black ops (appreciation-type post)

gumdrops

Well-known member
ok, so i know dissensus is probably too high brow and grown up to do good old fashioned appreciation posts, but i am listening to black ops on rinse right now (admittedly after coming back from the pub), and just wanted to share it with someone as i really like their beats. and whoever is MCing isnt that good, but reminds me of old pirate MCs more than a lot of grime MCs. excuse my black op ignorance, but their beats are dark and good.
 

SIZZLE

gasoline for haters
yeah definite brapple to Jon E Cash, Dreddy & Co. They are definitely on their own thing and are definitely strong on the pure sound pressure tip. I feel like they're more in tune with the whole 808 crunk type of thing than a lot of the people going orchestral on grime, they're keeping it on some minimalist 'just drums' tip which can be real hot. They are also holding it down for the fastness side of grime as opposed to halftime doom bass sludge hop. They're capelton rmx 'inner heart' has stayed in my box and 'Battle' is just pure rowdiness with that blaring bass drop.
 

gumdrops

Well-known member
i like their emphasis on drums too, much prefer it to the whole ridiculous swizz beats-goes-tubular bells-goes-grime approach of some of ruff squad's beats and things like that. ugh. the fastness is what i like about them also.
 

viktorvaughn

Well-known member
DJ Dread D - For the Pirates is good. http://www.discogs.com/release/312615.

I also have Bang Bang Bang which I think is good, can't remember really.

Hoods Up is one of my all time top five grime instrumentals! Total classic.

Jon E Cash was so prolific compared to lots of more lauded Grime scene players. Black Ops really churned out the dark sublow vinyls, discogs lists up to 50 which is a lot by grime standards. That's probably about two if not three times the amount of vinyl put out by the whole of Ruff Sqwad! (Though RS are obviously at least three times better than Black Ops crew).
 

john eden

male pale and stale
Yeah it's interesting for a johnny come-lately like me... - is much of it completely rubbish? I'm guessing there was a drop off at some point....

I think Mr Bok Bok was saying he was making a comeback this year with the funky thing - makes sense given the 4/4 mixes on some of the flips...
 

nomos

Administrator
no the vocals are usually bad afaik. case in point - all about the sex is great PAUG@sidewinder-style dirty garage if you never play the vocal side.

invade 2 / are 1 is a classic that i still need to get. totally out to lunch. lots of stuff still in print too.

anyone have their deuce cd? i've been after that.
 

nomos

Administrator
DJ Dread D - For the Pirates is good.
and #2 was really good.

crazy how they've been so prolific while sticking to a very tight formula yet in the right DJs hands, especially with decent MCs, it still, always gets me excited. such infectious stuff
 
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mos dan

fact music
I am rather liking "War", "Hoods Up" and "Merc" right now.

What else is good?

Kettle !!!!!!!1111!1

CHEEEsus that riddim is good. Bok Bok and I considered forcing them to make a comeback last year, but decided our energies may be better spent elsewhere ;)

Jon E Cash is now just a host at funky house nights, it's a tragedy.
 

mos dan

fact music
Yeah it's interesting for a johnny come-lately like me... - is much of it completely rubbish? I'm guessing there was a drop off at some point....

some dude whose name escapes me off dsf and rwd claims to know them all really well and says sublow is an entire movement, it is separate from grime, and it's still extant, just a very closed scene.. i dunno tho...

it is not completely rubbish though - this along with early grimey 8bar (as played by benga that time) is fantastic, afaic. simple stuff, but so effective.
 

mms

sometimes
I've got a flyer somewhere that came with a Black Ops record that sets it all out. Hopefully I can find it.

yeah i've got that too.
from the haywire ep i like that jon e cash - westside ep too - the instrumental more than the vocal maybe for the old fashioned 70s gangsta film samples the weird loloping drum sample
 
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nomos

Administrator
yeah, i've got it at home. I'll post it up tonight.
yes! ottawa crew comes through :) thanks carmell

ps - i'm going to pm you about a gig coming up

this along with early grimey 8bar (as played by benga that time) is fantastic, afaic. simple stuff, but so effective.
yeah brilliant. black ops + eski + slimzos-related + menta/early-skream/benga = my idea of a good time. minimalism to maximum effect.
 
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