Leeds Hip Hop Scene

I wonder what the world record is for releasing your first single/ep to releasing your debut album? I should really ring up the Guinness Book of Records people rather than ask this rhetorical question on my blog, and I must learn to stop writing like an inane idiot and get to the point. Tomas Stewart aka Breaking the Illusion, released his debut EP back in 1989, today (31.03.08) mark’s the release of his full debut album MIXED MESSAGES on his record label Nice Things Music which he established a few years ago after splitting with his former label the now de-funct Lowlife Records which he founded with Braintax circa 1992.

I know a couple of month’s ago Wisdomtooth wrote a brief review of a very early promo he got from Santa Claus on here, but I think its now time I actually put my thoughts about the album down.

Breaking the Illusion’s, sound is described as a fusion of hip hop, rock, reggae and soul, it’s difficult to pigeon hole this album as it could quite happily sit in any hip hop/rock lovers CD collection quite happily.

The album opens with Big! a self proclomation from Breaking the Illusion, that he’s here and about to blow your head of your shoulders with his sound for the “Hip Hop non-stop rap revolution”, having seen a few of the band’s live performances over the last couple of years this song has become their intro for every performance and you can’t help but nod your head to the full on drums.

Next up is the pop tinged track SDWYNM (She Don’t Want You No More) telling the tongue in cheek tale of a man’s role in a 21st Century woman’s world, a universe of Ann Summers and battery operated devices. OH BTI! flicks on and the ELO - Mr Blue Sky inspired chorus and its steady pop tempo, taking you into the grimey heavy rock infused SWEET TALK, with the throttle on full and Ollie’s amp up to 11, you’ll be wanting to mosh it out like it’s Rage Against the Machine. We’re on a journey again in to the Aphex Twin/Chemical Brothers inspired GIRL WATCHER with the paranoid vocals and the IDM patterns and warped guitar samples making this one of my favourite tracks in Breaking the Illusion’s, repettoire.

Three and a half minutes later and my CD player takes me on another journey as another of BTI’s live classics rears it’s head with a heavily reggae infused version of MR. BOUNCER feat. LSK, the tale of going out on the pull about town. The bouncy samples all over this future pop classic are well used and definitely a nice interjection as we move into a more “hip hop” section in the album with NOBODY LIKES ME, MY CITY & SQUADDIES HOLIDAY, a paraody of Braintax’s tales of suicide bombers yet telling a sombre tale of UK soldiers fighting Dubya’s war in Iraqi-stan.

DMMK which featured on the Leeds By Example album in 2006 is a real bumper and should have people bopping their heads to the anthemic use of horns and the powerful accompanying bass. This is an attack on mindless, commercialised gangsta-rap & Bling Bling culture - the instrumental could comfortably be laced by Mobb Deep or his ilk which simply adds to the irony, and you can’t help but sing along “Drugs Money Murder Kill” play it to your gran see if she gets it?

The throttle is reined in again as we move on to LUCKY THING a simple reggae tinged sunshine vibe of a track yet telling the sad story of the image conscious media seeking fashionista socitey we are all living in today.

WASTED LIFE, REFLECTIONS and finally A SIMPLE PLAN, a humorous song about a bank robbery gone wrong finish off the album and highlight BTI’s talent of crafting imagery and impressive story telling abilities.

So there you have it, Breaking the Illusion’s debut album is out now, you can give some of the tracks a quick listen over on iTunes, before you click the Buy it! button. You can easily see why they have garnered so much success in the past 18 months playing Glastonbury last summer, Leeds Festival in 2006 as well as featuring on the Leeds By Example album and winning Futuresound. Huw Stephen’s and Alan Raw have been chirping on about this band for a long time so get off your lazy backsides and go see them live because one day soon you’ll be dissapointed you didn’t!?!

You can buy the CD from Suspect Packages or download it from iTunes now!!