Basbombing - Super 12''

This is a somewhat rare test press 12'' from Oakland MC Bas-One aka Basbombing.
It's credited on discogs as an Insiduous Urban release from 2002, although they never release it properly apparently, it stayed at test press status for some reason.
The vinyl got this little pen-drawn IU catalog ref on one side and a big green Heratik Prod. sticker on the flip that seems to have been stuck by someone afterwards. Bas-One released his first LP and a couple of 12'' on Fanatik's label.

The vinyl got 3 tracks with instrumentals, my favorite being "Can't Fool The Last" (credited as "Untitled" on discogs) and 2 funny tracks with catchy phrases and noises made by Bas in order to be scratched by DJs.

Not a must-have, more an interesting piece for the collectors.


Here

Super
Super (Instrumental)
Can't Fool The Last
Bonus Scratch Sounds A
Kids Takin' Shortz
Kids Takin' Shortz (Instrumental)
Can't Fool The Last (Instrumental)
Bonus Scratch Sounds B

Various Blends - Fanna Burn

Various Blends is a duo comprised of Friz-B and EB F aka RasCue or RastaCueTip from San Mateo, Bay Area. 

Rasco was briefly part of the band (that's him on the original Chill As I Flex 12'', later replaced by Del for the LP version) then moved on to a solo career.

Their first album, Levitude was released in 2000. According to their bio on the Urban Umpires site:

 

"The release was received well, but failed to breakthrough due to the closure of the label (Baraka). Soon they found another home with No Mayo Records where they recorded their second full-length CD Fanna Burn in 2002. The CD was never released as the label ran into financial trouble and folded in 2003."

Weirdly enough an instrumental 12'' of Fanna Burn exists (pictured above), but that's not what I'm offering here (if somebody got it, an upload would be welcome though), but a rip of the 5 tracks that are floating on their old myspace page. Not even the full release then, but again, if you have this, holla...

Here

Cordless Mics ft. Pismo & Rasco

How Many Stars ft. L'Roneous

Keep It Movin

Fanna Burn ft. Rakaa Iriscience

How Soon We Forget

Ill Nature - Life Line In The Hands Of Time

This album from 1998 has been brought to my attention by Kaliyuga Pro. 

He bought it a few years ago on ATAK not knowing much about that crew, except that they were from California. The list of the members doesn't give much clues either: Ill Nature is Serge The Wrecknition, M.E.R.C.U.R.Y. (no relation to Sunset Leagues I think), Maximum Styles and depending on the cd booklet: L-Element and Concept, and on discogs: Sovereign and Elly Estro. 

There's also a bunch of featurings by various mc's I never heard of that seemed to be grouped under the name The I.S. Chapter. The production is handled by Serge The Wrecknition, The Butter Thief and Concept.

The music is pretty good, it's actually a surprise it didn't get any more attention, probably lost in the ocean of releases at that time. A vinyl version of this exist, you can found it easily on discogs although they tend to be a little pricey.

It's about time people check this album!

Here

Streams
Light Years
Unconditional
Meaningless Mission?
Ill-Literation
Out Of This World
Lost Civilization
Tami No Tochu
Run Thru Your Crew
Magic Tricks
Temperatures
Fathoms
July 8th
Outro (Jazz Duet)
Life Is...

Formless Figures - S/T

Somebody asked many times about the Formless Figures album in the requests, so here's a rip of my vinyl.
I must admit I didn't know much about them until recently and well, that was a pleasant surprise.

Formless Figures are a group from Detroit, MI consisting on MC Dial 81 (also known as FR.eeze in Level Jumpers, now an electronica artist), DJ Mr Pickles (released a couple of solo stuff as well), plus musicians/producers Picturetone, Secondhand and Scrapbook Memoir.

Although Dial's emceeing is very much on point, the productions are what sold me over that album that went completely under the radar at a time (somewhere between 2002 and 2004, depending on the source) were it would have been a proud addition to any solid indie rap labels such as Anticon, Galapagos4, Rhymesayers, you name it.
It's pretty rare to have a cohesive feel on a whole lp without sounding repetitive or boring, but that's what this album does. The first two tracks are particularly good: Sound Asleep opens with a dreamy, eerie soundscape before a fat kick starts; whereas Life In A Napkin is all about that beautiful theme change in the middle of the track: there's work and finesse in the productions.

That was their first and only album as Formless Figures. A 13-track cd apparently exist and they released a super limited (150 copies) vinyl version that contains only the first 10 tracks (this rip). If somebody got the cd version and is willing to share, I'd appreciate.


Here

Sound Asleep
Life In A Napkin
Peaceful ft. Sol46
Lust vs. Love ft. Level Jumpers
Flowers From Seeds
Remain
Critics
Purple Interior
Hello...
And...

Plankton - Young Manic Depressive

This is the second Plankton mixtape Renti sent me.
Another dope selection of westcoast underground filled with a couple of indie rock inserts.


Here

A
VIOLENT RAMP - Intro
ANACRON - Good Friday
JULIE RUIN - I Wanna Know What Love Is
SUBTITLE - Young Dangerous Heart
AWOL ONE - Flying Spiders
TONY DA SKITZO - THC
FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP - 7th Seal
VOLUME 10 - A Real Freestyle
2MEX - L.A. (Like...)
FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP - Heavyweights
ELLAY KHULE - Master Flows
THE BADSTADS - Treacharous 3 Remix
BUSDRIVER & 2MEX - Walking Dead
CVE - What A Pity

B
ANACRON - Be Where? (Beware!)
JULIE RUIN - Apt. #5
SUBTITLE - Freestyle
AWOL ONE - Sleepin' All Day
TONY DA SKITZO - Hi-To
FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP - Six Tray
VOLUME 10 - Where's The Sniper
XOLOLANXINXO - William Banner
IMPRINTS - Pepsi On The Record
HIP HOP KCLAN - Sounds Like
EASTY BOYS - Don't Wanna Hear It
BUSDRIVER & XOLOLANXINXO - Borrowed Material
NGA FSH - One Man Riot