Underground Fossils was an indie rap focused blog run by myself (Dimxsk) and by Trylemma, who passed August 3rd, 2024 from liver failure of unknown origin at the age of 34. We mostly posted week or twice weekly, the bulk of which were rare rips we made, found on old blogs, he acquired through his insanely broad connection to the scene, etc. We did all we could to make sure we didn't post stuff that (1) You could still reasonably buy from the artist directly, (2) You could reasonably buy secondhand for cheap, (3) You could download easily elsewhere, (4) The artist(s) asked us not to for any reason.
Being involved in this blog was some of the most fun I ever had, even if at times it was time consuming, challenging or intimidating (having a readership). It was the product of one of the best friendships I've ever had. If I could say one last thing, it's to encourage all of you: if you have the time and desire, make your own UGF. Find a friend who loves this shit like you do and build it together. It will bring you incredible joy, enhance your connection to this amazing community, and change your life in unexpected and exciting ways. I know it did mine. Love you all!
Happy Tuesday folks! I hope some of you are choosing to hop on the vaccination train. I was reticent at first about it (rush engineering and all that) but because of my job I was able to get my first shot and figured what the hell. It's going to allow me to travel again eventually is my guess. Anyway aside from a (really) sore arm the next day I feel fine. Got my second shot at the end of the month, hope all goes well. That's my plug for a return to normalcy, here's to that...
And now this. Extra Kool has a new "album" type thing! Clocking in at just under 12 minutes, HRTBUURN Vol. 5: THE TRASH TAPE is probably really dope because Kool is always really dope. With an irreverent style of rhyming that has evolved over the years from verbose in the extreme to chill perfection, a new wave dark pop sound and a relatable personality (for me at least) I always enjoy his work. It helps to have production from some very talented individuals such as Awareness of calm. Dirty Laboratory always kills it.
So I haven't listened to this one all the way through yet. I wanted to get a post out there but I'm seriously swamped. From what I can tell skimming it this has some seriously dope production, more of Kool's trademark sincerity and some catchy ass songwriting. So what I'm thinking I'd love is if some of you guys checked this out (paying that $1 if you can afford it) and then commented below with your thoughts. Don't ruin it for me, constructive criticism only if you don't like it. That's always a possibility I guess when an artist calls their own album "trash". If you don't feel like it then you can just consider this a promo post for an artist who I really respect and enjoy.
So basically I'm asking ya'll to do my job for me. I'm sorry. And keep the requests coming, we had one but he retracted it so basically I'm lost as to what I should upload this week...
Enjoy HRTBUURN Vol. 5: the Trash Tape, only available here for the low low price of $1... and let me know what you think because I'm seriously curious!
Well it's not exactly new music, but this past October a personal favorite of mine dropped this fascinating little album, and since I just got the chance to listen to it I figured I'd do him a favor and drop a little post promoting it.
Otem Rellik is the Colorado based soft folk electronic rap circuit bender who's otherworldly production and depressingly beautiful vocals have been behind some of my most favorite songs for feeling sad. Blood Bone Piano actually made my list of my top ten albums of the decade because Otem Rellik is not only original and one of a kind, he's also been progressing towards an accessibility that I think would make him a staple for any indie music fans iTunes and that album was essentially a perfect blend of original and catchy.
I was never a huge fan of his older material, but starting with Elephant Graveyard back in 2010 and beyond I've really found his music both interesting and infectious. "Sour Segments" really impressed me with it's heart and mournful beauty for example, and actually really made me feel better through what was essentially one of the worst years of my life (2011).
So I've been annoying him about a new album for four years since unbroken&unheard with Bandcamp messages and he's finally delivered. What do I think? Well, Rellik's ingenuity for circuit bending has hit new heights with this one. Songs like "After School Special" really display a lush array of unusual sounds, used in very effective ways. Listening to the album with surround sound is a must. I can honestly say I have no idea where some of his synths come from but I guarantee you will be drawn in to the dreamy world he creates with them.
Lyrically he's as he always is, writing songs about nostalgia, heartbreak and loss sprinkled with hope. He's leaned more towards digitally altering his vocals which is unnecessary given his unique singing voice, but I guess my aging ass can tolerate a little autotune in the spirit of surreal sonic world building. I actually find myself thinking that given the recent revelations about Astronautalis (who Rellik has worked with and belongs to the same genre camp of folky indie pop rap), Rellik is really a good fit for those of us who really really miss that irreverent genre bending sound. Dammit Astro, why did you have to turn out to be such a dirtbag....?
