iNDEX - Peter Profit EP - A Few Words

Long overdue and incredibly appropriate, I first conceived the idea of reviewing this back before it was released. However, Buddhist monks and unwanted procrastination resulted in a bit of a delay, if I do say so myself. How and ever, needs must and I felt a rustling in my jimmies of creation, so today was to be the day. Sicker than sick and doper than dope, this album is a laid-back slammer.

   Kicking off with Chro Logic, fittingly produced with a feature from Dub Logic, the soft intro is followed by a skimpy beat. The background flute thing keeps the flow continuous, which is contrasted with the harsh vocals. iNDEX's lyrics are real, no bullshit. The vocal diversity showcases his ability as an artist, and not just here, but through the EP. With more references to the ol' medicinal than Cheech and Chong, I think he might like zonking out a bit more than I do. Sometimes the accent changes in the song, giving the impression that it's someone else. Variance is key. The basic beat and flute just keep flowing, never ceasing, and it is perfect. The production is bliss, credit to Chro.

   Breathing into Cake House, an old school introduction keeps the style. Some aul' one's talking about cooking or something, but yeah, keep it real. The groove is sweet and the soft/hard snare is just gorgeous. Reference to Fully Peng. The riff in the back keeps the swing, and the scrappy guitar notes here and there keep the vibe. Quite perfect, I must observe. Reference to the dutch. Again with the food, except this time it has a mention of guacamole. Hmmmm, no. Not for this here. The vocals are immense, and the harsh projection fits perfectly. I like his style, projection, lyrics, etc. But cayenne and crazy leaf sounds a little less appetizing to what I'd be used to. How and ever, everyone to their own. Again, Chro's production is pure perfect, and again, there's more reference to the gwokmoli. I'll leave it at that.

   Get Live would have to be one of the earlier standouts on the album. The driving beat and bouncey synth really start the track off kicking. Shouts to Fully Peng. As said, it's a bouncey anthem, but still retains the chill atmosphere of the album, showcasing the talent of the duo. iNDEX's rapping suits this track impeccably, and he's really making a statement. To get fucked. A few shout outs to the likes of Squared Roots and such lets us know who's behind him, always nice to hear. That beat keeps your neck in motion, no doubt. I think he might like the herbalist mentality. Again, real lyrics, no shit. The beat is key, and variance is appreciated. Everything combined with the high piano notes dancing in the back fuses into the perfect slammer.

Peter Profit EP - by Google Image search

   Drifting into Dime Bag, the list of names is endless in the sea of English hip-hop. All the list is missing is... um, English Tupac?... A true big-ups to the whole fam on this one. Eric the Red can be heard at the start, and his voice always produces a chuckle or three from me. He sounds so similar to Leaf Dog at times it's uncanny. iNDEX naturally starts her up, with a lighting of said blunt. The synth line stands out as being quite separate and unique compared to the rest of the album, but as mentioned, variance is key. The end of each bar - showcasing production - has this strange piano chord left hanging there, never resolving. Keeps you guessing. Through Eric, with his odd-as-cabbage voice, we glide to Res. Res always has this beefy voice that cuts through the mix, which can easily be heard here. A few... references to the herb. Basil or oregano? Hmm. O.A.B. has a heavier voice again, sitting in a completely different place in the mix, but still coming through and hitting heavy. Did the song take a turn towards a darker atmosphere for a while? I think so. Diversity ftw. You'd truly know Datkid anywhere. Like Res, maybe it's a Prophets thing, he cuts through very clear too. Typically giving out about bad smokers, he's quite at home. Sean Peng has his unique voice, adding a different dynamic yet again. Bring him cheese like Gromit, haha. Beaver sounds a bit different, like he was mixed differently, but it just shows a different light. Welcomed with open arms. Piff is on game, what with his new album and all, and he's no different here. His lyrics are a bit wacky though. Each vocalist sounds so different that one can easily see Chro as a top-notch producer. Much love.

