Sparkz – “Full Circle” review

Highly anticipated debut album from Manchester, England, United Kingdom emcee/producer Sparkz. A member of the LEVELZ collective & co-fronting The Mouse Outfit, he would later make appearances on projects like Verb T’s 8th album Good Evening & Pitch 92’s debut EP Lost in Space until Fliptrix signed Sparkz to his historic Hove, East Sussex underground imprint High Focus Records dropping the self-produced Overload following the Angle trilogy of EPs in preparation of Full Circle.

After the intro, the heavenly boom bap flavored title track talks about what goes around coming around in this world whereas the 2nd single “Start & Show” combines these luxurious piano chords with kicks & snares calling for the attention of all advising those offended to cry him a river. “Never” goes for a funkier vibe talking about not having to step back just before the smooth “Overnight” featuring Coops marks my favorite guest appearance of the 3 discussing their souls staying aligned.

“Got This” works in some more piano-driven boom bap instrumentation for a lead single talking about staying in the game now that he’s no longer sitting on the bench leading into the dustily summery “Supposed to Be” speaks of this breather he’s been looking for making time move slowly for him. The 3rd & final single “Genius” blends jazz rap & boom bap together for an aggressive look at his witty penmanship while “Can’t Limit” featuring oskarcw0 talks about the blessin’ of big steppin’ over keys, kicks & snares.

Starting the LP’s final leg, “Glass House” opens up regarding him losing money & eventually getting it bag while “Team Set” featuring Voodoo Black comes together to fire 3 hardcore verses over a fusion between boom bap & lo-fi hip hop. “Say” instrumentally honors the late J Dilla’s legacy telling people to spew whatever they want about him & after “Where We At” talks about cherishing memories with every act, “Got Me Here” soulfully ends with Sparkz looking to leave the whole scene shook.

Introducing himself as a solo artist by putting his dexterity in the limelight with the Overload extended play, I can’t complain that Pitch 92 fully produced Full Circle because it was really a matter of time given his & Sparkz’ history apart of The Mouse Outfit for over a decade already. A few guests join the latter during a few instances contrasting Overload having no features at all, made up for by Pitch 92’s buttery production & Sparkz’ confidence balancing elements of the timeless & new.

Score: 4/5

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Dr. Syntax – “P Reg Hondas” review

Manchester, England, United Kingdom emcee Dr. Syntax returning after 3 years for his 10th studio LP. Known for co-fronting The Mouse Outfit, he would go on to drop his solo debut Self Taught in 2003 followed by 8 more full-lengths along with a mixtape & 4 extended plays. Personal favorites include the Pitch 92-produced Evidence, Killer Combo!, Elaborate Anoraks, Let’s Talk & Wallop. Coming off Crumbs back in 2021 however, I was completely supportive of Pete Cannon returning behind the boards for P Reg Hondas.

After the intro, “Control” begins with an intro reminiscent of the g-funk era talking about losing all jurisdiction once this sound hits the speakers whereas “Buffet” takes the trap route instrumentally confessing his destructive instincts. “Robot Problem” might be my favorite song here addressing the concerns of automatons possibly replacing humanity due to developments in AI technology over a boom bap beat just before “Maintain” discusses not buckling under pressure.

“Live in Stereo Sound” wraps up the 1st act of P Reg Hondas talking about turning venues into burial grounds whenever they pop out rockin’ shows while “That’s Your Lot” featuring Enlxsh kicking off the 2nd half linking up so they can talk about giving it your all when opportunity knocks at the door. “Heaven Above” gives off some soulfully funky vibes explaining how no one’s promised the pearly gates up in the sky while “Same Page” featuring Binbag Wisdom advises to move the way one already is.

The song “Rush” comes through with a psychedelic atmosphere talking about everyone nowadays always being in such a hurry & people consequently not seeing things clearly because of it while “Cool Off” aptly tries to calm down anyone his way who seems livid. “Benny Benny Benny” hooks up a boom bap instrumental talking about being the guy who’ll go distances others won’t & the closer “Subcultures Again” concludes the album in the form of a delightful successor to a track off Self Taught.

As much as I’d love for Dr. Syntax to hunker down with Pitch 92 throughout the duration of an entire LP considering it’ll be almost a decade since Evidence, I’d still consider P Reg Hondas an exciting comeback for him nevertheless & one I’d put above Crumbs. Both guests had moderate performances, but it’s still exciting to hear the chemistry between Syntax’ lyricism & Pete Cannon’s production grow this much in the span of 10 years.

