Burn Churches was the track I chose to leak after discussions with Coptic about a few  tracks on the EP, because as the name suggests the song is a vocal attack on modern christianity and it’s downfalls, but is presented from two vastly different perspectives whith surprisingly similar views (Coptic being a christian and Mac Lethal being an atheist); You can hear more from Coptic himself in the video below, but first heres the track.

If you can’t see the embeded track above this paragraph or you just wanna grab the track to bump it on your ipod, you can download it here.

Now let Coptic Soldier answer some questions you might have about his topic choice for this track. You can also checkout more of the tracks from the EP over at Triple J Unearthed.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Let us know what you think of the track in the comments below. As a vaguely religious man who doesn’t follow one true religion and just believes in a higher power, i find it highly amusing that while both of these guys have very opposing views on religion they still both speak the same message. It shows you don’t have to be “religious” to be true to the soul and kind to others.

So now you want to know how you can WIN A FREE COPY OF THE SOUNDS OF WINGS EP?

1. Start by Logging into Twitter (if you don’t have an account, go get one)
2. follow my man Coptic Soldier (@copticsoldier)
3. Tweet the below phrase, in it’s entirety, unedited

Exclusive leak of @copticsoldier & Miriam Waks-Burn Churches feat. @mac_lethal plus your chance to win the EP at http://bit.ly/aQADra #RandP

The rules are simple, tweet the above phrase in it’s entirety, unedited on twitter before 11:59pm on the 19th of March 2010 (AWST, +8 GMT) while following the twitter user copticsoldier and you’re in with a chance to win. If your tweets aren’t public or Coptic Soldier can’t see them because you have him blocked or you’re not following Coptic Soldier when at competition closing time, you’re not entered, it’s really that simple.

Click here to send the tweet & enter the competition

The General Questionnaire

What is your favorite word?

Finished

What is your least favorite word?

Delayed

What turns you on?

People that don’t quite fit in for one reason or another.

What turns you off?

Eating or chewing loudly.

What sound or noise do you love?

Anything at night.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Eating or chewing loudly. Don’t do it.

What is your favorite curse word?

“For Fuck’s Sake” (Generally used when Kast deletes a take I thought was gold)

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Author

What profession would you not like to do?

Telemarketer

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

“Hey Trumps, you were right, I AM female, black and lesbian.”

Musical Specifics

What got you into music?

Stole a mix CD of The Beastie Boys and Run DMC from a friend at high school.

Whats your favourite instrument?

Piano. Gimme those piano beats Kast.

Favourite album of all time?

Atmosphere – Lucy Ford (itunes)

Favourite song of all time?

iTunes says “Black Out On White Night” by Sage Francis (itunes), and “The Woman With The Tattooed Hands” by Atmosphere (itunes), but I would say for sentimental purposes, “Walk Of Life” by Dire Straits (itunes).

Favourite artist of all time?

At the moment it’s Madcon (word up Norwegian funk/rap) but I go through stages where I’ll thrash particular artists.

Hunter & DJ Vame-Monster House

Tracklisting:

1. Intro
2. Destined
3. Bring it on Wax
4. Put to the Scimitar
5. Don’t Give a Fuck (Additional vocals by Kelly Hayden)
6. Night out (Additional vocals by Chantal)
7. Say a Prayer
8. Hardcore HipHop
9. Ultrasound (featuring Defyre)
10. Unlikely Pairing (featuring Nick Sweepah)
11. Not What I Am (featuring Dyverse & Intalekt)
12. Monster House (featuring Hunter, Reason, Sinner, Mortar, Axxin the Supernova, Mr Karma, Mistery, Raph, Dazastah, Illergic, Thomas Rock & Layla)
13. Never Trust a Woman (featuring Porsah Laine)
14. Drug Kids (featuring Sinner)
15. Coming Home
16. What I Do Best

All tracks produced by DJ Vame

production is NUTS! Raps is CRAZY! Full of more ill joints than Michael J Fox, marfucker!

