- 1200 Techniques have been hard at work in preparing to release their new album, locking themselves up in the studio to write songs for their new LP Consistency Theory - finding it very necessary to live up to 2003's Best Album at the DMA's, Choose One. This time around they've enlisted the services of several special guests including Motion Man, Maya Jupiter, Koolism, Krondon and many more, and as a treat (more like a tease) for all the vinyl junkies out there, they've put 6 of their tunes onto the album sampler.
Side A:
The Word featuring Krondon
Xzibit's MC Krondon guest appears on The Word - a bouncy and jiggy salute to the production styles of The Neptunes and Timbaland. Those familiar with Timbaland and Neptunes productions can hear the heavily percussive and syncopated bounce with the minimal instrumentation layered on top. It has a nice ragga feel to it as well while Krondon and Nfamas spit out the party rhymes.
Hot Syrup
Nfamas goes solo on Hot Syrup - a loungey, laidback groove on a real seductive tip. Slo-mo head nodding hip hop on a jazzy tip, while Nfamas raps about making pancakes! There's a lot of sexual innuendo in this one. 1200 Techniques' Kem goes crazy with a guitar solo in the middle which is definitely worth checking out - another marriage of rock and hip hop.
Looking Back featuring Motion Man
Kool Keith's partner in rhyme, Motion Man guest stars on Looking back, another slow tempo hip hop jam, yet on a much harder tip than Hot Syrup - and sounding more serious at the same time. Nfamas and Motion Man deliver the conscious lyrical content to get heads thinking while Peril's production skills combine cinematic orchestra stabs and heavy bass to keep the heads nodding.
Feel The Music featuring Maya Jupiter
Another slow tempo jam, Feel The Music features the vocals of Sydney MC Maya Jupiter who many will recognise from her input into the local hip and urban scene. Feel The Music feels inspired by Roger Troutman and Zapp thanks to the old skool style vocoder line in the chorus while Maya and Nfamas trade lines similar to Run DMC back in the day.
Fork In The Road featuring Rashas Houghton
The brother of late R&B star Aaliyah, Rashad Houghton combines forces with 1200 for the trans continental, trans-genre urban/hip hop collabo, Fork In The Road. Nfamas once again brings out the socially conscious lyrics encouraging listeners to make the right decisions while Rashad cements the fact with his vocals - there's definitely talent in that family.
B. Boy Shit
Finally, B.Boy Shit, an uptempo hip hop stormer aimed at those who love to get down on the dancefloor. Old skool hip hop samples coupled with 80's funk style slap bass on top of some hard hip hop beats while Nfamas goes hard on the mic with his lyrics - giving it up for the days of breakdancing, graf and Adidas trackies
This album sampler is definitely a tease for their latest album, CD buyers can look forward to previous hits like Eye Of The Storm, Where Ur At? and new tunes and collaborations with the likes of Koolism and Rodney P and of course the 1200 Techniques solo efforts. They've definitely improved since their first album - nicely summarised by Nfamas in Where Ur At? as "fatter beats, fatter bass, fatter matter of subject!". Recommended for all fans of hip hop!