Score: 4/5

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Sparkz – “Overload” review

Manchester, England, United Kingdom emcee/producer Sparkz dropping his 4th extended play under High Focus Records. A member of the LEVELZ collective & co-fronting The Mouse Outfit, he would later make appearances on projects like Verb T’s 8th album Good Evening & Pitch 92’s debut EP Lost in Space until Fliptrix signed Sparkz to his historic Hove, East Sussex underground imprint dropping Overload following the Angle trilogy of EPs in preparation of his own debut album.

“Buzzin’” kicks it all off with self-produced boom bap intro reminiscent of Yasiin Bey or A Tribe Called Quest talking about doing his thing whereas the 2nd & final single “Mean It” doesn’t shy away of keeping it sincere with his words. The title track & lead single blends boom bap with grime putting his lyrical proficiency in the limelight & after “Kidda” goes a little hardcore pulling shit out the basement to show audiences what the deal is, “Quit” blends wonky & boom bap to end the EP suggesting people to give up whatever they’re trying for.

Testifying to the years Sparkz has spent honing his wide range of talents from the mic to behind the boards, his inaugural solo release brings the heat with this 5-pack of unforgettable bangers that’re guaranteed to brighten up even the dreariest of places. High Focus brings him on board the label’s roster giving him a new sense of creative freedom, exemplified by his production sounding a bit wonkier unlike everything he’s done previously matched with the buoyant flows & sharp penmanship.

Score: 4/5

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Pitch 92 – “Intervals” review

Sophomore effort from Dublin, Ireland producer Pitch 92. Known for being the in-house beatsmith of The Mouse Outfit, he would go on to produce the group’s first couple full-lengths Escape Music & Step Steadier until getting to jump behind the boards throughout Verb T’s 8th album Good Evening. He eventually signed to Hove, East Sussex, United Kingdom imprint High Focus Records for the Lost in Space EP preluding 3rd Culture & is following it up by dropping Intervals.

“Iph-Ro” by King Kashmere takes 94 seconds to begin sampling gospel talking about how living life’s a gift whereas “Under the Sun” by Kofi Stone dustily cautions that we never know when one’s shine truly burns out. “Live from London” by Jehst maintains a boom bap vibe instrumentally sending his love straight outta his hometown leading into “All In” by Verb T talks about not taking word from fake sources.

Dr. Outer takes over the mic for “Wife of Odin” nearing the end of the 1st half with an ode to the love of his live just before “Comin’ Home” by Verbz ruggedly talks about there not being much he didn’t already know. After the compositional title track, “Lullaby” by Confucius MC woozily kicks off the 2nd leg explaining blind love is when you’re waiting in a mystery while the funky “365” by Manic MC talks about pulling out the riddim soon as he hits the stage to set microphones ablaze.

“Good with Me” by Jehst & Lord Apex starts Intervals’ final act with a west coast inspired banger dedicated to getting crossfaded while “Suttin in the Trunk” by Lord Apex fuses these strings with kicks & snares talking about him not owing anyone shit & keeping the bass bumpin’. “On & On” by Dr. Syntax suggests to slow your role & keepin’ it flowin’ until they’re done while “Sacred Path” by ASM prior to the “1992” outro finishes by talking about not going anywhere too quickly & raising another glass.

So far looking at Pitch 92’s entire trilogy of solo material under High Focus Records, I’d have to pick Intervals as my least favorite of the bunch although it’s more average than both of it’s predecessors. Of course I can’t make any complaints regarding The Mouse Outfit beatsmith’s boom bap production homaging the Champion Sound of Jaylib, but I can say the list of performers feels more inconsistent than Lost in Space was or 3rd Culture despite the few moments of filler it had a couple years earlier.

Score: 3/5

Dr. Syntax – “Wallop” review

London, England, United Kingdom producer Pete Cannon handling the beats for Manchester emcee Dr. Syntax’ 8th studio LP. Notable for co-fronting The Mouse Outfit, the latter made his solo debut Self Taught in 2003 followed by 5 more full-lengths along with a mixtape & 4 extended plays. Personal favorites include the Pitch 92-produced Evidence, Killer Combo!, Elaborate Anoraks & Let’s Talk. All of which Pete Cannon solely produced, so him coming back behind the boards for Wallop wasn’t too much of a shock.