While they may not have been my exact choice of words, i’m sure this is going to be another fine mark on the Australian Hip Hop release timeline just like Boomtown. The Optimen’s album The Out Of Money Experience is due for release sometime in April 10th on Red Tape Entertainment; it was set to be distributed through Shogun Distribution, but now will be handled by Inertia.

You can catch a sample of the album by checking out the free single Firefighters and also checkout their MySpace for some newer tracks, including one featuring Lazy Grey.

The Optimen-The Out of Money Experience

THE OPTIMEN

The Out of Money Experience

OUT: April 10, 2010

Red Tape Entertainment Distributed exclusively through Inertia

We got some good news here at Red Tape! From the people who brought you Boomtown and The Red Tape Renegades, The Optimen’s long-awaited sophomore album is in the big canvas bag with the dollar sign on it and they’re laughing all the way home from the bank (to keep from crying). The Out of Money Experience is a sonic excursion, a boom-bastic voyage, a sample-based tour-de-force, enriched lyrically by your favourite Boomtown bandits, The OPees.

Yeah, son. Shit is real! The production is bigger and better then ever. The sample chops are more musical and the low-end will leave you all shooken and your innocence tooken.

Of course, the drums are going to slap you in your face and “demand satisfaction”, and the raps will submerge the brain through the engaging consciousness of Kristoff the Russian, Sammsonite and DATS.

Subversive, honest and skillful, the OPees have kept it on a level. The guests are all your favourite rappers (and even some of your less favourite ones!) Tommy Ill, Jehst (UK), Rainman, Lazy Grey, Pure Product, The Archetypes (Clinic and Proclaim), Adverse and Phil the Agony (US).

1. O Shit!
2. Always
3. On the Rocks
4. 80s Babies
5. Firefighters
6. Interlude 1
7. Bigger Better More feat. Tommy Ill
8. Dust feat. Jehst
9. 30 Rock feat. Rainman
10. Something in the Air feat. Lazy Grey and Laneous
11. Interlude 2
12. Pay Cheques
13. Act 1 feat. Pure Product
14. Drop That
15. Number One feat. Adverse
16. Respecognise feat. The Archetypes and Kel
17. On the Rocks (Cam Bluff remix)
18. Number One (remix) feat. Phil The Agony and Adverse

Keep an eye out for more updates!!

Format: MP3 (160 kbps)
Length: 55:54
Size: 64.1 Mb

Tracklisting

1. My Lament f/ Hanif Jamiyl – DJ Mitsu The Beats
2. Forever (prod. Young RJ) – De La Soul
3. Fix Ya Face – Shawn Jackson
4. From DJs 2 Musicians – Ali Shaheed Muhammad
5. DJ Kiyo & Masaya Fantasista – Waves Transmission
6. The Answer – Foreign Exchange
7. What It Stand For (prod. Nicolay) – EMC
8. 2 The Left – Dynamic Synchopation
9. Music Makes The World Go Round f/ Dudley Perkins (RMX) – Jazz Liberatorz
10. Waitin – Strange Fruit Project
11. Pedigree – Brother Ali
12. The Leak (prod. Black Milk) – Elzhi
13. Good Ol’ Love (prod. 9th Wonder) – Masta Ace
14. One! Blast Off – Bicasso
15. When Everything Is New – Little Brother

Mantra - Power of The Spoken

MANTRA
Power of the Spoken
Available: March 26th, 2010

Through his early work with Equills and acclaimed Melbourne outfit Illzilla, Mantra has been blazing a name for himself since 2005. Boasting a captivating flow and intelligent lyrical work, Mantra has risen in status to become one of Australia’s most respected MCs, as touted by artists and fans alike.

His debut album, Power of the Spoken, is driven by the importance of the verbalized thought; a way to paint ideas, thoughts, and opinions in its most effective form. In the opening title track, he breaks down the very word “mantra” as a concept- chanted and recited through history as “phonetic outreach” and distilled here as an introduction to his own; “spoken word as a weapon.”

