With the newest release from Denver art rap genius Time just a few weeks old, I've had Dirty Lab on my mind. I decided to share something not from Time, as his entire catalogue is for sale on Bandcamp and he is an insanely cool dude so I really want everyone to support him as much as possible, but from his label mate and friend Extra Kool. This gem right here is one that was available as a free download from the Dirty Lab website a few years back, although I believe the version they'd posted had a relatively low bitrate (128 or 192). This one is variable m4a files, got it direct from Extra Kool who is also insanely cool and it sounds great. It's also in my opinion the best Extra Kool "album" you can't find anywhere anymore.
Any fan of Extra Kool already knows; his Bandcamp starts the Heartburn series with Vol. 4, leaving many to wonder where the preceding three are. Well, look no further. I also have Vol. 2 (although my m4a version of that is missing half the tracks and the one I found on their website is only 128 kbps, so I figured this was a better post) but I am still looking for Vol. 1, if anyone has it I would LOVE to hear it. I'd also love to hear anything he's put out older than Mouth Full of Stitches as his newer album Eight is only his 7th official solo album (if you count the five track The Drakoola EP). There are one or two more somewhere out there, definitely rare fossils waiting to be unearthed...
But I digress, shelter in place makes a person talkative. Heartburn Vol. 3 finds Extra Kool crafting his newer style of rapping, leaving behind the stream of consciousness, poetic lyricism (as exemplified by his 2004 Optik Fusion Embrace album with Satyre (nope not that one) for a more precision, tongue twisting style flow. Sounds a bit more like he's writing to specific beats versus fitting a poem to a beat he received after the fact. It makes his newer work a bit more listenable, although I do love everything he's put out. Always chock full of heart, personality and dope concepts with great production; Extra Kool's been dope and this mixtape is a perfect introduction to the rapper and a must have for any of his longtime fans.
Enjoy!
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