Anyway it's not all rosy with them album, although I will say I did like it a lot. My biggest complaint is the lack of any songs that particularly resonate and have me hitting the back button all day. "Blood Bone Piano", the title track from the aforementioned album was one of those, as was "Sour Segments" and "The Back Catalogue of Broken Teeth" from his last album. Maybe that will change, and it may be a good thing as there may just be too much going on to really get these songs with the single listen I've had time to give them. Then again it may be that there is a bit more atmosphere than songwriting here, although I do need to say again that I liked this work. I've come to realize as a hardcore music fan that my response to a given album is likely to bounce around depending on my mood, what I'm doing and how I'm listening. So if you're looking for a simple yes or no, yes, give this one a shot. It's cool, showcases some daring stylistic elements and repurposing of toys in bizarre ways, and does contain some truly beautiful songs. Just because I haven't started singing along yet doesn't mean I won't.
Get we creatures | built soft here as a pay what you want, but toys / instruments are expensive so consider a donation!
For today we have two new singles from the Denver legends Time and Awareness as Calm., with a period at the end (very important). I got an email from Time himself just in "time" for my Tuesday post, and knowing what an overall decent dude and hardworking artist he is (along with his labelmates as the Dirty Laboratory) I felt the need to share about it. Awesomely enough the first single "To Live and Die in Dystopia" also features Myka 9, so there's a lot to be excited about here. By now I expect you've already watched the video above, so you've heard that first song. Here's what I think about it.
PART 1: To Live in Die and Dystopia feat. Niko Is & Myka 9:
To sum it up, this song is about paranoia, and how the modern world fosters it on a daily basis. Also, is it paranoid when you might be right? We've allowed it to get to the point where virtually every schizophrenic delusion can now exist, from the Air Loom to microchips in our bodies. Disgusting and disturbing, and there are few rappers more equipped to speak on these topics than Time. Over an eerie and chilling piano driven beat, the three rappers each spit a verse, given room to breath by vocal samples that do nothing to alter the songs thoroughly dark and disturbing disposition.
The big surprise here is Niko Is. Damn this guy kills it right? Not to mention a weird and totally unexpected Rush reference, which you might or might not have caught (I happen to listen to classic rock all day at work these days, because it's that or Top 40 and I swear Lewis Capaladi or whatever his name is may be my least favorite person in history right now). Great voice (were back to Niko now, not Lewis), interesting style with a seriously rugged delivery. I've never heard anything from this dude before, but I'm definitely gonna be looking into his work from here. Time takes up the torch immediately following, and it may be one of his most brutally executed verses yet. My personal favorite line: "The right brothers made planes the wrong brothers made drones", but there's a lot to love here. An instant classic verse by Myka closes the song, full of his quirky and strange delivery with a deep rumbling voice. No one does stream of consciousness quite like Myka, and his contribution is like a poem written by a crashing computer. Unsettling and dope as hell.
It's not available for download publicly, but I have it on good authority that if you go here, contact Time and ask nicely you can get either MP3's or WAV's. He's also a great dude overall so it's worth making that connection. Also while you're there check out his extensive catalogue of music, he's very unique, creative and woke. In the wake of all these guys turning out to be worse than we could hope, he truly strikes me as one of the good ones so support with confidence.
PART 2: Learn to Die:
I have to say on first listen I wasn't as instantly impressed with this one as with the first single. On my second listen I'm getting a bit more out of it. Basically it's a song about, ironically, learning to live. Time discusses his usual topics, poverty, depression and disillusionment and how we can continue to be good in a world where we sometimes feel like we can't escape these things. The beat is fairly good, Awareness has done some interesting things with the drums and the sample is beautiful and somber. Overall though I have to say the whole thing seems just a bit rushed. It would make a good interlude stye track on a full length or EP, but released as a single it seems to be missing something. Not that any part of it isn't good necessarily, it just doesn't stand on it's own very well. Maybe in the future there'll be a third verse to tie everything together, or a hook? Either way, not a bad offering for free streaming or download (maybe, see above).
That's it for today, thanks for reading! A quick note, I know I said a few weeks ago I wanted to promote more music from minority rappers, which sometimes doesn't happen as much as it should on the indie rap web, and then I went and did three posts in a row (well, Object Beings having Doseone maybe counts, I dunno) promoting Caucasian rappers. I have an idea for a Friday post that should get things back on track though. Just know I haven't forgotten what I said, or what's been happening in America for a few months now.
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.
I've been slacking lately on new music, but I did want to briefly share one of the best instrumental projects I've heard thus far this year: AG Flux - Summer In-Flux.
