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Culture Music Reviews

Ezra Collective return with Where I’m Meant to Be

Ezra Collective are back, and the 5-man London jazz quintet are just incapable of disappointing.  Those unfamiliar with jazz generally associate it with sombre clubs and a polite audience. Ezra have a unique knack for making jazz accessible to all, keeping the genre youthful and vibrant. The huge features on this album contribute to this: […]

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Music

Madlib and Oh No collab on new album ‘The Professionals’

Four stars. Legendary Hip Hop producer Madlib collaborates with his brother Oh No for The Professionals, an album where Oh No raps over familial beats, crafted from a diverse range of jazz, funk and soul samples. Madlib’s ability to tailor his instrumentals to the rapper he is working with is apparent here more than ever […]

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albums Music New Sounds

Black Milk foregrounds production skills on measured new album

3.5/5 stars When you think of hip-hop in the city of Detroit, Eminem, Danny Brown, Tee Grizzley and J Dilla probably come to mind. That last name is particularly important in this context. While Eminem altered the perception of hip-hop in the mainstream, J Dilla influenced an entire generation of producers, whether it was independently […]

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Music Singles

‘Power’, Rapsody and Lamar

Rating: 4/5 Two long years since demanding the spotlight on ‘Complexion,’ from Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, Rapsody and Lamar have reunited again on Rapsody’s single ‘Power’. With the subtle intensity of dwindling electric guitar and 9th Wonder’s beats, the song takes listeners on a hypnotic journey about its title: power. The lyrics are […]

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Music

The supply and demand of Kendrick’s untitled unmastered.

Kendrick Lamar’s Section. 80, good kid, m.A.A. city, To Pimp A Butterfly, as music fans we are currently living in an age of one of the most frighteningly consistent artists of our time. Every album – and this will be subject to debate for years to come – better than the last, every release creating […]

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albums Music

Anderson .Paak – Malibu

Though already four albums deep into his career, with Malibu, Brandon Paak Anderson has finally crafted his breakout record. Clearly that was the intention, given so much of its runtime is devoted to proving himself as an adaptable performer. Traces of so many of his contemporaries are buried throughout that it can be hard to separate Anderson’s own voice […]

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albums Music

Logic – The Incredible New Story

It has been clear for quite a while now that Logic is equipped with supreme talent. Since the release of his Young Sinatra mixtape trilogy in 2011, fans have flocked to the 25-year-old’s lyrical ability and story. He quickly garnered recognition from industry legends such as Rick Rubin, Nas, and Big Daddy Kane, en-route to […]

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Interviews Music

An Interview with Ghostpoet

Ahead of his Mercury Prize nomination on the 20th for his third album, Shedding Skin, Obaro Ejimiwe and I discuss his latest album, his influences and ambitions, and where his music and life intertwine. CG: Thanks for taking the time to chat to The Student, you were the only Mercury nominee to get back to […]