Two Hip-Hop albums for free, from West Coast 2002 to International 2011

August 26, 2011 4:46 PM

So you come across the free IamOmni album, and you'll probably think one of two things: hey, it's a new direction from underground L.A. MC, Omni; or wow, it's an album produced by UK musician Tricky. Both are true! Omni tells his story of connecting with Tricky in a few minutes, and Rap Reviews ties Omni and Tricky together through other routes, going back to the 2002 album, Sunch Punch, by Gershwin B.L.X. (Bassline Xcursionists). Lo and behold, that album is also free on Bandcamp.
posted by filthy light thief (11 comments total)

Thanks filthy light thief, I used to love Tricky so I'm gonna download this when I get home. Pre-Millenium Tension is still great, and Maxinquaye is a classic 90s album even if some of it's a bit dated now. I kinda stopped checking for him after that, but Council Estate was a good track.
posted by Hoopo at 4:55 PM on August 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

yeah thanks, gonna check this out as well.

Maxinquaye and Massive Attack's Protection were my two go-to albums for 4am come-down music back in the day.
posted by mannequito at 5:06 PM on August 26, 2011

No, I think it's a comprehensive collection of Omni magazine online. Unfortunately it's not.
posted by Liquidwolf at 5:19 PM on August 26, 2011

huh, interesting. Downloaded and forgot, listening now, halfway through ... It's quite good, very reminiscent of Aesop. The first track is pretty weak though and I almost turned it off ... not sure why they'd lead off with that.
posted by mannequito at 8:12 PM on August 26, 2011

hmm. The Rap Reviews bit had me expecting something else entirely. It's not bad, but Tricky seems to have lost a step or two. What I used to love most about his stuff was how rough around the edges and out-there and unlike everything else it was. This sounds too much like standard hip-hop beats, with what sounds like Garageband effects at some points and even rubberduck synths. Which is fine for, say, me...but for Tricky?

I'd never heard Omni before, but he reminds me a bit of Aceyalone so that doesn't hurt. I gotta disagree with you mannequito, the first track wins the whole album for me.
posted by Hoopo at 8:18 PM on August 26, 2011

ha! That's funny cause I'm with you on the production aspect. It's mostly the vocals that are selling it for me.

To be fair, when I put it on I had the volume low, part way through track #2 I was like "oooh, like this..." and cranked it up. I'll bring it back around to the start again and give it a second shot at full blast.
posted by mannequito at 8:23 PM on August 26, 2011

Also the BLX album has some amazing rhymes on it. Like, really, really good.
posted by Hoopo at 8:27 PM on August 26, 2011

hmmm ... nope, not doing it for me on second listen. That track still sounds awkward and stilted and unnecessarily tailored for radio. Whatever, opinions, to each their own.

That second track though ... man, even better second time around. Also, getting a kick out of the obligatory dubstep-ish track (#8). At least he references it in an ironic/post modern sort of way on the following track.
posted by mannequito at 9:03 PM on August 26, 2011

ok but yes, the BLX is all kinds of awesome. They just don't make it dark n crunchy like they used to.
posted by mannequito at 10:07 PM on August 26, 2011

I just listened to Tricky's new album and it's as though he kept the best stuff for himself. It's not as good as his 90s stuff but it's better than his beats on this Omni album.

Tricky can do really good rap vocals, he was very ahead of his time. It's easy to forget he was rapping slow and cryptic and half-sung before everyone else started to.
posted by Hoopo at 10:48 PM on August 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

Well, before almost everyone else.
posted by blucevalo at 11:34 AM on August 27, 2011