London and NYC Club and Concert Listings
|
Album Review: V/A - Bling Free 3 mixed by DJ Grafitti (Bling Free)
Writer: Sanjiv Ahluwalia
The ubiquitous mixtape has humble beginnings. In the US in the early Eighties, when hip hop began taking the public’s attention, it was a vehicle for budding bedroom DJs to road-test their mixing skills. The mixtape – and this was especially prevalent in London in the same period – also served as homemade compilation, your status in the playground upped by what releases you could record onto to a chunky TDK 90.
Bling Free 3, while suffering from a lack of identity (the title “Bling Free” quickly defines what it isn’t rather than what it is) harks back to a time when hip hop was exchanged (“traded” to use an Americanism) not for money but musical quantity. Bling Free has a minimum liner information, echoing it’s bootleg cassette origin, but rather than induce feelings of warm nostalgia for a familiar format comes across as cheaply put together. The mixtape’s success rests solely on its musical quality, though, Bling Free 3 sees mixer and compiler DJ Graffiti on a mostly winning streak.
Very well mixed tracks flow nicely from one to the other (some more immediate than others) with the CD having a raw hip hop radio show feel to it. It’s bolstered by some heavyweight tracks (including several unreleased and exclusive tunes). J-Live and Wordsworth produce the standout track with the Bosoms remix. J-Live’s now-customary incredible flow twists itself into some deep jazz chords, funky handclaps, and gritty guitar.
Other noteable tracks are the ever-excellent Jeru the Damaja with War, which has roll of tight drums, simple but enticing hook, and a Jeru with a lyrical attack that befits his name. Bullet Train by Dilated Peoples rocks with killer colourful horns and their trademark deep verbal delivery. Other tracks like EPMD’s Look At You Now is hardly classic EPMD, but seeing as it is one of thirty eight tracks on the CD, and lasts all of one minute, it doesn’t really upset your listening experience. Similarly Slum Village’s Get Yo Paper is disappointing, offering tired beats and a lacklustre rap, but they can just about it get away with it here. This is immediately followed by The Clap by The Grouch and Eligh, which is so engagingly infectious that it reminds you why you fell in love with hip hop in the first place.
In conclusion, Bling Free 3 is a worthy addition to the burgeoning mixtape market. And with a few changes, such as cutting out the musical filler and making use of lusher packaging, the series should do very well indeed.
RELATED LINKS:
DJ Graffiti - official site
Buy Bling Free 3 at the DJ Graffiti website
PUBLISHED: 20 June 2004
RELEASE DATE: February 2004
More Reviews
To send us music for potential inclusion, email us at
promos@knowtheledge.net
EMAIL UPDATES! Do you want to receive Know The Ledge update emails?
Click here to sign up!
|
::: RELATED LINKS
DJ Graffiti - official site
Buy Bling Free 3 at the DJ Graffiti website
More Reviews
|
