5 O'Clock Shadowboxers f. Has-Lo, Elucid, Nico the Beast - No Resolution 2

It had to take something big to rouse me from my blogging sleep. I've been waiting for the release of this song for a while now. Elucid and Zilla are about as good as it gets in hip hop as far as I'm concerned. That Velvet Underground sample creates a kind of anxiety which Elucid and Nico use especially well.

5 O'Clock Shadowboxers f. Has-Lo, Elucid, Nico the Beast - No Resolution 2

Elucid - The Sub Bass Diet

Elucid's album, The Sub Bass Diet is now available for download. Check it out. I've heard 6 of the tracks over the last few months and they're fantastic. As someone who loves 'lyrical' hip hop, Elucid is a bright light for me in 2009. He's doing something interesting with hip hop, not just looking back to 1994. It might take a few listens to catch what he's doing but it's worth investing the time in.

Elucid - Take Charge

Elucid is so sharp. Love this new track.

Song and image found over at Rappers I Know.

Elucid - Take Charge

Elucid - Bear Trapz

I've been meaning to post this for a bit but I'm lazy. Rock the Dub has put out Bear Trapz, Elucid's latest release. It's really refreshing to hear Elucid taking hip hop in a different direction but it's not easy listening. Creatively Elucid seems to be to be in a similar zone to Kool Keith but is less weird about it. Yum Yum is my favourite track, it's got a bit more structure and drive than the other two tracks but overall it's a great little release.

Playing Catchup

I must confess that initially I was a bit dubious about some of Elucid's latest stuff off his forthcoming The Sub Bass Diet. What can I say? I was wrong. They're definitely worth chewing on and listening to on decent headphones.

My Mayor is a Billionaire (BBC)
Stacey (Sucker for Love)
Laser Days
40Ds

All via Rock The Dub

Elucid - However You Want

Von Pea produced and posted a new Elucid track in promotion of Elucid's upcoming Sub Bass Diet album. I'm not completely convinced about Tanya Morgan but Von Pea is one talented dude. He's done great production work on this and on Spec Boogie's Summer Movie Season tracks.

Pic from Rock The Dub

Elucid - However You Want

Three things you should know

Since my little girl was born I haven't really had the space or inclination to blog much but there are a few things that deserve attention.

First, check this video from Elucid. Dude is a beast.



Second, if you haven't gone and downloaded the 5 O'Clock Shadowboxers album, The Slow Twilight, yet then do it now. This means you Nick Gauci, you'll love it. Read a great review for it at No Trivia.


Finally, I've been listening to Kneel Knaris' Going Sane in a Crazy World on repeat for about a month now-it's an amazing album. I've been meaning to do a review but it's hard to do it justice and being a dad has slowed me down a bit. Soon.

Elucid - Progress

Elucid is one of my favourite rappers. His Smash N Grab mixtape was a revelation to me. I was just listening to it this morning and reflecting that more than any rapper I've heard, he really gets the vibe of a beat and works with it to make something with depth. He's an artist.


Anyway, I'm always on the lookout for new Elucid and Khal just posted Elucid's Progress mixtape. It isn't exactly new, it's his stuff from 2003-2005, before Smash N Grab. I'm listening to it at the moment. So far (up to track 9) he's rocking more conventional beats. I like.

Spec Boogie and Elucid Freestyle

These guys are just dope. I love the contrast between their voices.



The song playing at the start is 'Lessondary Nose' by Elucid, Che Grand, Spec Boogie and Von Pea. It's totally worth the listen.

Elucid - Police and Thieves

This is a compilation of a bunch of songs released over the last few months by Elucid plus a few new ones. The quality is a bit mixed but Elucid is definitely worth checking for.

Mixtape Monday - Loosie All-Stars

Elucid, Spec Boogie and Von Pea team up for the Champion Hoods mixtape, a celebration of mid 90s hip hop. They drop verses on classic instrumentals like Criminology, Last Dayz and Tonight's Da Night. All three rip some nice verses, their different voices and styles work really well together, plus the music is all top notch. Get it.

Loosie All-Stars - Champion Hoods

Elucid Interview

I think my RZA/Busta craze has given way to Elucid. If you haven't downloaded his Smash & Grab mixtape yet, you're missing out on something pretty special. Starstruck which I posted earlier is a great track. Also, rockthedub.com has an interview with him so you can learn more about the beast that is Elucid.

I love this quote from the interview:

khal: First off, can you give us a bit of background on how you got into rhyming and what brought you to the point where you are today?

Elucid: 1996. I was a pimple faced 15 year old backpacker watching Rap City. Biggie's “One More Chance” video came on and I watched with disgust. The song ended and I marched upstairs to write my first rap. I thought I could do better.

Elucid - Would Be Killer

Elucid gets menacing on this week's Warning Shot Wednesday song. It's over a Gnarls Barkley track.

Elucid - Would Be Killer

Elucid - Starstruck

I haven't been on the internets much this month but I have been listening to Elucid tear apart every beat he gets on. If you haven't downloaded the Smash & Grab mixtape you should do it now. Here's another song over a lazy, electro Santogold beat. It's a response to the Sean Bell situation.

Elucid - Starstruck

Mixtape Monday - Elucid

Check this out! I've just gotten into this dude Elucid. His Smash N Grab mixtape is banging. He raps over 'You Can Run' by Johnny Cash and 'Army of Me' by Bjork and a heaps of others like Ratatat, The Black Angels, Kenna and Chemical Brothers. He never gets lost on these weird beats, he totally rips them. He has the passion/anger of a younger Ice Cube but is more agile. It's a breath of bizarre, apocalyptic, Waits-esque air for hip hop.
Also, check out 'Step Careful' off his upcoming album Save Yourself.