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Witness - Ever Since
[self-released]
Next up comes an EP from Witness, an MC and producer from Philadelphia. Ever Since is an 8 track slice of brilliance on a number of levels and delivers a multitude of sounds and emotions, transcending a lot of what I've heard lately. As an MC, Witness can rip it fast or take it slow and smooth, all with a great flow that never sounds off point.
The introduction sets the tone with some great brass samples over a bubbling bass line and some dancing drums which get the head moving and the feet tapping. His diversity is then shown as the jazzy number Sylvia Plath saunters in over a lonesome sax sample and whispering female vocals which he dissects with low tones.
But for me, it is the next 3 songs which really cement this EP in the "great" bracket. Soap Box Stance is a politically charged track which looks at the hypocrisy of the world we live in, with lines such as "they're spitting on children that I've seen pictures of gandhi kissing / while giving tsunami victims dollars between armani fittings", over sublime Spanish guitars. The backing for Two Step is another sure fire winner, with snapping snares bouncing over pianos and strings, whilst All Peace is more of a purist's hip hop song, with turntablism taking centre stage during some points. The fader is definitely fresh, as the sample says, and it showcases the spectrum of Witness' ability on the mic.
My favourite track on the CD though is Prophets Of The Present. The liquid guitars take you onto a build up of haunting choral samples and staccato cymbal hits with the fluent vocals gliding through the beat with consummate ease. It's a beautiful beat and the vocals give it that extra lift. Awesome.
Witness added 2 new songs on the end of the CD for me, and it's clear that on his next release, Ever More, he's going to get bigger and better, because both tracks were superb, especially Fishnet. Besides, anyone that samples Napoleon Dynamite's wish for bow-hunting and computer hacking skills must be a winner. Order this CD now!
www.myspace.com/witness / www.recollectivent.com