJ Nice generously allowed us to recompile tracks from his My Contribution releases into a finalized masterwork which shows his serious dedication to Hip Hop Culture and brings together line up of emcees and DJs including Rob Swift, Audessey, Phill Most Chill, Sadat X, AG and more. We urge you to collect all the vinyl releases for the remixes which enlisted DJ Brans, DJ Duke, DJ Low Cut, DJ Djaz, DJ Nelson, DJ Nixon, DJ Skillz, Cleon & Jazzy Pidjay, Kyo Itachi, Logilo, DJ Modesty, Doc TMK & DJ Suspect, DJ Paul Nice, DJ Maltfunk, DJ Metronom, and more. With Gilen on the artwork, these are all collector’s items.

Next we continue our series of instrumentals albums, with acclaimed artist Ruth Koleva, one of Bulgaria’s National treasures. Notably diverse with her music, (having worked on remixes with such luminaries as Kaidi Tatham, DJ Spinna, Mark De Clive-Lowe, and Eric Lau to name a few), Ruth has earned her recognition as a formidable talent. For this selection of instrumentals from her RUTH album the tracks are all original compositions with live instruments, and if this is your introduction to her music then checking the vocal version and her most recent work is highly recommended. Here is her new video, ‘Wantchu’:

Finally, some Nigerian Hip Hop coming straight outta Ibadan, it’s Uzee The Bovvaking.  Costia in Norway put me onto his work which also led me to hearing the fantastic beats of Grolok from France. The producer/emcee combination works well on this album, giving Uzee room to explore various topics from family, love and sex from his unique perspective while keeping the album concise. In association with Cave of Adullam Records we are proud to present Jazz & Vodka. Also be sure to check for Uzee’s ‘The Journey Of The Magi‘ album, available now and check out Grolok‘s superb videos.

Follow the movement here: https://ibmcs1.bandcamp.com/

 

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Ugandan Hip Hop

Hip Hop in Uganda has come a long way in the last decades, especially since the creation of the Hip Hop Boot Camp project in 2011 and their series of releases and events. Organised by Bayimba org and featuring artists from all over the country with each release focusing on bringing artists from different regions together, the boot camp works to empower the youth towards learning more about the music industry and it’s many possibilities. Check out these great works here: http://www.reverbnation.com/HipHopBootCampUganda

Another Ugandan Hip Hop compilation out there that got a CD release is ‘Kampala Flow: East African Hip Hop from Uganda’. Also be sure to watch the ‘Bouncing Cats’ documentary written and directed by Australian director and photographer Nabil Elderkin which is amazing, and ‘Diamonds in the Rough: A Ugandan Hip Hop Revolution’ (Brett Mezurak, 2007) and ‘Shake the Dust’ (produced by Nas, 2015). Shouts to Bana

 

IBMCs Digital Label 2nd 1/4 2018

2018 is proving to be an exceptional year with so many dope projects dropping it’s hard to keep up with everything! The second half of the year will be no less hectic with full length albums coming from DJ Nice, Crimson, Sir Beans OBE & MC Kelz, Uzee The Bovvaking & Grolok Panicrum, These Handz, MG Gost & Hain Teny, a live instrumental project from Ruth Koleva – not to mention more 7 inch action on the way with George Fields and Venom (more announcements on that soon) and the 2nd vinyl LP campaign now in the works for ‘Waking Walk’ Instrumentals.

 

3CNB is a producer from Lithuania, now based in the UK and working on getting the best possible sound for his productions after many years of study. ‘Dilla Thanks’, an homage to one of the greatest Hip Hip producers ever to have lived, was created using samples and elements from Dilla’s work, with 3CNB’s additional melodies giving it the unique twist necessary.

‘Paying Homage to the Golden Era of Hip Hop’ by DJ Jaymob is a special album created by a producer (based in Orlando originally from NYC) who has been on the scene for more than 2 decades already, working with legendary emcees like MF DOOM, Kool Keith and Cappadonna and Wordsworth, who all feature here. An anthology of sorts, Jaymob deserves huge respect for bringing together so many of his connections to pay homage in this way.

Individu & Wispo, a duo from Luxembourg released their album ‘Pulsions’ back in 2015. Individu raps in French working together with Wispo on providing the production. Another great addition to the family, we look forward to an extended reissue of ‘Pulsions’, as well as the Instrumentals which is dropping tomorrow.