   One might be familiar with Weed Music from, like myself, the Badhabitz remix tape. The version on PP has the same qualities, yet sounds so vastly different it truly sounds like two different songs. Not saying that it shouldn't, but you know. The beat on PP is a lot harder, which is... cordial? The guitar just hangs there, with an air of suspense surrounding the track. iNDEX has that powerful delivery that really stands out, and aside from the suspense, there's this feeling of melancholy present. Thematic, one might discourse. Haha, Pineapple Express quotes are just too perfect. I laughed. The timing, compared to Badhabitz'zz is a lot different, in that bars start and end in different places, if you understand what I mean. Once you listen to both you'll see. Not a bad thing though, it adds impact. Shows a totally different take on a song. At least he's eating lunch, haha. Too many lolz. The lyrics are beautiful on the track, and again the production is on form. A match made on MatchFinders. More Pineapple Express quotes :D

   Keeping her laid back in the shack, play this track... Lay Back, with Sean Peng, is fairly self-explanatory. A relaxed introduction, chill as a cucumber, is the perfect start. Big-ups to the fuckin' muesli bruv. The beat is blessed by the filtered synth, and it is just chill, chill. Peng sounds on form, and the breaths you can hear before the lines he spits adds a deep impact. No attempt to hide it, nor no need to. The chorus, with iNDEX half-assing it again gives a deeper impact to the words. Why force everything when it's supposed to be laid back? Another verse makes the riff pure exceptional, and the doubling of the vocals is like a homage to the atmosphere. Another strange as fuck sample. Hmm, where he get dese?

   Previously released, with the vijjo at the bottom of the page, S.A.G.E. is probably the best known off the album. Is it the standout of the album? Not to me, to be fair. However, it's still a banger. The video itself is simple and effective, and shows a happy iNDEX. A peaceful intro, and a much happier atmosphere bring forth a different iNDEX. Still has his powerful delivery. A sense of reminiscing is present, if you follow my drift. Give here a listen and you'll see. The long, long snare is beauty, keeps the flow in the back. The clear-cut samples carry the flow in the front, and Chro is at one of his best moments here, keeping you moving. The strings and vocals build up, then drop repeatedly, giving an ebb and flow impression. Perfect. Fuck fame.

   3Tusli would probably be the standout to me. I like that shit, more of it. The funky guitar teeters around, then drops in to a full absolute mix. The beat is delicate and easy going, and when iNDEX starts off, he fits excellently. That beat is so so nice. Too nice. Nicer than those shitty Nice biscuits you see in shops that aren't even that nice, fuckin' deceptive fascists. A few samples here and there about the herby, and another Pineapple Express quote (winning), the album fades out with a Tew Tew tew tew... Not sure why, but hey.

           Fin

Great success

Chro and iNDEX pair perfectly, and although I knew iNDEX before this EP, and was quite a fan, I must indulge and present the facts that I knew not of Chro. He's on the way up though. Sick beats, or beef if you say it right. Chro on the beef.

   This album wasn't really expected, in the sense that I was familiar with Appreciation and Scribble The Pen; this album is quite dark in its themes. Variance is key.

   Highlight of the album has to be either 3Tusli or Get Live, personally. Nothing against the other tracks, they just hit home.

   I look forward to the next release, and who knows? If I lick enough ballsack might just get an interview, tee hee.

Averagity rating: Above average. Sky high. Big ups.

Links:
Bandcampe: https://fullypeng.bandcamp.com/album/peter-profit-ep

A quick rundown of the past month

BONGZILLA




Hmu m8.

A Few Words With Dabbla

It's been a while brewing in the cellar, but this one is fresh as fuck. Hip-hop legend Dabbla was in the studio-in-the-sky to have a few words about nothing. Big ups and wreck yourself.

What's the script? Introduce yourself, bru.

Hi, I'm a dabbla, I put words together to make you smile.  

I have to ask, where did 'Dabbla' as a name come from?

No interesting story behind it, just sounded cool at the time.

How did LDZ come into existence?

Good question. Started with myself and Pierre Green and grew from there.

Likewise, what's Problem Child?

Problem Child is my latest project with Illaman, Dubbledge and Sumgii. Get on it!

