Northern Author: December 2011

Saturday 31 December 2011

2011. Done.

It's the last day of the year, so what I'd like to do is take a moment on look back on what has happened in my life, and in life in general over the past 365 days. What I'd like to do even more than that though, is allow a world class emcee from my country sum it up in a far funnier, more in depth and wittier way than I ever could. In steps Mystro.

Below is the radio rip premiere of the most recent of Mystro's long awaited and always brilliant rap-up series. Skillz has the US, Bekay has the Aussies, and we have the best of all with Mystrogen. Listen muthaluvaz, and have a happy new year.

Maybe one of my many new year's resolutions should be to update this site more and give it the love it deserves like I did in the past. But if I state that officially it'll just fall to the way side like all my other half-cocked resolutions. Really, Adam? Are you really going to join that gym or pass that driving test? Are you fuck, mate. And deep down you know it.

New Year's resolutions are for people who need a legitimate reason not to enjoy their lives. I'm going to eat more, fuck more, sit around more and insult more. Enjoy your night, see you in 2012.

Monday 26 December 2011

Meet The Quaranteam

While trying to find photos of the new burgeoning rap collective from London, I couldn't get anything past photos of spanish horror movies. Its almost like the group want us to think they're picking Spaniards off in a high-rise inner city flat by biting the fuck out of them. But keeping on the subject of throat-rips, Quaranteam - probably one of the most promising straight rap collectives that the UK have produced for at least a few years - are far from tough to find and they're here to annihilate the competition.

In 2011 alone, every member of the group have released at least one full-length album, all of which have the same theme and aesthetic running through them: hard beats with a soulful edge, a good mixture of punchlines and street poetry, and an undeniable chemistry between them that can make for some brilliant collective efforts.

As a christmas gift, the group have released their first ever EP, and it continues their rise in the UK rap game with all 5 emcees trading verses through 8 solid songs that showcase everyone's talents.

Loudmouth Melvin & K-Nite handle a lot of the beats on most Quaranteam releases, and this allows the group to gain a musical identity without having to waste time on bullshit gimmicks or shock tactics. The music, with these two on the boards, is always at a high standard and it provides the perfect backdrop for Pyro Barz, Skillit, Chris Mentalist, the aforementioned Melvin and K-Nite (along with their affiliates) to spit fire like Spyro The Dragon.

This is no kid's game though, this is just as much introspective as it is rap boasts, as much intellect as there is ignorance, and as much fun as it is serious. Below, not only will you find the brand new Quaranteam EP, but also the recent releases from each member of the collective. There's enough music here to keep you inside the world of your headphones for weeks, and all of it is so ill it's got NHS Direct on speed-dial. Enjoy and Merry Xmas.

*click the titles for download links*

The Quaranteam EP