Decades: So Fly– Seven Sails Records
This is the 6th release on 7″ vinyl from this fantastic DIY Hip Hop Label out of Adelaide, South Australia run by Forty Five Kings Collective Member Biz Kawasaki, who has previously written a Feature Story for our website, about starting a Vinyl Record Label.
I own all 5 Seven Sails vinyl releases and Biz has been kind enough to send me his label’s new release by Decades to review.
I was also lucky enough to review both their 4th and 5th releases and both are real treats.
This is the third 7″ vinyl release by ‘Decades’ on the label with the previous releases now sold out on wax but thankfully they are still available as Digital Releases.
I may be biased as I’m a big fan of those 45s and this label and still play their 45s regularly, but I was super keen to hear the new Decades release, as I dig their whole Jazzy ascetic and I know with David L on production, it was going to be another well produced treat.
In my opinion all of the label’s releases so far have been strong on production, talent, passion, depth and with killer lyrics/raps to boot.
Now to the the new release!
THE REVIEW
Side A: So Fly
From the opening keys, to that bassline and scratch sentence, to the distinctive Aussie accented rap, I knew I was in for another slice of jazzy hip hop goodness, Decades stylee.
It’s so dope that Decades is paying respect to the Adelaide Hip Hop legend ‘Social Change’ by sampling his own ‘So Fly’ track.
I’ve said this before about Decades but we are talking about a crew here steeped in classic, golden era and Aussie Hip Hop, with a producer that is a deep collector of Jazz and Hip Hop and a super fine dj in his own right, so all of these elements are apparent in this track.
It’s a big call but I think this is their best release to date.
Why, well all of the elements mentioned have coalesced in this track, it flows, it’s jazzy, the raps are super tight and on point and we’ve also got some super smart MCs here who provide killer wordplay based on their theme and the track mentions so many things familiar to Aussies.
I mean rap is the language of the streets where you live, the situation you find yourself in, your life, what influences and effects you and what makes you who you are, what shapes you and in this track that’s exactly what is expressed.
It’s real for the time and place it’s made in.
I keep saying this but in a sea of edits, remixes and bootlegs (many which I love!), it’s great to hear original, new and super dope hip hop made in my own backyard that is world class.
Get it now mates…
Side 2: So Fly – Space Bass RMX
When I buy or get sent a 45 I have always made a habit of listening to both sides and most of us collectors and djs would know that many an undiscovered gem lies here in.
In this case it’s a Remix of the Aside’s ‘So Fly’ track but this remix takes it in a much deeper direction.
Stripped back, fatter, less jazzy, more broken and with a bigger focus on the rap being out the front.
Killer sound effects and a real head nodder.
Make sure you get on and Order this and any other of the Label’s 45s, you can’t go wrong!
Thanks To Biz for the opportunity to write this review.
Mr Lob