Your sound is a lot more 'industrial' than others in the scene you work with. In a contrast, your features, 'Dabble does...' sound a lot more old school. Do you have a particular style you prefer working with?

130-140bpm, that’s my shit.

Do you have a particular process for writing lyrics, or just let her flow?

First line has to be killer then yeah, she just does her thing.

If you had to pick a particular fruit to personify you, which and why?

Melon. All round amazing. In both solid and liquid form!

Which goat from the screaming goat compilations exemplifies you the clearest?

I'm not too familiar with the screaming goats but probably the one that drinks heavily and tells kids to fuck off.

Is there anything happening in the Dead Players camp at the moment?

Bare happenings! New EP in the making and another album on the way!

Favourite artist/s to collaborate with?

Haven’t had my fingers on the pulse lately, I’m too engrossed in my own hype.

Dead Players got great reviews for Boom Bap 2014. How was it for you?

Illegal.

What's the furthest a tour has taken you?

Never been on a proper tour, hopefully soon I'll be able to answer this with amazing tales!

How you start rapping?

You go ‘yo’ then begin…

You're pretty prominent in the loungekore scene. You have a favourite loungekore artist?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA, Loungekore.

Can I have a fag?

Certainly.

It seems like everyone in the UK hip-hop scene is one big family. Is there any beef in behind the scenes? Everyone loves gossip.

Fuck Uk HipHop.

You working on any projects at the moment?

Yeah, my debut album titled Madman’s Lullaby.

What about doing 'Dabbla does Miley'? I could see it.

Me too. Link it!

I'm sure fans can be a bit strange at times. Any funny stories from tours or just randomly meeting people?

Ummm… At a festival Baxter dragged me over to this girl who was reciting one of the first rhymes I ever wrote.  It was one of those 64-bar-long-story-telling lyrics which my mind had long forgotten… Listening to someone reel that shit off after a decade is pretty amazing to me.

Who's the biggest asshole in the game?

Harry the Bastard.

Would you consider yourself a mad egg?

From time to time.

Aguilera, yes?

Definitely. In the face.

Anything else?

Madman’s Lullaby. 2015. Potent Funk.

Script.

As always, my brus, links are here. You heard it, new album in store. Hup hup.

Sunday Top Five Hash Two

Another edition of nothingness is back, although there's a sever lack of nothingness. Only three tracks made it this week, being new and all. I promise to try harder; please, stop hitting me. Jam Baxter has a new album out, as does Smellington Piff, and Leaf looks like he's gearing up for something big. An exciting week it is. I'm a walrus. Moo.

Jam Baxter - Leash

   Produced by Chemo, off the new album '... So We Ate Them Whole', which is set to drop 1st Decemeber. I shall look forward. Baxter being Baxter, it's a strange release. The video is pretty wacky, and I'm sure I've missed the point of it. Fuck it. I shall let you endure and see your own meaning. Looking pretty spaced behind that desk, the video is minimal but effective. It seems to be a step away from his traditional style, being a lot more reminiscent of the American scene, with a much more industrial feel. Trap almost. Those flies coming out his ear are a bit, um, weird. And disgusting. I still have yet to decipher a lot of what Baxter says in his songs, and this one is no different. No fuckin' idea whatsoever. The girl dressed in latex makes it look like a mad freaky porno, haha. Yes, yes, quite disgusting. Being unfamiliar with the visuals of Chemo, I'm wondering is that him acting as the butler? It's a basic beat, but it works. The synth introduced later in the song reminds me of something out of the CAS back-catalogue. Baxter is in lazy mode here, with the rhyming just falling out of his mouth. It's a lot more relaxing than one might be used to; change is good. Back to the desk, or drawing board, he's happy again. What is up with that vidya?

Leaf Dog - The Man With 1000 Dice

   Rapped over a Kev Brown instrumental, Leaf is back. Is this tidings for a new album? Let us hope so. Leaf dropping a new album would be the biggest thing since stale bread. I hope this is only a snippet though, as it sounds like it's cut short. With no video, it sounds like it's part of a bigger project. Oh, I hope so. That strange guitar riff is nice, sounds a lot different to the usual Leaf old-school stuff. A nice scrappy beat is a change too, always good. There's a lot more 'yo's on the snippet than lyrics, which mean it must have been cut short. The lyrics are fairly random, reminds me of Baxter, haha.

