Track: Eric Lau – Yesterday (Ft. Guilty Simpson, Fatima & Olivier Daysoul)

Confession: I hadn’t heard of Eric Lau until the last moments of 2011. Had I been privy to his thoughtful, balanced approach to the classic hip hop sound, his Quadrivium project would have easily charted high on Rare Frequency’s best of 2011 list. This dude is really carrying the torch for the Dilla sound. Sorry for sleeping, Eric. All regrets aside, he’s got an EP about to drop with none other than Guilty Simpson. The second single from The Mission features the smooth soul of Olivier Daysoul and Fatima and is silky, relaxing hip hop of the most versatile variety and a rare glimpse into Guilty Simpson’s lighter, less gun-toting side. I guess Lau’s grooves just have a way with people. The Mission drops February 3rd digitally and on limited vinyl at a very reasonable price.

Freebie Friday: Self Taught – 5 Year Journey

Nostalgia claims it’s own sub-genre in hip hop nowadays and the heads over at Chamberlain Drive records have based most of their sporadic output on hitting those familiar notes with great precision. Self Taught’s latest effort is a fun-loving adaption of that golden era vibe, full of party starters, breezy smoke session zone-outs and the occasional freaky tale. Thankfully MCs Vintage and Cliff Herman keep things straight West Coast Canadian and offer a uniquely British Columbian perspective, preventing inevitable comparisons to the long line of post-millennial backpackers mining a similar vein. It’s not all plastic cups and passing blunts on the agenda, and while irreverent in it’s many care free moments, 5 Year Journey proves to be stark and contemplative amidst it’s more sober ones. Laments on the tedium of humdum 9 to 5′s and warnings of fake friends, easy women and the ever-present risk in the fondness of certain recreational substances are among the subject matter that offer balance and keep the upbeat moments from spiraling into monotony. In fact, that equilibrium is one of the most surprising aspects of the LP. Considering the time it took to record (if you haven’t figured it out yet, I can’t help you) it’s remarkable how effortlessly everything just snaps together, demonstrating an unwavering consistency amidst it’s many ups and downs. Add some gospel-esque croonings by Jay Robillard and productions from the likes of local top-billers K-Rec and Mike Decline and you have another reason to stop sleeping on Vancity in 2012.

Track: Shady Blaze – Celebration

Shady Blaze and Ryan Hemsworth make an undeniable team. I’ve pondered before on how they actually made a connection but, however it happened, it’s for the good of rap music. Green Ova is going to be a problem come next year and could possibly take over the world if they continue to mine such unique production talents (these dudes were rocking over Clams Casino beats before it was cool, FYI). Hemsworth goes hard with some minimal piano and a crushing drumroll that hits hard and unexpectedly. The track achieves what it sets out to do: giving you a reason to celebrate.  ”Let’s celebrate ’cause hip hop is here/ let’s celebrate people coming together and connecting through what they hear” rings particularly true, considering that’s probably how this track came to be.