Do you like good quality UK Hip-Hop with bags of organic goodness and delivered with tight lyrical bars and outstandingly top notch production? Then 'Alpha Coda' is one album that you seriously need to check out! This album includes the head-snapping track ‘Battle Axes’ which has already featured on UK Runnings ‘UK Rap Chronicles’ release for iTunes, as well as ‘Anger Management’ being used on the DC Shoes Big Push DVD (Nov Issue of Sidewalk Magazine). Also included on this long-player is the killer cut ‘Bar Crushers’ which features Don’t Flop/Battle Scars Winner - Tenchoo.
With Ill Move Sporadic’s reputation as producers firmly in place, following last years release ‘The Magnetic Mixtape’ and Joey Menza carving out his reputation as one of the scenes brightest, most original MCs, Starch Music Records are now set to unleash I.M.S’s strongest piece of work yet to date. A fourteen track, hard hitting, no holds barred reaction to life in London, conforming to nothing and no one. Matching together Joey Menza’s incredible mind altering lyrics with I.M.S’s raw, unique and twisted analogue beats.
‘Alpha Coda’ was recorded over the course of 2010 at I.M.S Friendly Studios in Deptford. Through a considered process of crafting beats and an unbroken creative correspondence with then localised MC Menza, rough demos soon turned into locked bars and finished tracks. This constant trade off of inspiration, ideas and experience between MC Menza and producers Neil Cage & Ben81 has resulted in a jostling at times, haunting and always severingly thoughtful master work.
Joey Menza had this to say about his contribution
‘I really wanted to match the style of I.M.S, with the stripped down, raw sound and texture of their beats, so I redesigned my flowing style to a degree, brought it back to the root, but kept the delivery hard too. In terms of the subject matter, there is a broad range of topics. Paranoia, hallucinations, drugs, conspiracy, the future, the present, history, myth, dystopian visions, politics, realism, hip hop culture, battle rap and a ton of other things too. I didn’t want to make a record where I just did a whole bunch of rhymes bragging about how great I am or whatever. I was walking a fine line between abstract and direct style. I didn’t want it to be too biased and obvious most of the time, cos ramming my opinions down peoples throats don’t appeal to me. I want people to think for themselves, and come to their own conclusions, understand?’
This album is a timeless piece that doesn’t compromise itself in any way; it is pure, independent hip-hop that is also a relevant commentary on-and reflection of-the world we live in today.