Also on the boil we have A Strange Man Called Seb’s debut 12 inch release, Door People/Dorset Diction, a UK banger with production by Easy B and Vosn from Belgium and Poland respectively. The test pressings sound heavy and we can look forward to the vinyl later this year. Stay tuned and be sure to check the action on bandcamp!

https://ibmcs1.bandcamp.com/

MG Gost – Waking Walk Instrumentals vinyl campaign begins

Following the success of the Drumahmental vinyl campaign we are now embarking on our second LP campaign, the instrumentals from MG Gost’s sought after ‘Waking Walk’ album which came out in 2015 (Dusty Platter). The record secured the Hain Teny member’s position as a international producer with a developed jazzy sound, featuring great emcees like Cadence (RIP), Jack Jones (Audessey), Tableek and more, also with additional production from Dirty Hairy and Slone with remixes.

To be released on white vinyl, with full cover art and limited to 200 copies, the Waking Walk Instrumentals vinyl is now available to pre-order on the Qrates site.

https://qrates.com/projects/14429-waking-walk-instrumentals

IBMCs Digital Label first ¼ 2018

Things are really starting to heat up for the label this year, the most recent 3 releases upholding standards and even raising the bar, taking us to new and unexpected territories. As well as these extraordinary blessings from Dark Circle, LRS and D-Tension, we have a whole heap of gems to drop on you in 2018, more about them later…

Firstly, Anglo-German-Jamaican-Icelandic favourites Dark Circle, the duo of Hoycke and Anik who have a long time affiliation with IBMCs, allowed us to release some hidden chambers in the form of this download-only EP. The first project on the label to feature German language raps, the Reunion EP also comes with 2 videos and is a rare window into the murky world of this exceptional group.

LRS is the combination of French producer Jostereo, with Chicago (Paris based) emcee Days, aka 12:51 aka RacecaR, a prolific figure on the underground scene since the days of Modill (see what I did there?) having done numerous collaborations with artists like Soul Square, Sax Machine, Paris DJs, the Afro Latin Vintage Orchestra and more. ‘Highs’ is a special reissue version with additional remixes of 2 tracks by Russian (Norway based) producer Constant Elevation, aka C.E.B. and also released on CD.

Thirdly, today we have released the latest album from producer/emcee D-Tension, who needs little introduction, having already solidified his position with his ‘Contacts and Contracts’ albums 1&2 which featured a who’s who of dope US emcees. Once again blessed with amazing features from legends like Diamond D, AG of DITC and Tash of Tha Liks, this is not an album to be slept on. D-Tension has dedicated The Violence of Zen to his friend and long time supporter Dru Garrity who passed away recently.

Support the label by downloading these projects or ordering CDs/vinyl

https://ibmcs1.bandcamp.com/

IBMCs Beats V

IBMCs Beats Archive Vol 5

The IBMCs Beats Archives’ purpose is to showcase talent and serve as a reminder that Hip Hop production and beat making is still alive and well, in multiple global locations and often on wax. The contributors vary from well established producers with 20 years or more experience, to newcomers who deserve an ear. The archives are listen-only projects which allows the contributors to put forward whatever they want, often instrumentals from releases recently put out on vinyl, and links are provided for the possibility of further listening or record buying. 25 individuals sent an instrumental and some words about themselves which you can read on the pages for the beats.

So who is featured? From the UK: Kista runs the Soundweight label, putting out phenomenal records and is well known for his dedication to graffiti. Ghost is a friend from the old days and dedicated craftsmen when it comes to his music. Interestingly I once worked in an office alongside Ghost, and also for the Breakin Bread label which released stuff from Ghost, Tufkut and Tom Caruana, the Brighton based genius behind the not to be slept-on Son of Sam album, Cinder Hill, who also provided a tasty morsel for the archive. Small world. Jonny Cuba is producer (from the mighty Dynamic Syncopation and Soundsci) who I did not work in an office with but makes amazing music nevertheless. Also, from southwest UK, Crispy comes highly recommended (shouts to Biscuit) and we are proud to include him on here.

On Vol 5 we have a prominent jazz influence, although as always there is a variety of styles. As well as 5 beats from artists who have released material on the IBMCs Digital Label; Dr.Drumah from Brazil, Supafuh from France, Americans Tactik and IV The Polymath, plus Serbians Beatchukaz (check their Bricks album which just dropped, review here) and MG Gost who also helped compile this volume and runs the label. We also have beats from affiliates Adept & Rude Lead from Norway (who we will be hearing more about very soon), UK’s Tufkut, Klonazz from Colombia and IceRocks from New York (who all produced remixes for the Worldwide Remix Project), and DJ Nice from Toulouse, France – everyone’s favourite DJ/producer. MAARTN from Belgium is another great beatmaker we’ve always got an ear out for.

