Audiophiles - Fake Four

A bit of a different Audiophile post today as it is not about any particular artist, but is actually about a record label I per-chanced upon a week or so ago.

This actually came about through the Choose My Music Facebook page where it was suggested I check out the Connecticut based label Fake Four....I have been obsessed with their output ever since.

Fake Four was founded in May 2008 by brothers David and Ceschi Ramos. The label loves an strives to release full length albums in physical formats, although digital downloads are also available.

The majority of artists I am going to cover here would generally be classed as Hip Hop but that is down to my own laziness as opposed to anything else, the music here crosses so many boundaries it is very hard to pigeon hole.

Onry Ozzborn

Label Link Page: Here

Spotify Link: Here

The Fake Four track I heard was 'The O.O' by Onry Ozzborn (Seattle) and it was the perfect track to get me hooked. The track is perfect old school sample based hip hop with an intelligent lyricist who is clearly not willing to join the mainstream with the usual rap clichés.

The strength of 'The O.O' lead me straight to Spotify to listen to the full length album 'Hold On For Dear Life' which is now on my shopping list and well worth checking out.

Ceschi

Label Link Page: Here

Spotify Link: Here

Next up we have label founder Ceschi, who describes his music as Indie Folk Hip Hop, and who I am to argue with that.
As soon as I mentioned Fake Four I was very quickly informed by a wonderful music lover know as Geoff Owen, to check Ceschi out - and thanks to a free label sampler his track 'Bad Jokes' has been playing on my stereo every since.
The fact that my partner Anna took an interest in this track, despite her general dislike of anything remotely hip hop means that this is clearly an artist I need to investigate more.

Myka 9

Label Page: Here

Spotify Link: Not Available

Next up we have Myka 9 - who has already provided me with a track which will forever remind me of the glorious weather we have been having here this Easter. One thing I always look for in a hip hop artist is an interesting delivery style, and Myka 9 certinly has that. It actually reminds me a little of Busdriver, which is no bad thing at all.
I have been advised that Myka 9 was also part of a collective called Freestyle Fellowship, who have now been added to my 'listen too' list.



There are so many artists I could cover in this post, but I would be here all night.

Through my Fake Four journey I have discovered a brilliant array or artists, many of whom I will no doubt cover in more detail as I get round to purchasing albums.

In the meantime I would really urge you download the free Fake Four label samplers from the Circle into Square website.

Fake Four Album Sampler Vol 1
Fake Four Album Sampler Vol 2

Fake Four has also produced a benefit EP for Japan - please support it here It is only $8.00 (approx £5)

25th March 2001 I:B:23

Welcome back to Choose My Music. Today I have managed to find a way to add tracks to every post thanks to the wonderful people at Mflow. If you are not a member of Mflow, I suggest you get on it now...or drop me a message and take advantage of their referral scheme.

To accommodate this great service from Mflow I have also had to move my blog, so this site is now hosted on Blogger as opposed to the very restrictive Wordpress.

Anyway, lets not mess about for this one.

This weeks selection came from a chap called Andy who, like many people I have discovered since starting this blog, has such a magnificent passion for music. He also knows my sister...but you don't care about that.

After a little bit of alphabet confusion Andy chose I:B:23 which for the first time, lead me to a boxset. In keeping with the social media lead aspect of this site I had to go back to him to ask which CD I should play (he chose CD 3)

The Front Line Box Set

Front Line was a reggae label started by Richard Branson in 1978 and was a sister label to Virgin.

Virgin Records has been releasing reggae singles since 1974 and Branson, noticing the links created between punk and reggae fans took John Lydon over to Jamaica to sign some artists. The trip was a huge success with artists such as Prince Far I, Big Youth and Sly Dunbar (from illustrious group Sly & Robbie) all signing on the dotted line.

Front Line is by far a favourite label of mine, mostly because the mid to late 70's Reggae is by far my favourite era as the music became more political.

The CD's in this collection each have a theme. Roots & Reality, Love & Harmony, Dub Encounters and the one I listened to, Dangerous Deejays.

The Deejay culture in Reggae laid down the foundations for rap and hip hop 20 years before Grandmaster Flash and The Sugarhill Gang. The practice known as 'Toasting' was developed in Jamacian music sometime in the last 1950's by Count Machuki. He would go to sound systems and add vocals to the hit Ska tracks of the day. Eventually a whole wave of Deejays came to the forefront of reggae thanks to people like U-Roy, I-Roy, Dennis Alcapone and Dillinger to name but a few.

There are some classic tracks in this box set, including the wonderful 'Natty Rebel' by U-Roy which makes use of The Wailers hit 'Soul Rebel'

Other notable tracks include the heavy heavy sounds of Price Far I on 'Message From The King' and Poet & The Roots 'Five Nights Of Bleeding'

This truly is a fantastic Reggae box set which focuses solely on a very short, yet very productive period of Jamaican music. Price wise it is perhaps a little much for someone who is starting out, but most of the albums released by Frontline have since be re-issued and can be picked up quite cheap