Don't Let Good Music Rot On the Vine!

This 7" has been apparently collecting dust for a while. It's just being marketed now, but according to the label, the songs were recorded in 2006 and there's blogs hyping this 7" dating back to 2008. So it's been a long time in the making. But worth it.

It's "¡Hermano! (Keep On)," a two-song 7" by The Cookers on New Medina Records. Don't be put off that you haven't heard of The Cookers; it's actually a collective pseudonym for some dope, indie artists you surely have heard of. The MC is Sach from Global Phlowtations and, of course, The Nonce. And on the cuts is none other than Mista Sinista of NY's DJing super-group, The X-Men. And it's produced by Lyn Ness, who also owns the label.

Man, all I can say is check this out! The production is up-beat, incredibly jazzy and instantly catchy. The main sample is a fresh rolling piano loop, with a dusty horn sample on the hook. Sinista keeps it moving with constant, top notch scratches and Sach's laid-back flow sounds the best he ever has since "Mix Tapes" back in 1994.

Then the B-side is "The Brakes," which features a guest spot by Aloe Blacc. Aloe Blacc is of course part of Emanon, but may be better known as a solo artist. I haven't checked for much of his stuff since his early IPO Wax days, but he's put out a lot of material with Stones Throw since. This one's everything the A-side was, but hits a little harder with more rugged drums and a deeper bassline. And the MCs flex a little more aggressively. Two flat-out great hip-hop tracks for sure.

Now, this 7" is limited to 150 hand-numbered copies (though mine seems to be an unnumbered promo copy). But it's reasonably priced (opposed to those $100 collectors' releases) and is only available direct from the label. Click here for their site with mp3 snippets (seriously, go listen!), label scan and ordering info. Don't let this 7" sit unsold in their offices - it's too damn good!