Speaking of Belgians, DJ Koss sent an instrumental from his ‘Born to Live’ LP which dropped last year on Below System Records, amazing record. Crazy vinyl is flying out from various labels and places. Scottish Jazz Spastiks have been blazing a trial for a minute and freed up this unreleased gem for us (new record ‘Scratch & Sniff’ reviewed here). Out of Australia comes Must Volkoff with his classic ‘Aquanaut’ double LP (review here) on Pang Productions, and from Moscow Russia, Boora who has released his 2^nd solo project on King Underground, ‘The Art of 10 Seconds’. South American Hip Hop albums on wax are rare and might take a long, long time to reach you but it will be worth it with H-Ico aka Da Funkylooper from Colombia who’s ‘Boombap Language’ album came out this summer featuring a selection of worldwide emcees.

Stateside producers D-Tension and Madsol Desar are also on here. Madsol stays busy DJing and making music, and you will remember D-Tension from his ‘Contacts and Contracts’ vols 1 and 2 albums; he is now releasing his new album “The Violence of Zen’. Last but not least, we were extremely blessed to get a beat from Parisien Parental, the reknowned French producer of Kahlex fame (Akromégalie Records).

The Beats

https://ibmcs.bandcamp.com/album/ibmcs-beats-v

IBMCs in 2017

At the start of the year, more tracks from the Worldwide Remix Project were released, and IBMCs 7 inches 2 and 3, part of the series to be completed this year.

The digital label has seen major progression, with 8 CDs and a 2 vinyl releases now available on bandcamp, a cassette release of Obo’s Chop Suey LP in cooperation with LabOhr, as well as the Qrates crowdfunder campaign for Dr. Drumah’s Drumamental vinyl LP successfully completed and into production…

The first Q&A for a few years got published, with producer du jour Giallo Point, and quite a few reviews of the some of the best albums released this year, one even published on Wordplay magazine’s website.

Thanks to all team members and supporters in 2017, looking forward to this year being as great as we can make it. Peace!

Photo of the year by Nika of Mr Mitchie Williams in Kingston Jamaica with the only copy on the island, Rewind!

Dr.Drumah – Drumamental vinyl campaign begins

The campaign to release Dr.Drumah’s Drumamental album on wax is underway via Qrates and in cooperation with Mr Grim Productions. This beautiful product will be pressed upon us reaching the target of 200 orders, and shipped to supporters all over the globe by early January 2018.

Preorder you copy now by clicking here

IBMCs Digital Label, 2017 final 1/4

The IBMCs Digital Label has grown organically due to a phenomenal work rate from MG Gost and the fantastic contributions of all the artists involved. Building with Alix (Mr.Grim Productions), we have created opportunities for releases on different formats, with 6 CDs already available and options for some cassette (in collaboration with LabOhr) and vinyl releases being put into place now, more on that soon.

Order Obo – Chop Suey on cassette:
https://labohr.bandcamp.com/album/chop-suey

The latest releases come from Serbian duo Beatchukaz and long-time IBMCs affiliate and prolific emcee, Glad2Mecha from Arizona, US. The Beatchukaz ‘Bricks’ is an instrumental excursion (read review), while Glad’s ‘Passport’ project is a truly international affair featuring producers from 10 countries and emcees from Glad’s Building Block Records family. ‘Passport’ will also be the first in a series of reissued albums featuring additional mixes from label affiliates.

Order CDs:
https://www.facebook.com/MR.GRIM.Productions/

Finally coming soon are the reissues of 3 releases by Finn Peters, the highly acclaimed jazz musician/producer/all round genius. After extensive negotiations we are delighted to find a home for these projects now on bandcamp (which all had vinyl releases) and also have copies of Rif/Mali EPs, (2xLP) a few copies of Purple/Yellow (10inch) and even copies of the Music Of The Mind album available on CD.

If you think that’s a lot to keep up with, well 2018 will be even crazier and this year is not over yet! As always, many thanks to all the contributors and supporters of the label as we expand – onwards and upwards!

And be sure to follow the progress here!
https://ibmcs1.bandcamp.com/