producers: blueprint

guests: dj josey wales, illogic

How fake can music be? Fake like every body part of Lil Kim? Fake like written rhymes during freestyle battles? Fake like any list The Source ever coins? Fake like a bootleg CD with decent quality? Fake like many writers' reviews? Fake like.....fake like a blond Asian chick? Sometimes it seems that hip hop is built on fakeness, with all that bragging and boasting bullshit, the space travels and girl chasing science fiction. But this complaint has nothing really to do with this EP. And that in itself, in it's obscure twisted wisdom, is a compliment. As how many real, i.e. not fake, albums are out there anyways? Okay, you backpackers will root and claim that underground emcees don't lie, only the flashy rappers do. Fuck that. Again: It's not like hip hop wasn't built on grounds of shamelessly exaggerating lying. But again, the connection of this being written here, and this EP, still needs to be explained. What this is leading us to is, to be searching for an excuse, that the true artistic feel of the record can't be captured in this review. Only continued listening will expose you to the depth of the EP.

A whole lot of people already know about it, as "The Up To Speed EP" was initially released in 1999, but hard to obtain, due to the providing stores being continuously low or out of stock. The buzz that was surrounding it, calmed down a little, because of to the hardship of being able to get hold of it. And so a new generation of heads out there, need to be introduced to it and need to be pointed in the right direction, the Greenhouse Effect direction.

These cats are coming from Columbus OH, and Greenhouse Effect consist of the three cats Inkwell, Manifest and Blueprint, the latter also handling the production duties. His high standard compositions have already been heard on Illogic's highly acclaimed album (read here) and seem even further enhanced and will now be enjoyed on "Biography One" that starts the album and has Blueprint introduce the team and welcome you. He does that over a sparkling piano, that allows you to comfortably settle down, and have the record progressingly carry you to "Supply & Demand". There's a sitar in there, and the lyrics are talking about all them rappers that shouldn't be talking. Those emcees that are not as capable as the Greenhouse are, what is described in the second verse of this cut. The art of braggadocios lyrics, hip hop's most favorite past time, is also done on "Frequency Of Transmission", where the grandeur of the lyrics is even overshadowed by an extra dope beat. This is some real plush electromagnetism, currents running through spheres, while the lyrics, as realized on second glance, are talkingly embracing us, giving us reasons why we want to join their side. And to not hold back the good news, this devotes beyond the just present.

"Biography Two" then gives us the chance to shift gears, as Blueprint uses this interlude, to check from what direction the wind is blowing. And the weather condition takes us to a Hammond orgy, with a pace giving kick on "True Dat!!". Blueprint opens and uses this track to tell us about his creative process, giving us a sight seeing tour through his idea laboratory. Manifest then takes this rather calm beat for more braggadocios means. But who wouldn't become cocky, having the chance to spit over a track like "Performance Is Everything", that's saturated with strings, happens to be a rather remarkable change in productions styles, not only due the interesting rustling laid over the drum. We are then treated to familiar sounds on "Biography Three", that is really working as the bio sheet.

The most unconform beat comes on with "The Innercity". Boiling down the molecules to their elements, an organ, very nifty bell and poking drums are combined with a rain storm sample, while the emcees use this to talk about the struggles and strives, not foreign to their hometown and own existence. And like a sun coming through the clouds on "Holding Tank", the strings are making the water drops vanish, while sorrowful words are uttered, that manage to be a diary entry, that's interesting without the usual voyeuristic 'he-he's', accompanying moments of doings something one's not supposed to. The reflectiveness continues on "Slaves To The Rhythm", with a dope flute carrying the weight and sadness. The shoes the emcees were handed to walk in, definitely hurt, but the turf is too cold to wonder it barefoot.

Again closing a chapter, the "Biography Four" interlude turns the page with Blueprint telling us how Manifest became part of Greenhouse Effect. "Stay Gold" is another piano blessed composition, that is fine enough to keep you comfortable in it for its duration. Lyrically the topic is still of thoughts, a manifest to promote to be humble and happy with the now, rather than always running after the what's supposed to make happier. The ease of the way the emcees talk to you is ridding this of any possible hindrances. Illogic then drops by on "Weightless", what operates as the crew anthem, that does lack intensity for such tough. We are not exactly tiring off this glistening, but the beat fails to stand out, also being pushed down by the heavy chorus. Things are somewhat more animated on this though, and the track then takes us to where we began, rounding out the experience.

As "Biography Five" is once more talking to us, and we still listen, we are given a moment to overlook the few spots on the last whiteness. We are kept throughout the album, it blessed us with enjoyed and composed beats, as well as true lyricism. And the fact that this is already two years old, but still as relevant and refreshing, in both musicality and lyrics, says a lot about the initial and still impossible to ignore high quality.