PREVIEW: Invisible Inc – The Exit Strategy

Considered by many to be up there with the cream of UK hip-hop, Ghost, Verb T and Kashmere are back as Invisible Inc! Their digital album, The Exit Strategy, is coming out on 26th April via Bandcamp. Check out the above preview to get a feel of what this new album is all about. But, in their own words…

“This album was recorded whilst under the influence of LSD and lemsip max strength, the names have been changed to protect the innocent, this is a true story…”

The good news, as you’ll hear for yourselves, is that they’re sounding fresh as ever. That trademark heavy drum-break production from Ghost, coupled with the sharp, yet smooth flowing cyphers from Verb T and Kashmere, shows that the UK can still bring its hip-hop A-game when required. Naturally we’re a little way off the end of April release from Invisible Inc, but nearer the time we’ll have a proper detailed review of The Exit Strategy and some more sneaky previews – so, stay tuned!

Original Cultures – The Showcase

In the London area this Friday (5th March)? Get yourself down to The Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane for the Original Cultures showcase at Corbet Place. Original Cultures – The Showcase is a unique one-hour audio/visual showcase of collaborative works created by seven artists from the UK, Italy and Japan in the four days prior to Friday as part of Original Cultures 2010. The artists are Ericailcane (IT), DEM (IT), Will Barras (UK) and Hiraki Sawa (JP) for the visual arts and Om Unit (UK), Tatsuki (JP) and Tayone (IT) for music.

In the aforementioned four days prior to the showcase, the artists will work in private workshops on brand new works. This is part of the concept by Original Cultures to encourage collaborations and working relationships which stretch the artists beyond their own respective areas of expertise and comfort zones. It’s impossible to predict the eventful outcome of such an experiment, but then that is indeed the beauty of the project itself.

Starting at 6pm with DJ sets from participating artists and Original Cultures team members, the actual showcase will commence at 8pm, with an after-party from 9-11pm. Oh, and did I mention that the entire evening is FREE?!

This will prove to be an exciting and extremely fascinating close to Original Cultures 2010 and I would advise you all to attend.

GIG: Ghostpoet @ MOMO, LDN

One of London’s best kept secrets, Ghostpoet, will be performing live at MOMO in London (25-27 Heddon Street, W1B) on Tuesday 30th March Tuesday 6th April. The incredibly talented Ghostpoet will be providing his unique and fresh combination of rhythmic hip-hop beats and conscious, spoken-word style cyphers. Entry is free, but it would be advisable to get there early (doors open at 7pm).

Enchanted Tunes have presented LIVE at MOMO every Tuesday night for some time now. They’ve hosted UK debuts by the likes of Seu Jorge, Amadou & Mariam, Mariza, Konono N*1, Tinariwen, Mahmoud Ahmed, Jose James, Hindi Zahra and Fat Freddy’s Drop – certainly a list of names to stop you in your tracks! Ghostpoet will be another quality name to add to that list come 30th March, so make sure you’re there to witness it.

mp3: Ghostpoet – Cash and Carry Me Home

GIG: Global Local African Rootmaster @ Cargo, LDN

Another great lineup at Shoreditch venue Cargo, London EC2A, this Thursday (25th Feb). Continental Drifts’ acclaimed Arts Council-funded Global Local project joins forces with Wormfood!, best known for their ram-jammed nights at Passing Clouds and for curating Valley of the Antics at Secret Garden Party, for a special night at Cargo showcasing the best of the UK’s homegrown African underground scene.

Line-up:

The Worm – mixing the fatness of 21st century production with the roots of West Africa.

AJ Holmes and The Hackney Empire – a distinctive blend of tropical dance, rumba and afro-pop.

Nhasitafara – a big band with a huge sound, playing truly ‘world’ music.

KMT – a trademark mix of afro, reggae and all things nice.

Entry is free before 9pm, £8 after, or £5 in advance from WeGotTickets. Grab a free track from the Worm on their Bandcamp page…

GIG: Little Dragon @ The Garage, London

They’re back in London! I’m talking about Sweden’s Little Dragon, and they’re gonna be playing at The Garage, 20-22 Highbury Corner, N5 1RD on Thursday 4th March. Little Dragon’s popularity seems to grow two-fold every time they perform in London, so be quick and snap up a ticket for £12.50 from the Ticket Web site before it’s too late!

Support comes in the form of local lad Jono McCleery, who’ll be delivering his brilliant blend of jazz influenced folk, and also a bit of tune spinning from DJ John Hendicott.

Little Dragon provided one of the albums of 2009 with Machine Dreams. The album managed to combine elements of folk, jazz, electronica and pop in the most fantastic of ways. Adding a pinch of 80s electro here, and a dab of jazz there, what could have been a total mess was actually a masterpiece in contemporary music. A definite grower, it now sends shivers down my spine whenever I listen to it.

Check out this recent Filter Magazine remix competition winning track…

mp3: Little Dragon – Blinking Pigs (1-O.A.K. ‘God Made Me Funky’ Remix)