Power of the Spoken is an electric hip hop album that isn’t afraid to embrace worldly elements. From the mystical Eastern influences of the title track to the multi-lingual and piano-based “Fall Guy”, the album features production by Mista Savona, Count Bounce and M-Phazes. The latter of whom produced the album’s first single, “I Hereby Stand”, a stand-out track powered by hard-hitting percussion and razor sharp flow. The track is the album’s right hook, the telling of Mantra’s credentials up to now- the blood and sweat spent on years of playing shows and the tireless work of becoming one of the finest MCs in the country.

In “Mad With It”, Mantra (with guest Jeremedy) takes an ironic jab at a world gone crazy, while in the aforementioned “Fall Guy,” he takes a sombre look at personal vulnerability; someone wracked with anxiety and depression, finding a way to cope through lyrical catharsis. “Perfect Little Island” is a fine example of Mantra’s unique ability to display his vision of the world, backed by brooding bass-heavy beats skittered with tinges of more electronic diversions; a dynamic combination of gritty musical textures and urgent thought.

Like “Perfect Little Island”, the album isn’t about broadcasting a message, but rather exploring the word and the language as the most effective tool for discourse translated by hip hop. Power of the Spoken represents diversity in style linked thematically by a strong belief in what it proclaims. His talent is undeniable and this, the Mantra takeover, resonates with the unquestionable power of the spoken word.

Track listing:

1. Power of the Spoken
2. The Wait
3. Thanks For Tuning In
4. Perfect Little Island
5. I Hereby Stand
6. Flightpath
7. Remember Where You Were
8. Fall Guy
9. Live It Out (ft. Cisco Tavares)
10. Mad With It (ft. Jeremedy)
11. I Wanna Go Home
12. Hip Hop Never Left

Fluent’s confidence has grown in leaps and bounds since debuting Chapters Of Substance. This time Fluent has pushed his mic skills even further. His complex rhyming structure, deep concepts, and overall flow are orchestrated faultlessly with the guys handling production.

Fluent on the Crate Cartel overall vision:

Just doing music we like. Music we know is dope. We’ve got a very strong work ethic and I think that helps us stay consistent.

As always Fluent Form-The Furnace is available via iTunes, so get in there and grab it.

If you haven't caught Good Gracious head to iTunes now and grab a copy, you’ll be treated to a bonus track featuring Haunts from Choose Mics.

Online Reviews

TripleJ Album Reviews
The Border Mail

Print Reviews

The Mercury

Interviews

Scene Magazine (Cam from Certified Scribe)
ThreeDWorld.com.au

Richard Kingsmill from Triple J catches up with M-Phazes for a quick interview, you can catch the interview embedded below.

If you find any others, feel free to link below in the comments.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Last Kinection featuring Radical Son – I Can
Video directed & produced by Isaac Turier.

(N.Wenitong, J.Wenitong, J.Turier, T.Asqash, D.Leha)
Produced By Jaytee for Hazard Productions & Weno for Blackchilli Productions / Lyrics written & performed by
Nay, Weno & Radical Son / Guitar written and performed by Timiyay / Scratch’s performed by Jaytee

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Good Gracious is easily one of the most anticipated albums being released in 2010 thats lingered form 2009, everyone wants to hear it and everyones going to have a view on how it sounds.  For the first time though they’re probably all going to agree on something, M-Phazes oozes awesome.