AG Flux is a talented rapper and producer from Colorado as well as a member of the great Black Mask crew. He dropped one of my favorite (vocal) projects of 2018 with the album "Accompanied by Solitude." While he's a great rapper, he seems, at least of late, to be more interested in production. He's done various "beat a day" projects that he's shared on Instagram and the instrumentals rarely fail to impress.
"Summer In-Flux," which dropped in late July ("New" is used loosely in the title lol,) is a collection of 8 great instrumental tracks. Those who enjoy synthy melodic beats, with a fair amount of slap, will likely find lots to enjoy here. Flux, like all great producers who drop instrumental albums, knows how to craft beats that live on their own (without the need of a rapper or singer.) It seems like he may have learned a thing or two along the way from Black Mask head Maulskull!
Preview and purchase "Summer In-Flux" HERE and keep track of what AG is up to on IG HERE.
First things first, we have three EPs from Colorado's Ape9 (aka James Vega). Called Humble Gods, Astronauts and Malaki, they came to me out of order without album art or year released so I don't know much about them. Please do drop a note or comment if you have art or information. According to Trylemma, they were made in high school, and I believe him as we are definitely hearing a younger Ape9 on these tracks. That being said, they're pretty good. Enjoy!
The Motherfucking Jizclot (Knowskills) - 60 Minutes of Hate
Next we have something special, a mixtape curated by Knowskills of Beat Comber (Saskatoon) fame. This contains a wide variety of 90's and indie rap with a clear preference for the more raw and gritty styles (old pre-emo Cage and Third Sight for example). Trylemma found this cassette along with a few more rare joints, and I ripped it. It's a good selection of tracks, mixed well and could definitely serve as a soundtrack for your Summer BBQs, so long as you're friends don't mind listening to someone calling themselves The Motherfucking Jizclot.
No fan of Canadian rap can be satisfied with their collection without Crackbeat's full length effort The Cracker. Recorded in a dorm room, and consisting of all kinds of weirdos like Josh Martinez, Jesse Dangerously, Kunga219, Gordski and Moves, The Cracker managed to bring together all manner of talent, run with a general theme of humorous mayhem and make it sound dope. Trylemma informs me that a scene rip of this exists, but that it's only 8 tracks. This version is the full* 14 tracks plus outro, this is a rip of my copy of the cassette. Put it on and reflect how far each of these voices have come. A must have for sure.
So it's been a fun half a year, and there's still more to come. I've got several more interesting fossils I've been holding back for the right time, and Trylemma has even more. So keep visiting every Wednesday and Friday for reviews and free music, and thanks again for the interest! Enjoy the summer!
*Disclaimer: The number one smash hit "Who's Tony?", while listed in the liner notes, is regrettably missing from the actual cassette. I know, I almost demanded my money back...
This week's upload is 2007's "Free.P" from the western mountain based collective, Black Mask. Black Mask is best known for being the crew headed up by Maulskull. The super producer/super rapper has collaborated with many indie acts from his native region (e.g. Rhyme Progression, Milogic, Eye Cue) and has also branched out and worked with larger names from the underground scene (e.g. Ceschi, Celph Titled, Snak The Ripper.)
As far as I know, "Free.P" is Black Mask's first release. I got it off the collective's now defunct website back in the day, and not much info is out there about it (I'm not even sure about the track order as none of the songs have track numbers.) I'm also not even entirely sure who was in Black Mask at this point. Maulskull, Carnage, and INfluence were definitely in the mix. Nobe1 and Raph might have been in the mix too. The lineup has changed various times throughout the years so it's a bit hard to tell.
What I can say, however, is that even in its early stages, Black Mask made some great music. Maulskull is still trying to find his production style on the project, but even so, the instrumentation is great - especially when things get fluffy and atmospheric. Nearly everyone in the crew can also rap well - lots of fun cadences and engaging content on here. Josh Martinez also stops by for a feature!
Grab this jewel if you haven't already and also be sure to check out Maulskull's amazing "Unamazing Grace" album that he dropped late last year as well as AG Flux's (a Black Mask member who joined post "Free.P") "Accompanied By Solitude" and Alex Knox's (another Black Mask member who joined after "Free.P") "Who Goes There" albums, both of which dropped last year as well.
And now for a small announcement of sorts. In honor of their turning ten, I have started to count down my Top 209 Favorite Hip Hop Projects of 2009 over on my RYM page. For each entry, I'll be dropping some brief thoughts on the given project, and for select entries, Dimxsk will be joining me! If this interests you at all, feel free to check out the countdown list HERE.