Smellington Piff - Site

   Coming straight off his new album dropping 8th Decemeber, Site is a perfect example of an artist who has honed his skill. It's a suitable first release, making us expect more. It's dirty, loud, and spat at you. And viscous. A big contrast to the likes of Piff Land, Piff himself has steered in quite an angry direction. The chaos in the video only exemplifies the lyrics, and the song in general, and the copious amounts of herb being consumed keep the old familiar Piff close to hand. That Rhodes-style steel guitar throughout the song is more infectious than the latest epidemic. Look out for featured appearances from BVA and Leaf. I'm pretty sure it's them you can see. Leaf is sat around the campfire, and Beaver is in the van. Sharp eyes. Check out the dynamic rhyming on top of the caravan haha. Giggles. The way he screams 'Site' during the chorus is just perfection. The lyrics of the track are honest, with such features as 'If home is where the heart is I live on my sleeve'. With a lot of references to how shit life was for him growing up, it makes a difference to just rapping about getting stoned. Ending with a sort of half-verse, the song is the perfect introduction to the new release. The beat is simple, nothing wrong with that. The use of strings is exceptional, and it's clear Leaf is definitely back too. With the album cover saying 'Produced by Leaf Dog', it would be fucking incredible to see a whole album produced by him again. Four Owls anyone? I truly look forward.

Links:

A Few Words With Priya Panda

Fuck me in the ass and call me Alice. The studio is getting a lot of action this week, one is very happy with it. Priya Panda, of Diemonds, came in to talk shit and stuff. Ya dig?

What's the script. For our readers who may not know who you are, introduce yourself.

Hey dudes and duderellas, I'm Priya Panda and I sing in Diemonds.

How did Diemonds come about?

We came to be because of our shared love for classic rock n' roll. I started the band and baby, it’s been a long, wild ride, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. We’re the strongest we've ever been.

Were you involved in any other acts previously?

I personally wasn't, no. I've poured my heart, time and energy into Diemonds. I'm a firm believer in sticking to a project and watching it come to life.

Were Diemonds initially part of a scene? I wouldn't be inclined to associate them with any scene anyway.

Not really, but Toronto has an incredibly strong, hard working, and supportive network of underground hard rock and metal bands and fans. Is it a scene? Probably not, but we’re all huge music fans so we check out each other’s shows and like to pump up the projects of our peers. When one band is doing well, I feel like it’s one small step overall for Toronto rock and metal so it’s a good place to be in a band... If you can make ends meet. It’s a constant struggle.

I'm assuming you have quite a liking for hair metal. Who were your main influences growing up?

Growing up I liked the Beatles and Neil Diamond but after I discovered Guns n’ Roses it sort of set the course for most of the music that really drove me to make music myself. RATT, Skid Row, VAIN, Motley Crue, and KISS come to mind.

From certain band promo posts on Facebook I understand you like the herb?

That would be an accurate assumption. Roll up the moon and the stars and inhale the creativity and the goodness.

Do you go organic and smoke the homegrown, or support the corporate industry and buy it from suppliers?

I don’t have any connection to any suppliers whatsoever. I like to support small, local businesses no matter what it is I’m buying whether it’s coffee, vintage clothing or records.

Favourite dinner for when you're touring?

Mozzarella sticks. This is a direct result of touring America for years as a pretty strict vegetarian.

Do you believe sex sells?

Yes.

Being pleasing to the eye can help an image. Do you think it has helped the band get recognized?

I think our art, photos, and design all kind of tie into one another and it’s deliberate. We take pride in all the images and posters and merchandise we put out there with our name on them. Our music, our lifestyle, our personalities is something we try to tie into everything we release. And hopefully it looks cool as fuck too.

Has any weird shit ever happened with fans?

