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Various Jungle Jive (Del-Fi/Fusion III)
Various Chronic 2000 Still Smokin' (Death Row/Virgin) If you're one of those people who somehow still gets excited at the prospect of hearing yet another wave of "unreleased Tupac tracks," Chronic 2000 has two of them to offer. This Suge Knight presentation tries to dig up some lost Dr. Dre Tracks as well, but the only thing it really digs up is a question. Just how long is Death Row gonna keep on releasing wack unreleased tracks by deceased rappers and label signees from their longtime gone Golden Age? Times are tough, eh Suge? 6.5/10 (Scott C)
Len You Can't Stop the Bum Rush (Work/Sony)
Bumpy Knuckles A Part of My Life 12" (KJAC/Fat Beats) Inspectah Deck R.E.C. Room 12" (Loud/BMG)
Da Damn Freak Noize Phunk Electric Crate Digger (K7/Fusion III) Those Germans at K7 recordings never cease to surprise me with their affinity for finding and/or creating sexy, funky music. They seem to have a definite flair for slow jams à la electronica. This latest sampling comes from Oliver Bondizio and Ramon Zenker, aka Da Damn... and it could very well be the nouveau playboy/playgirl's soundtrack. More of that '70s-cum-millennium sound; guitar licks, floaty keys and horn riffs backed by cut-and-paste breakbeat loops, but with the occasional subtle 303 bassline. Very acceptable. 8/10 (Krista)
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Although the vast majority of modern attempts at exotic lounge are about as ersatz as cocktail wieners and onion rings at a Polynesian buffet, these early-'60s tropical toenail-curlers are the real thing. Check out "Jungle Fever" by the Shadows, for instance, or the Bob Keene Orchestra's "Swahili." There's enough Afro-Cuban hypnotica, white sand imagery and wild bird squawks here to keep you sippin' mai tais out of a coconut god-head all night long. Bring me another highball, Ping Pong! 7.5/10 (Adam Gollner)
Okay, you remember how they tried to revitalize the Muppets and the Looney Tunes crew with Muppet Babies and Tiny Toons, respectively? Well, think of T.O.-based Len as a teenaged Bran Van 3000. Lightweight Saturday morning ofay hip hop pop, with all the pretty colours and empty calories of a bowl of Fruit Loops. A German techno-pop track and a dose of Biz Markie's awkward crooning help weird things out a bit, but largely, this should appeal to those hearty souls who confess an appreciation for Will Smith's pre-Hollywood efforts with DJ Jazzy Jeff, or that "How Bizarre" guy. 6/10 (Rupert Bottenberg)
It's impossible to ignore the fact that traditionally hip hop has been at its best in the summertime, and to this day the 12" singles that coincide with the hottest months seem to reflect that fact. Bumpy Knuckles, aka Freddy Foxx, sprays all bystanders with a warning while running down
the various parts of his life on the song of the same name, meticulously produced by Premier. And if you somehow forgot about one of the strongest parts of the Wu, Inspectah Deck rips it like he always will on the infectious march of "R.E.C. Room." RZA underling True Master has produced a track that hits the bullseye, a track that is impossible not to bob your head to. Classic summer shit. Bumpy 8/10, Inspectah 8.5/10 (Scott C)