“Fine” begins talking about being content with the way everything’s going over a boom bap instrumental whereas “Right About Now” featuring Joe Burn aggressively finds the pair getting impulsive on top of this UK drill beat. “Life Force” brings the kicks & snares back in effect suggesting those on the same vibe as him are either reading his thoughts or sharing his exact entity prior to “Classic in the Making” jazzily talking about the chemistry he & Pete have.

Illaman saves my favorite guest verse for “Differently”, discussing how both of them are unique beasts of their own category just before the dance-inspired “Body” kicks off the 2nd half making a bunch of references to the human anatomy for 109 seconds. “Mayhem” continues from there boasting jewels & a group of individuals wilding out for the night finding out the hard way while “Do What U Like” featuring Dubbul O talks about engaging in things that bring us joy.

“Somnambulant” featuring Riksi decently links up so they can get on their A-game & seizing the day regardless of whether it’s been good or bad while “Killah” goes for an EDM direction advising any opponent who wants to step up in a battle to improve their game considering that he’ll send muhfuckas back to school. The title track appropriately ties up all loose ends with a somber trap mood instrumentally talking about the impossibility of being unimpressed by what they’re doing.

Not only does Pete Cannon’s production feel varied throughout the half hour compared to what he & Dr. Syntax have previously done, but so does the subject matter & that’s an important factor in what makes Wallop a suitable experience regardless of the fact they’ve already given us 3 consecutive bangers over the course of 5 years. I however would disagree with putting Let’s Talk above it & the features occasionally stood out.

Score: 3.5/5

Pitch 92 – “3rd Culture” review

This is the debut album from Dublin, Ireland producer Pitch 92. Known for being the in-house beatsmith of The Mouse Outfit, he would go on to produce the group’s first couple full-lengths Escape Music & Step Steadier until getting to jump behind the boards throughout Verb T’s 8th album Good Evening. He eventually signed to Hove, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom imprint High Focus Records for the Lost in Space EP preluding 3rd Culture in preparation for the main course arriving 5 months afterwards.

After the “Start It Off” intro, the title track by Jehst hops over a boom bap instrumental with some organs breaking it down for those who don’t know what it is whereas “Swoop” by The 4 Owls works in some pianos so the quartet can bring it live. “Humanoid” by King Kashmere, Mysdiggi & Verb T finds the trio spitting hardcore verses without a hook on top of this glossy boom bap beat while the aquatically funky “Drama” by The Mouse Outfit featuring the Foreign Beggars talking about playing hostilely.

“Overly Fresh” by Fliptrix co-produced by Beat Butcha speaks of never sleeping in addition to murdering beats leading into “I Need That” by Dr. Syntax, Dubbul O & Harleighblu blending boom bap with neo-soul talking about feeling like the music calls them when they’re rollin’, smokin’ or drinkin’. Micall Parknsun & Verb T tell fans who think they’ve “Heard It Before” to think again while “Follow Me” by Dr. Outer & Sparkz calmly trades the mic back-&-forth with each other for a bit.

Tyler Daley gets his own track with the soothing boom bap heater “Confused” talking about not knowing to do regarding this woman who isn’t good for him at all while the hypnotically funky “Kingdom” by Jehst, LayFullStop & Sparkz finds the trio rocking their own realms with their individually distinctive cadences. “Makes No Sense” by DRS brings the keys back in the picture addresses people who judge the things we love failing to understand why they do it while “How We Living” by Karl Sage & Manik MC funkily talks about being stuck up in the ground.

“Criminalized” by Coops begins 3rd Culture’s final act recalling him getting arrested for the 1st time when he was only 8 while “Wise Men” by Confucius MC fuses soul & boom bap wondering if he should laugh or cry inside of his mind. Prior to the 87 second compositional “FFM” outro building itself upon sampling a woodwind, the final song “Worth It” by Jerome Thomas sends off the LP with a luxurious R&B ballad finding him unsure of whether this relationship’s worth the risks it has or not.

Amassing some of the most well respected national & international names within the genres of both UK hip hop & R&B artists for a lengthier successor to Lost in Space, the studio debut in Pitch 92’s solo discography prioritizes the half of that extended play where the guests were doing their thing over his Jaylib-inspired instrumentals created using an MPC except a huge contrasting difference would be the small handful of moments that felt like filler as opposed to 3rd Culture’s predecessor cohesively demonstrating his talents with & without a performer.

