wordsmith - the roadman showcase
son records release this precursor to the mans album proper which is due out shortly - and no, it's not a mixtape (for once!) its a solid set of tracks/remixes and odds and sods put together with wordsmiths partner in beat driven rhyme caruana and genesis elijah. opening with a typically melodramatic orchestral loop the album kicks off the 60 minutes in fine style like some underground version of adam f's epic hip hop moves proving that the folks behind this are not afraid to sound big and large in 2005. the intro is then dropped straight into the delicate monster 'the banga' with samples ranging from 'the teddy bears picnic' and even some old school prog rock (rick wakeman is hidden deep but don't tell anyone who told you !) making this hard hitting groove a fascinating insight into the musical sources that have been plundered to craft the loops. what is obvious amongst the meticulous sound, is that wordsmith has a style that is straight up and solid with his street language, but still accessible and listenable.
tracks are predominantly slow and brooding, with an intense atmosphere created from the trademark scratchy samples, spoken dialogue sections, real words noises and well placed extras. there is little in the way of any radio friendly crossover appeal (except maybe the excellent ska'd up 'trading bars' - gotta love that beat), however, this just makes this a more fulfilling album, with some fine classics spread across the 17 tracks, whether its the strings-n-choirs loops of my own fave 'the analyst', or the uk gangsta backing that is 'the getaway' with film samples and tense rocked up piano riffs ( these up-tempo loops sound very familiar to a recent 12"/playstation tie-in release!)
oh, and don't forget - this is just a work in progress release, if the guys can craft an album as solid as they imply here, then we got a serious contender for a classic uk hip hop album on its way. in the meantime, drop this set alongside your expanding uk hip hop albums with total ease.
word.