M-Phazes-Good Gracious

Track listing

1. For What It’s Worth (ft. Solo)
2. Where’s Elvis? (ft. Drapht)
3. The Freak Show (ft. Mantra)
4. Goodbye Gravity (ft. Muph & Plutonic w/ Candice Monique)
5. Home (ft. Delta)
6. Blind Man (ft. Pegz)
7. Long Winding Road (ft. Spit Syndicate)
8. Music Box (ft. Phrase)
9. The Club Song (ft. Forthwrite)
10. Keep Running (ft. Nfa)
11. Triumph (ft. 13th Son)
12. Walk On Clouds (ft. Bliss N Eso)
13. The Facilitator (ft. Dialectrix)
14. That’s What We On (ft. Nine High)
15. Take It From Me (ft. Illy)

M-PHAZES
Good Gracious
Available: February 26th, 2010

The long awaited debut full length album from acclaimed producer M-Phazes is finally here. Renowned for his ability to craft the perfect beat, his global pedigree is reflected by praise from his peers with an ever-growing list of artists seeking his sound for the backbone to their flow. After two years of countless studio hours, the album is his artistic triumph; a selection of work culled from the best of his production. Enlisting an unmatched collection of Australia’s most respected MCs, this 15-track album elicits a response synonymous with it’s title.

From the album’s opening manifesto “For What It’s Worth” (featuring Solo of Horrorshow), M-Phazes makes his artistic statement clear; ambition armed with his signature contemporary flip on soulful boom-bap music. In the first single “Goodbye Gravity”, M-Phazes’ work is met head on by Muph & Plutonic’s energetic live setting; resulting in a remarkable connection between live instrumentation (bass, keys & guitar with Plutonic Lab on percussion) orchestrated by M-Phazes and Muph’s distinct vocal tone. Highlighted by Melbourne soul singer Candice Monique’s choral hook, “Goodbye Gravity” is a certain achievement on its own.

Having worked with noted artists like chart-topping Amerie (Island Def Jam) and Pharoahe Monch, M-Phazes’ musical influences continue to expand. In the Phrase-featured track “Music Box,” elements of dance, electro, and pop are layered together in perfect harmony, creating the album’s sizzling dance floor anthem. Having received an ARIA win for his work with Bliss N Eso, their collaboration continues in “Walk On Clouds” which will be Bliss N Eso’s only guest feature prior to the release of their next album.

From the humorous (the Drapht-featuring conspiracy theory song “Where’s Elvis?”) to the gritty (“That’s What We On” featuring Nine High) to the soulful (see Illy’s introspective outro “Take It From Me”; a musical masterpiece comprised of live drums, guitar, keys, bass & a mini-choir), rarely does a debut album cover such immense ground in the musical spectrum. Showcasing the ridiculously talented future of Australian hip hop (Mantra in “The Freak Show” and Dialectrix’s spitfire rhymes in “The Facilitator”) alongside some of the biggest names in the business, there is no doubting M-Phazes’ career trajectory as Australia’s #1 merchant of music. Having future work with Kimbra and Bertie Blackman already on the books alongside the release of what some may just call his magnum opus, there are few words as fitting as Good Gracious!

Update: Grab M-Phazes-Good Gracious on iTunes now.

Tour Dates

• Friday 5th March, Busselton, WA at Palm Beach Resort (i’m still questioning whether they got the name of the place right?)
• Saturday 6th March, Fremantle, WA at Norfolk Basement
• Sunday 7th March, Mt. Hawthorn, WA at The Paddington Ale House
• Friday 12th March, Melbourne at First Floor
• Friday 19th March, Sydney at Oxford Art Factory
• Saturday 20th March, Adelaide at Live on Light Square
• Thursday 25th March, Brisbane at X & Y Bar
• Friday 26th March, Gold Coast at Miami Tavern
• Saturday 27th March, Mullumbimby at Civic Hal

mdusu - The Excess Baggage Mixtape

For now you can grab the mixtape here, but if you wanna throw some support behind mdusu grab his previous works; mdusu&dameza – Can I Get A Soul Clap? and Heads of State – Making The Best of What We’ve Got.  Coming further into 2010, mdusu will be releasing Ex-Sample, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for that one.