Absolutely it has. There’s a pretty traceable reason for this and that’s social media. People who you meet at shows or on tour or in life all get to stay in touch in a way that didn't happen before for bands and musicians or actors or other people putting themselves out there. That makes certain people take liberties that they wouldn't have been able to in the past. The constant personal messages and emails can make it seem like they know you or are developing a relationship in their mind that doesn't transpire in the real world. There’s been a few scary close calls, but for the most part we have the best fans ever that have come through for us through thick and thin. And for the record, I love staying in touch with people who want to talk. I like to shoot the shit and chat music and life. I fuckin' despise creepers, though.

It seems you guys have met quite a few of your heroes. Do you still lose your shit when you meet them?

Hell yeah I do. Oh man, of course I’m floored when I meet people I’ve idolized my entire life. Meeting people who made music that compelled me to make music is a surreal experience. I don’t think the thrill of being in the same backstage area as Slash or David Coverdale will ever wear off.

   I do get really starstruck when some of my favourite singers come to see us perform though. Dudes like Davy Vain, Stephen Pearcy, and Marq Torien have gone out of their way to come see us or treat us like gold. It’s beyond flattering. I can’t even begin to explain how much their music changed my life.

Where do you get your lyrical content from?

Life. Mine or someone else’s. People’s stories. Someone’s gotta tell them. The new record has a lot of focus on the struggle to find your place in a world that has shifted so drastically for us compared with the generation that came before us.

Where does your wardrobe come from?

Second hand stores and thrift stores pretty much make up 95% of my wardrobe. The whole band enjoys tour thrifting which is great for me. I still wear some vintage Toxic Vision and some Tripp NYC I got at Trash and Vaudeville in NY but other than that, it’s all just a mish-mash of children’s section miniskirts, 80’s bikini tops, cowboy boots and assorted broken-in leather.

Favourite colour and why?

White because Vince Neil used to wear it head to toe in the early Crue days, which is something I tried to do in the early Diemonds days until I toured for the first time and everything was gray in 48 hours.

What's the furthest place a tour has taken you?

India!

… Ireland any time soon?

Yes, please!

Manatees or Dugongs?

To be honest, I had to look up Dugongs, but I think I prefer the manatee, based on what? I don’t know.

Anything set for release the coming year? Or any projects lined up that wouldn't be traditional rock n roll?

The new record is coming out on 4/20!

Have you an interest in approaching other genres, maybe solo or with the band?

Oh yeah, I’m a huge fan of new wave British and Canadian mostly. Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, all that shit sits well with my black little heart.

How about tribal-funk-step?

Probably not. Leave that to the experts.

Thank you very, very, very much. Anything else?

Smoke Beer, Drink Weed, Listen to Diemonds.

Script.

If you don't like Diemonds, I don't like you. Here's some vids. Peace.

A Few Words With Ghosttown

Talkin' shit and gettin' hit, had Ghosttown in to the wonder-emporium for a quick few words. Big up and wreck yourself. Check it.

What's the script? For our viewers who don't know who you are, go ahead and introduce yourself.

Ok, I'm Ghosttown, I'm a beatmaker and producer who lives in Hackney London.

Do you have a certain way to produce beats, like start off with a clear idea of what you want to do? Or drag and drop and go from there? Do you deliberately try to add variance on your tracks?

Some of the time I start with drums if I don't have a clear idea of what I want to do. A lot of the time I hear a beat in my head or at least a vibe and try to get it down quick before it goes away. I don't really try to stick to a particular genre but the main thing is I got to be able to imagine a good vocal on top after the 1^st bit of the beat is down otherwise I'll scrap it and start again.

Your Soundcloud showcases a lot of unique beats. Nice profiler by the way. There's grimy, dirty, dinky, dubby, bit of reggae. Do you have a favourite style?

Not really... hip-hop I guess cos it's so diverse.

You have an EP on the way with Baxter and Scissorminge, with whom you've worked with before on many occasions. Was making the EP easy? Well, not easy in the traditional sense, but... easy?

