A couple of weeks ago a guy named Blueprint emailed me and asked if Id like to listen to this EP he produced, normally we get quite a few requests like this. What made this stand out is the real audio samples he included, put it this way - they were on point. So last week this EP arrives along with the other latest release on Weightless Recordings, an album by Illogic also produced by Blueprint, expect a review for that one soon.
Its been a pretty poor year for the highly anticipated and long awaited releases so its good to know you really gotta get to the depths of the underground to find the quality hip hop out there and it is out there if you look. GreenHouse Effect consists of MC/Producer BluePrint, and emcees Inkwel and Manifest and between them have created one of those gems thats just dying to be uncovered.
This 8 track release has nothing but consistency from beginning to end, I mean I had to listen to this about 3 times over when I first got it just to take it all in. This is kinda hard when you consider how much new material in the form of albums and singles I have to go thru each week. Supply and demand kicks things off with a bumping start with each emcee coming off distinctly over a snare-snapping beat thats just dying to snap that neck. Its evident that a good start like this can only lead onto better things, but Ive been here before, this could have easily been the best track on here and the rest crap. Coming on a totally different vibe (a trait of this EP) is the spaced out Frequency of Transmission where they adopt that fuzzed warped sound for the music and the hook sums it all up, I reminisce when creative control was abundant but nowadays hip hop is getting kinda redundant. Unlike too many emcees in this flooded market they somehow command your attention when on the mic, maybe its cos of the variety in emcees styles and voices but it's definitely something keeping a hold on your concentration.
They dont need any collaborations to hold this down except label mate Illogic, another dope emcee who shines on Weightless. Blueprints production, along with his lyrical ability is very impressive, whether he's freaking an organ on the minimal sounding and social commentary of The InnerCity or using the same loop Common used on Communism on Slaves to the Rhythm' he displays more and more talent. Dont think for a moment I am forgetting the complex delivery of Manifest and Inkwel, its on tracks like True Dat! and Performance is everything that they show what a tight link they are in this 3 man chain. The highlight for me comes in the form of Stay Gold, a laid back jazzy-piano-driven-shuffling track where its no new subject matter, staying true to the art form there's more to this than meets the ear. Its Inkwels line "But I guess if your microphone skill is pitiful you got no choice but to rely more on the visuals" that rings out loud to all the phony emcees out there.
If youve got any sense and want some REAL hip hop go over to www.weightless.net and purchase this EP, you cant complain there's a lack of real lyrics and real hip hop, I am pointing you in the right direction. And dont forget when they drop their new album Life Sentences next month (which is destined to be a classic if this is any indication of their potential) and they are up there with Kweli and Binary Star on the Indie scene remember where you saw 'em first.