Tracklisting

1. The Greatest
2. So The Fuck What..
3. Don’t Forget
4. Take A Stand
5. Yes Or No

Best things in life are free! Janet Jackson said it, but Fatty Phew, Alter Ego and Dj Bogues have made it true. With Alter Ego on production, Dj Bogues on the Decks and Fatty Phew on the mic these 3 have come together to create a stellar FREE release that most artists would be charging for.

If your looking for that pure hiphop that has been missing from the airwaves of late, then look no further. Its back, and in full effect. The Best Things in Life are Free is an impressive 5 track E.P produced by Alter Ego and written by Fatty Phew. A newcomer to the scene, Alter ego has not come in lightly, with banging beats taking influence from such producers as Dj premier, Stoupe from Jedi Mind Tricks and Pete rock to name a few, Ego’s beats are always large and heavy hittin’ with a hell of a lot of flavour which will establish him as a talented beatsmith. Geelong’s Legendary MC Fatty Phew, is back better then ever. Phew’s versatility has always been known after the underground classic release 23 Years in the Making. With tracks like Take a Stand Phew returns with his hard hitting lines and passionate views on life, then chills out with a track reminiscing on past experiences with Dont forget. Tracks like So the fuck what pokes fun at the side of life that everybody else seems to take so serious, and Yes or No is a story about the times people tend not to take serious. To add to this new release, Dj Bogues brings his talents to the Turntables to make a good thing even better. The Best Things In Life are Free

All Tracks produced by Alter Ego. All Cuts by Dj Bogues. All Tracks written by Fatty Phew.

If you haven’t already done so, head over to Fatty Phew’s website and grab a copy of The Best Things In Life Are Free

http://rapidshare.com/files/333462380/geko_theappointment.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/333407690/geko_appointment.zip

Tracklisting:

1. Lights Out
2. Kill
3. Day After Day
4. Living Proof
5. Twenty Dollers. Ft 1/6
6. Talk
7. Bring The Noise (Prod by Jase Beathedz)
8. Kill (Jase Beathedz Remix)
9. Day After Day (Jase Beathedz Remix)

All tracks Produced by Rhett “Doc Savage” Parkinson except where indicated.
Vocals recorded and mixed @ Crate Cartel HQ by Geko.
Tracks 1-6 Mastered by Geko.

The Appointment is the result of a weekend spent in the lab with producer Doc Savage in early 2009. Geko throws his train of thought freewheeling rhyme patterns over some deep production making for a interesting combination. Featuring bonus track/remixes by Jase (Beathedz). Available for free download from cratecartel.com. Limited run of hardcopies coming soon.

I purchased pretty much EVERY cd from the 2009 Shogun release catalogue and most of 2008, on the faith that by doing so i was supporting the artist and ensuring that things I enjoyed listening to would continue to exist. However it seems that perhaps my support in some cases hasn’t be passed onto the artists and I want to know why, as i’m sure many others do. Yes bankruptcy kind of absolves company owners of having to personally foot the bill for failed ventures, but morally this is off the chart.

As a fan i feel what happened here needs to be opened up and put in public, as a website owner and writer, i feel i’m in a position to help people do this. So i’m putting it out there now, if anyone wants to discuss this with me to set the record to the public, theres a contact link at the top of this page. We don’t have to mention names, let’s just open this thing up, artists got screwed for their hard work and that’s not cool, call it out for what it is, don’t hide behind a false hope of getting your money .

The fans, the people who really support hip hop, are wondering why all that good music just disappeared and no ones saying a thing.

Since we couldnt hire a video camera or a camera crew in thailand without a permit, and couldnt get a permit without submitting our lyrics to the thaiwanese government, which would equal jail time for sure, we were forced to shoot this on our digital camcorder (on a budget of $13.27) in the confines of our hotel room with a few hookers…. i mean “dancers”. Fucking gay homo laws. well anyway.. here is the outcome….

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

You can grab Kid Selzy’s album The Creepshow direct from the man himself or grab it from itunes.