Score: 3.5/5

Pitch 92 – “Lost in Space” review

Dublin, Ireland producer Pitch 92 dropping an extended play of solo material under the Hove, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom imprint High Focus Records. Known for being the in-house beatsmith of The Mouse Outfit, he would go on to produce the group’s first couple full-lengths Escape Music & Step Steadier until getting to jump behind the boards throughout Verb T’s 8th album Good Evening from start to finish 11 months earlier. Commemorating the upcoming anniversary, he’s getting Lost in Space for a warmup to his own debut LP.

The title track by Confucius MC & Jehst starts off with both of them talking about the survey saying they’re both insane whereas “Plane Ticket” by Verb T smoothly speaks of his mind focusing on this very moment. “Dawn” by K S R & Sparkz takes a funkier approach to the beat talking about getting it on until the sunrise leading into the jazzy “1 Handed” composition. “Mystery” & “XPJ” finish us off with a couple more instrumental pieces, which one maintaining the jazz influences & the other going lo-fi.

Balancing his dexterity by having a cast of well-picked UK hip hop veterans to up-&-coming American artists rocking the mic during Side A of Lost in Space & taking a more compositional approach to things over the course of Side B, this EP begins a new chapter in Pitch 92’s career offering a glimpse of what he can do behind the boards showcasing the soulful Jaylib & Pete Rock-inspired sound he’d become known for a few years prior. The production accommodates each guest accordingly relying extensively on an MPC with every backdrop he uses, paving the way for a future discography of self-curated projects that’ll span out with time.

Score: 3.5/5

Dr. Syntax – “Let’s Talk” review

This is the 7th studio LP from Manchester, England, United Kingdom emcee Dr. Syntax notable for co-fronting The Mouse Outfit. Making his solo debut in 2003 with Self Taught, he would go on top follow it up with 4 more full-lengths along with a mixtape & 3 extended plays. Personal favorites include the Pitch 92-produced Evidence as well as Killer Combo! & Elaborate Anoraks. The latter of 2 where both solely produced by Pete Cannon, who’s looking to go for a 3-peat with Let’s Talk.

“Nuggets” sets up shop with a boom bap intro explaining that he gets a kick outta what Pete can do behind the boards whereas “Pearls of Wisdom” throws it back to the days of the early 90s hip hop instrumentally spitting wise lyricism. “Baby Talk” explains that people will always have an animal instinct of sorts inside them no matter how older we get leading into “Lose My Shirt” treads the jazzy boom bap waters talking about trying to stay levelheaded.

Gardna pops out for “Sock It to ‘Em” combining a horn & some hi-hats encouraging people to find out why they need to be penalized just before “Limitless” embraces a summery sound stating the ridiculousness of people considering his music to lack any ambition. “Growing Pains” returns to the boom bap tackling the concept of aging until the title track properly reaches the midway point of Let’s Talk explaining that our lives could become much simpler if we all set ourselves free.

“My Living” featuring Illaman marks the final & strongest guest appearance of the 2 talking about how neither of them can slow down at this point while “Lies Upon Lies” dustily observes the difficulty of making sense of what you know when it’s all being spoonfed to you. “One of the Illest” spends a few minutes confidently talking about ranking amongst the greats over intense drumming while “Ice Cold” jazzily admitting to be at this age in his lifetime.

As for “Part of the Journey”, we get more jazz influences from the saxophones to the pianos getting in his grown man bag lyrically while “Come Around” gets optimistic when things aren’t necessarily going the way he hopes. “Love Thing” distinctly breaks down all the different types of love over a sample-woven boom bap instrumental but after the “Toxic Love” skit, “Just 1 More” spends the remaining 103 seconds of Let’s Talk talking about being the only one to call shots.

Killer Combo! to me was when Dr. Syntax began to deliver his strongest material individually which Evidence & Elaborate Anoraks further cemented, so I didn’t have any concerns regarding Let’s Talk although I’d think most who were divided towards The Tonic in 2016 will likely enjoy the successor more. Pete Cannon diversifying his production feels refreshing compared to the last couple albums, making more room for Syntax to lay out sharp bars.

Score: 4/5