producers: various.

compilation includes: jizzm, global phlowtations, shape shifters, melancholy gypsys, the cuf, the animal pharm, abstract rude, others.

With hip hop often being about as stale as spilled beer on the counter of some abandoned pub, it shouldn’t surprise the reader, that the attention of the ever hoping, often gets satisfied by releases from the westcoast. And even though in it’s infant days, hip hop grew and was nourished by the soil of the east, the innovation seems to be now coming from the area where Silicon Valley changed the world, and where soundsystems breathe the coming in from the pacific. These sounds lack a spitting image, and are as fresh as a perfectly pulled and settled Guinness Beer in Ireland.

Compilations by nature assemble a selection of different courses, that will please at times, while sometimes will be picked apart and a side dish, plate, course will remain untouched. And in true innovative spirit the cooks of Toiletworld Records, gathered known and less known, if not even unknown ingredients, even to the most experienced eater, and most well read knowledgeable.

After all this background babblin’, it’s time to talk about the only important aspect of this tape: the music. And while some tracks are ‘shite’, some are the shit.

All tracks (apart from the DJ exhibitions, d’uh) are lyrically heavy and so it’s more often the production that can’t keep pace with the tongue lashing, and breaks the track. Jizzm’s piano and mafia guitar start the album in a dark mood, but can be considered as more of the same "Illasophic" material. DisFlex must have tried too hard to be different, that the focus on difference diluted their view on still remaining dope. Interesting patterns though. Daysmen succeed with keeping it simple: playful organic bass and vibes, with shuffling drums. "They sound like they created rap, while in fact they created wack". Defenitely an inspired onslaught. The Illkuts crew chop up bits and pieces, concentrating on a strong drums performance, serving a only marginally monotonous feast. There either was something missing in the mastering, equipment or mixing, but Global Phlowtations sound very unfinished. Da Golden Ray not only spit in an annoying flow, but their reversed loop is just as annoying. Only the stumbling, chopping drums lend something to remember to this track. So it’s on the Shapeshifters to finish the A-Line nicely with another obscurely mixed, multi layered, mystic, flute induced winner.

The B-Run has us entrapped in the musical artful intellect of the Living Legends' own Melancholy Gypsies. Scarub and Eligh seduce us into their captivity, with the strongest track up ‘till now. The Earthlings keep the good vibe up with "In A Minute", that sounds like a Hieroglyphics track, circa ’93. The second DJ cut is courtesy of the Turnstylez, which come solid. They leave more to a pre-produced beat to cut over, than Illkuts did, but they chirp nicely with vocal chops of old school samples. The Us Pros spit somewhat like the Sunnmoonsekt, without the beat being as sonic though. Very abstract are the Cuf, which sound horribly underproduced with their bubblin’ beat, that screams for more substance. A trap to which the ‘Brink EP’ Pharm does not fall prey. But they are not the first to claim that theirs is some unheard brand new underground sound, while falling short to their promises of being groundbreakingly, pioneeringly different, while they are ‘anti-normal’, as they claim themselves. And finally Abstract puts some Ragga vibes unto this tape, with another relaxed Fat Jack produced beat. Philosophical as always.

This tape is very enjoyable for the experienced westcoast underground hip hop lovers, while as an introductionary tool, to make new people love this spectrum of hip hop, it would fail horribly. This can only be appreciated and understood, if the listener is already in the know. And even for him, it’s not doubtlessly dope. Although, as said, very enjoyable.