Well, it's been in the pipeline for a couple years... We were making it at the same time as the Dead Players thing but we're all busy so it's just taken a long time to finish it. But yah, for me it was easy cos the beats were there already.

When is due for release? Can you give us any hints, like track names, anything?

Well, I don't really deal with that stuff but I heard a rumour that it might drop for free to avoid waiting for release schedules... It's been ready for a while so hopefully it will drop before next year. But don't hold me to that.

Main DAW to use?

Cubase.

You support found sound?

Yes I do.

Have you any interest in rapping?

I have done in the past and may do in the future but not right now.

You're working with Bahia too, seems quite a distant style from what you're used to. Where did this come about? Any info on this EP, style etc?

She's a friend so we just linked up and made some tracks. The EP is quite diverse and now it looks like the tracks might be integrated into a solo album for her featuring some other producers from all over the world. It's dope. The tracks I've done on there are like a fusion of two step garage and RnB... also there's a couple of reggae tracks but I dunno if they'll make it to the final cut of the album.

From your releases hinting towards dancehall grooves it's no surprise that you have Yosef [Madcon] in doing an EP. It's a big colab for you, no?

Yah, it's a collab between me, him and Son of Light... The project is called Underbelly... I'm excited about that one.

How often do you use the Vengeance sample packs?

I don't think I ever used them but I have a lot of unlabeled stuff that people have given me so it might be in there.

Would you have a favourite artist to work with?

Outkast.

Is there an artist you've wanted to work with since you started? Or a dream colab?

Outkast or Busta.

Boom Bap 14, what the fuck was it like? Dead Players seemed to get nice reviews.

Yah, it was sik, big ups to Ivan for making it so sick. I highly recommend that festival if you are a die hard hip-hop fan, or you just want a good party for a weekend, its wicked.

Vinyl or digital? Choose wisely.

Digital.

Do you like chicken medium-rare or well done?

I don't eat meat. But if I did it would be well done.

Favourite Miley Cyrus song?

Wrecking ball.

But in all honesty, would you like to colab with her? It... might work.

I would.

You know that shops here do coconut aftershave? How sick is that?

That is sick.

Have you ever been working with an artist like 'this is well bad'?

Plenty of times.

On a scale from 9-10 out of 10, how would you rate Christina Aguilera's Back To Basics?

Dunno if I've ever heard it!

Denied. Anything else you would like to include?

Yah, biggups to all my friends and family!

Script.

You can hear Sir's production in the following places:

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ghosttownbeats

A Few Words With JackKnifeJ

In light of the album review previously posted, JackKnifeJ came into the virtual studio machine to give a few words on some subjects dear to me.


What's the script? To our beloved listeners who, God forbid, don't know who you are, introduce yourself.

I'm super producer extraordinaire JackKnifeJ.

How, and when, did you start producing?

Back when I was 16 I was a half decent footballer who got a terrible knee injury, so to occupy my brain while recovering from surgery I got a copy of a music program called Reason from a neighbour, and have had a love/hate relationship with production since then.

Would you have a main influence?

I think anyone who listens to 1988 will hear I've a vast amount of influences from a load of genres, but back when I started out I wanted to be Dr. Dre, and if he wasn't too busy selling headphones I'd still consider him my main musical influence. His attention to every little detail in the way produces (and mixes music down, particularly) is something not a lot of producers in any genre can match.

How did you and Lethal Dialect meet? Are you his main producer, as I see you did work on LD50 and LD50 II?

Myself and LD know each other close to a decade now through gigs and other events to do with hip-hop here. Back when we started out the circle of people making hip-hop in Ireland was tiny so everybody practically knew everybody. No, I wouldn't be his main producer, a producer from Dublin called GI did the majority of the LD50 part 1 and 2 albums. I did a few tracks from both albums, Get To My Dreams is probably the best known track I did. We were meaning to work on a project for as long as we have known each other and making 1988 was the perfect time to do that.

If you've read earlier blogs you'd see I'm not too big on the Irish hip-hop scene. What's your opinion on where it is at the moment?

