Jehst - Starting Over

New Jehst. This has actually been circulating for a few weeks now but it needs air on this site. Anything by this guy instantly floats to the top of the pile when it comes to UK hip-hop. We all wait with rabid anticipation for a new LP. Even the Menghi Bus Mixtape seems a LONG time ago, Jehst!

UK Mixed Bag Vol. 1

So here we are, the first instalment of four compilations I've created over the weekend from various vinyl 12"s in my collection. Initially I ripped a lot of them onto mp3 just for personal use but I had honestly forgotten about how great some of these tracks are.

Its called a mixed bag for a reason for starters, with a huge spectrum of artists spanning from the early 90s all the way up to possibly about 2005, and on this first volume we have some big names and some small names all together on the same 18-track album.

You've got the northern panache of Asaviour and Jehst, the legendary Blak Twang, the veteran sounds of MCD over a Deckwrecka track and Huntkillbury Finn lying amongst the newer names of Foreign Beggars...not to mention some classics in there from London Posse, Karl Hinds & DJ MK.

Its a joy to listen to some of these tracks after such a long time, and even this site has took a small hiatus from posting UK songs recently admittedly. Most of that is due to there being a dearth in UK underground rap that I personally find as inspiring as that which was released 5-10 years ago, but hopefully the frontrunners like Sway and Dizzee can inspire and usher in a new breed that are fit to take the torch and fire it up.

Until then, enjoy UK hip-hop at its finest...

UK Mixed Bag Vol. I (2010)

1. Blak Twang - Don't Test
2. Cel One (feat. Sniper) - Code Red
3. Dead Residents - Verbal Assassin
4. DJ MK (feat. Jehst, Kyza & Supa T) - It's All Live
5. Doc Brown (feat. Yungun & Harry Love) - Out There
6. Foreign Beggars (feat. Dubbledge) - Hot Plate
7. Huntkillbury Finn, Gunshot & Taskforce - Liar Liar
8. Jimmy Screech - Lets Get Moving
9. Jonzi D - Live At The Apricot Jam
10. Junior Disprol (feat. Alkaline, Jehst & Skeleton) - Junq Waffle
11. Karl Hinds (feat. Tempa) - You Piss Me Off
12. London's New Delegates Of Major Stars - Foldinem
13. London Posse - Money Mad
14. Deckwrecka (feat. MC D) - Priceless
15. Encona Coarse - Taste Of The Future
16. Asaviour (feat. Kyza & Yungun) - Money In The Bank (Remix)
17. Champions Of Nature (feat. Supa T, Apollo, Jehst, Profound, & Lewis Parker) - Finalisation
18. Dynamic Syncopation (feat. Def Tex) - Way Past Noon

UK Classics Part II

Many people count ‘Falling Down’ as Jehst’s masterwork, with its claustrophobic bass-heavy beats and trademark mildly schizophrenic lyrics, but for me, Jehst gave us his best work on his first album release.

OK, I admit, ‘The Return Of The Drifter’ comprises mostly just Jehst’s first few EPs and singles along with some other gems, but still, it has been moulded into a complete album that contains almost 100% genuine classic hip-hop.

From start to finish this album is pound for pound one of my favourite hip-hop albums EVER to be released by a british artist. Jehst's lyrical ability is arguably better than anyone else's in the game and he can undoubtedly be seen as one of the most consistent artists the UK have ever produced.

The album starts off with the beautiful 'High Plains Anthem', which is about a trillion times better than the 'High Plains Drifter' track the Beastie Boys did on their classic LP 'Paul's Boutique' (Yes, I really do hold this album that high in regard). It sets the tone for the whole album as its classic Jehst production - dreamy basslines, rolling keys and dusty beats. Jehst has a knack of making very understated music that doesn't hit you straight away, but over time suck you in to his world.

A testament to this album is that the two interludes are great tracks within themselves. The first comes up straight after the opener, and sounds a little bit like Jehst's remix beat for Universal Soldiers track 'Soldier 4 Life' (an absolute banger from his Underworld Epics producer album by the way), and then the exquisite 'Bluebells' follows on from the classic early Jehst track 'City of Industry'. There's something about 'Bluebells' that just makes me want it to be a 7 or 8-minute long epic instrumental interlude. It just trundles along over a typically messy beat, with its hypnotic bassline and repeated vocal samples. Even writing this as I listen to the album I honestly can't pick a fault on it in any way.

After this we get into the real meat of the album, and its '1979' that I am impressed with most. I truly think its one of the best 50 hip-hop tracks ever made. The music and lyrics match beautiful. Jehst's words are at their best, with deep observations such as 'Between two worlds like the thief at the window' just flowing out one by one. Its a small little line, but in that one sentence there is so much to make you think. Trust me...nearly everything said in this song is like that. Absolutely brilliant.

You follow that on with classics such as The Trilogy (and its remix), Alcoholic Author and Return of the Drifter and you've got a great album. To top it off, you have the astonishing (I'm running out of superlatives) 'Staircase II Stage' featuring J-Zone, and 'People Under The Weather' featuring a then unknown Asaviour and, well, I'm basically nearly having a wank right now.

Seriously.

I'm off to clean up...now you download this, or you are truly missing out on a UK Classic.

Jehst -Return Of The Drifter (2002)

1. High Plains Anthem
2. Skit
3. City Of Industry
4. Bluebells
5. 1979
6. The Trilogy (featuring Ricochet & Tommy Evans)
7. Alcoholic Author
8. Staircase II Stage (featuring J-Zone)
9. The Return Of The Drifter
10. People Under The Weather (featuring Asaviour)
11. The Trilogy (Remix) (featuring Chester P & Kyza)

The Re-Up

No, not that god awful compilation Eminem did. I've decided to re-upload all of the single songs that have been uploaded so far into full sets, just like the Aspects one from the last post. For your convenience!!!! Aren't I a champ, eh?