I've gotten to a stage where I really don't know who's making what, and what's going on in the hip-hop scene here. I genuinely don't pay any attention to it anymore. I was too involved in it for too long before the "mainstream" started to slowly latch on, so now I take a backseat and just concentrate on my own stuff.

Is there still the deep divide between the crews?

I think that's half the reason I'm in the backseat. The whole notion of "crews" having "beef" to me isn't something I'd be willing to talk about, nevermind participate in! I think any beef in Irish music circles is silly, the country is too small and the music scene is too small for it.

Lemons or melons?

Lemons baby! That's what I marinade my world famous chicken wings in.

Lyons or Barry's?

Neither. I'm a lover, not a fighter, and answering that could leave me in trouble with certain folk.

Favourite track off the new album?

My favourite track changes all the time... At the minute it's Brave. There's so many reasons for that; first, the track is dedicated to, and about, Lethal Dialects uncle who can be heard on the vocal snippet during the track which was recorded just before he passed away. The first two verses were written before he passed on, the last after he did, so there's a great sense of meaning to the track. LD's lyrics are so deep, and then of course being from Donaghmede having Damo Dempsey on music I made was amazing. Getting to work with John Reynolds wasn't bad either.

When you started producing the album, had you clear ideas of where you wanted it to go? It sounds like there's recurring samples and themes throughout, was it intentional for this to happen?

The album definitely sounds exactly how I wanted it to sound. I wanted to give Lethal Dialect a "sound", I hate listening to albums and they sound like a "Now 68" album. We needed 1988 to be as cohesive as possible. The whole slowed down ambient approach was to try make the lyrics stand out a little more and easier to understand. I was finding a lot of Irish rap gets lost in heavy accents and heavy drums, and casual listeners can be put off by it. Also, the album basically being sample free meant I was able to dictate the feel of a track using chord progressions and live instruments which again would appeal more to a casual listener.

Is there anything you feel could have been done different?

The fact that the bottle of Pepsi Max I have in my hand here cost more than it cost to make 1988 says a lot for the album, but I would have loved to have a label budget like all these other hip-hop acts who we have to compete against. Maybe we could have pushed harder to implement certain things; we would have liked to have string sections etc... But who's gonna sign two Irish lads who make hip-hop?

There's been some rumours, are you ghost producing for the new U2 album?

I have a 100 yard barring order from Bono because I was caught pulling the balls off myself in the Dalkey Hills while listening to The Joshua Tree, so I can confirm the rumours to be false.

Favourite Irish act, any time, any genre?

Easy... Damien Demspey.

If you could be any type of building, which and why?

I wouldn't fancy people living inside me.

Got ink?

Absolutely HATE tattoos and everything about them. Never fancied a picture of a fighting Irish leprechaun on my arm at 80 (shout out to @RedserMMA for rocking one with style).

Do you think you've a strong sense of home? If so, do you think it's projected in your music?

I love where I'm from, wouldn't live anywhere else in the world. There's a certain madness around my way, and the Northside of Dublin in general, that you just don't get anywhere else, and it's defo projected in 1988 through the old school dance elements that were a huge part of growing up for me and LD.

Favourite loungekore act?

JackKnifeJ.

You have a few gigs lined up for the album, yes?

We're launching it Friday 24th October in the Opium Rooms, Dublin. After that the tracks will be heard when LD hits the road with Damo Dempsey all over the festive season.

I would expect a break, but producing is infectious. Any projects you're working on at the moment?

Nothing concrete lined up at the minute, although I've had a few offers. Really want to see how well this goes down before I decide on what to do next.

Favourite pub in Dublin?

Kyles in Coolock Village... It's a kip but it's my kip.

Last question. Aguilera, yes or no?

My misses would have my balls on a plate... Yes.

Anything else?

Don't do drugs and stay in school.

Script.

   
   1988 is out now through iTunes, I believe, and Bandcamp, or you can get a physical copy at the Opium Rooms later in the month if you wish. I'll post links below. Didn't like the interview? Great, opinions are always respected. Call Joe Duffy. Script.

Duh Bundcump: http://lethaldialect.bandcamp.com/