Northern Author Collections


Baby J Download

Baby J (feat. Freestyle of The Arsonists) - Focus (from 'The Birth')
Baby J (feat. A-Alikes) - Walk With A Bop (from 'The Birth')
Baby J (feat. Rukus with Ty, Klashnekoff & Yogi) - Let It Go (from 'F.T.P.')
Baby J (feat. Bang) - Get 'Em Bang (from 'F.T.P.')
Baby J (feat. dead prez & Shabazz The Disciple) - Scattered People (from 'F.T.P.')
Baby J (feat. Dynamite MC) - Young, Gifted & Black (from 'FTP2: Fight The Power')
Baby J (feat. TB) - Forever (from 'FTP2: Fight The Power')
Baby J (feat. Poisonous Poets) - Must Get Free (from 'FTP2: Fight The Power')
Moorish Delta 7 - Don't Leave Me Lonely (prod. by Baby J) ( from MD7's 'The Power & The Glory' LP)

Jehst Download

Jehst - Liquid Diction (from 'Premonitions EP')
Jehst - High Plains Anthem (from 'Return Of The Drifter')
Jehst - Falling Down (from 'Falling Down')
Jehst - Hydroblowback (from 'Nuke Proof Suit')
DJ MK presents Supa T, Jehst, Kyza & Harry Love - It's All Live
Secondson & His Orchestra with Jehst - Turn It Up To The Red (from 'Secondson & His Orchestra')

Harry Love Download

Klashnekoff - 'Murda' (from 'The Sagas Of Klashnekoff')
Kyza - 'Lights Out' (from the 12" vinyl single 'Lights Out/Harsh Reality')
Yungun - 'What Eye See Part II' (from Yungun's LP 'The Essance')
Jehst, J-Zone & Harry Love - 'Staircase To Stage' (from the 12" vinyl single of the same name)

Verb T Download

Verb T & Harry Love - Showbitchness
Verb T & Harry Love (feat. Kasmere The Iguana Man) - Not Enuf Hours (from 'Bring It Back To Basics)
Verb T & Harry Love (feat. Red, Ransom Badbones & Jehst) - Equal Portions(from 'Bring It Back To Basics')
Ghost (feat. Verb T & Asaviour) - Better Tomorrow (from 'Seldom Seen Often Heard')

Cappo & P Brothers Download

Cappo - Grand Final (from 'Spaz The World')
P Brothers (feat. Cappo) - Nottingham BX
P Brothers (feat. Scor-Zay-Zee, Cappo & Mr. 45) - 3 Kings
Cappo & Konny Kon - CapKon Entertainment

Headnod Hip-Hop Straight From The Sweatshop

You can't have a music blog focusing on British rap without mentioning Jehst. Simply put, Jehst is in my opinion THE greatest thing ever to come out of the UK on the hip-hop front (Slick Rick doesn't exactly count (we could only claim him as our own for so long!)). As well as being one of the best artists in our great country of England, he is also definitely one of the most consistent, with hardly any throwaway material in his entire career from his Premonitions E.P. all the way up to his more recent output such as 'Nuke Proof Suit' and 'Underworld Epics'.

Every song he guest-features on is improved because of him, and the main reason for this isn't his brilliant presence. It isn't his commanding and still-slightly-Yorkshire drawl. It isn't even his superb production talent. Its his lyrics. The man paints pictures with words, people. He puts images in your head and makes you LIVE out his verse in your mind. This is Jehst's talent.

Alongside, and partly responsible for his consistency, Jehst has never changed his sound. Even now that its fair to say Dizzee Rascal aside, he is possibly one of the most famous british emcees, his music still can't be described as anything but 'dusty'. You won't find any Jazze Pha/Scott Storch shitty casio keyboards used in this man's sound. Oh no, this boyo is organic. Its like he grows his tunes through arable farming.

Here we have a song off his early Premonitions EP entitled 'Liquid Diction', which is an early example of Jehst's dirty sound being honed. Its no surprise this sort of song led on to being the groundwork for classic tracks such as '1979' and 'Alcoholic Author'.

Following this, there is the 'High Plains Anthem', which is from 'The Return Of The Drifter' (Jehst's first full-length, which is basically like Klashnekoff's first full-length in that it is just a collection of all of his singles together with a few new tracks). This track has a beat that I can listen to all-night long, and it sounds like the sort of beat that could only be made at 4.15am with weed-smoke in the air (not that I'd know much about first hand smoking - I'm a health freak).

Jehst's next album is widely considered to be his best work. 'Falling Down' is the sort of LP that was made with the artist's blood and sweat. The sort of album a musician would call his 'baby'. To stay away from the singles 'Run Hard' and 'Monotony', I've chosen one of my favourite album tracks off it, the title track.

Also present is the bass-heavy 'Hydroblowback' ("I'm old school like an '89 throwback, yeah yeah you know that!") from his 'Nuke Proof Suit' mini-album, and I've been a gracious son of a gun by adding some guest spots from him like the brilliant 'It's All Live' by DJ MK & Harry Love (again...) and 'Turn It Up To The Red' from Secondson & His Orchestra (Fleapit's one-time producer).

Jehst - Liquid Diction (from 'Premonitions EP')
Jehst - High Plains Anthem (from 'Return Of The Drifter')
Jehst - Falling Down (from 'Falling Down')
Jehst - Hydroblowback (from 'Nuke Proof Suit')
DJ MK presents Supa T, Jehst, Kyza & Harry Love - It's All Live
Secondson & His Orchestra with Jehst - Turn It Up To The Red (from 'Secondson & His Orchestra')