We don’t do end of year lists at Bonafide but if we did Dimlite’s Grimm Reality would we be well up there alongside Shabazz Palaces’ Black Up, Thundercat’s The Golden Age of Apocalypse and Stepkids self-titled debut as some of the strongest releases of 2011.
Andy Spragg described Grimm Realityas “Ducking the cliché of ‘being taken on a musical journey’, Grimm Reality is more akin to going from ‘in here’ to ‘out there’, a sudden collapse of constraint into dazzling inventiveness.”

We have three copies of the album up for grabs, to stand a chance of winning one just answer this question: Which country is Dimlite from? Send your answers into the usual address, mailbox@bonafidezine.com including your full name and postal address details.
Competition closes February 25th.

D’Angelo has long reigned as the mysterious king of neo-soul. Much like Lauryn Hill, his 2000 opus Voodoo was followed by zilch, preferring to remain in the shadows as a peripheral figure in the music world, and finding himself in and out of jail and putting on a few pounds in the process. Consequently, any new musical movement in the D’Angelo renaissance we hear so much about feels like an event. Reports of a new album and a UK tour appear premature. But, yet, here is a small offering that reminds us of his brilliance, a cover of Soundgarden’s grunge classic ‘Black Hole Sun’, recorded either eight or two years ago (depending on who you believe).

Listen to the track below (via Stereogum).

D’Angelo – Black Hole Sun (Demo) by Moosekick

Bonafide set out with the aim to celebrate hip-hop. Our aim was to explore ‘old-school, mid-school and new-school creativity’, five issues on we’re proud to present the old school x new school issue. In hip-hop chronological order we speak to the Godfather of it all, Grandmaster Flash, profile EPMD, the funky Long Island duo from the golden age of rap and get crazy with ‘the lazy hustler’ and fourth Beastie Boy, Ricky Powell. Still in NYC, we speak to a leading voice for alternative hip-hop, EL-P, who, nearly 15 years on from the release of the Funcrusher Plus (as part of Company Flow), reveals that there’s plenty of drive left in the tank. From the West Coast we catch up with the revered turntablist and Beat Junkie, J Rocc.

In the new-school side of the magazine, we break bread with those responsible for some of the most exhilarating new sounds in British urban music. We have exclusives with DELS and Ghostpoet as they launch their careers with original and nuanced albums. For this issue’s roundtable we speak with the men behind Numbers, the Glasgow based record label that has rewritten the rulebook on how techno, electronic, R’n’B, house and hip-hop music should sound. And the resulting mutant strain of bass music is destroying dance floors the world over. On the visual side, we delve deep into the Brainfeeder psyche, speaking with designer and artist Charles Munka about his contribution to the label’s distinct art direction.

Buy an issue via the Bonafide shop and you will receive a redeemable code (sent via email within 48 hours) for a free copy of DELS’ Gob EP, including the original single and remixes by Dave Sitek of Tv on the Radio (catch a listen here), Untold and Ry9n. While stock lasts.

You can also buy Bonafide in the TATE Modern bookshop, Rough Trade, Fopp, Magma, all good online and physical record stores and for the first time, HMV, from May 15th.

This summer saw the 10 year anniversary of Lewis Recordings. Founded by former Hip-Hop Connection writer/photographer Mike Lewis, the small North London based imprint has quietly gone about the business of releasing quality hip-hop, electronic and pop records in highly desirable packaging by a diverse roster of artists including Andrew Thompson, Stig of the Dump, Cinnamon and most notably, Edan, whose unique brand of psychedelic hip-hop has received critical and commercial acclaim upon his all too infrequent releases.

We have all of Edan’s singles, albums and indeed a sack full of pretty much every Lewis Recordings release in both vinyl and CD format to give away to one lucky reader. To stand a chance of winning just email in at mailbox@bonafidezine.com. with your name, age and address details. Winners will be notified by the 20th November.

This competition is now closed.

In preparation for the release of Ugly Duckling’s fifth full length album, Moving at Breakneck Speed, the group have embarked on an extensive UK tour and have been good enough to deliver an exclusive mix for our Bonafide Beats series.

Ugly Duckling – Young Einstein, Andy Cooper and Dizzy Dustbin – have never been ones to take themselves too seriously. With their over sized ‘doockie’ gold rope chains and baggy attire it could be said the group were a proto-Goldie Looking Chain, except The Long Beach natives have actually made some pretty good tunes (indie-rap classic A Little Samba comes to mind among others).

Eschewing the gangsta rap style that dominated the local landscape when they first got started back in the early 90s UD have stuck to their guns, releasing good time vibes hip-hop over serious digger samples and scratches courtesy of DJ Young Einstein.

Their Bonafide Beats selection is no different, encapsulating the global feel that comes with a hectic touring schedule. Andy ‘Cat’ Cooper hosts and Einstein cooks up a mix featuring obscure Japanese funk-punk, smouldering Brazilian soul, Biz Markie, DJ Prince Ice, Del The Funky Homosapien and Michael Jackson. As you can expect there’s no tracklist with this one.

UK Tour Dates

SAT 08th OCT – BATH MOLES
SUN 09th OCT – SWINDON VIC
MON 10th OCT – PORTMOUTH HIGHLIGHT
TUE 11th OCT – HIGH WYCOMBE WAMA
WED 12th OCT – EXETER CAVERN
THURS 13TH OCT – PLYMOUTH RIDE CAFÉ
FRI 14TH OCT – LONDON JAZZ CAFÉ
SAT 15TH OCT – BRIGHTON HAUNT
SUN 16TH OCT – SOUTHHAMPTON ORANGE ROOMS
TUE 18TH OCT – HASTINGS BRASS MONKEY
WED 19TH OCT – NORWICH ARTS CENTRE
THURS 20TH OCT – OXFORD BILLINGDON
FRI 21ST OCT – BRISTOL BLOWPOP BIRTHDAY @ IN MOTION
SAT 22ND OCT – CARDIFF SWN FESTIVAL
SUN 23RD OCT – BIRMINGHAM RAINBOW
MON 24TH OCT – STRATFORD UPON AVON COX YARD
TUE 25TH OCT – YORK FIBBERS
WED 26TH OCT – LEEDS HIFI
THURS 27TH OCT – MANCHESTER SOUND CONTROL
FRI 28TH OCT – GLASGOW KING TUTS
SAT 29TH OCT – BLACKPOOL TAVERN
SUN 30TH OCT – LIVERPOOL KAZIMIER
MON 31ST OCT – EDINBURGH SNEAKY PETES
TUE 1ST NOV – SHEFFIELD TUESDAY CLUB
WED 2ND NOV – NOTTINGHAM BODEGA
THURS 3RD NOV – GALWAY ROISIN DUBH [IRELAND]
FRI 4TH NOV – DUBLIN CRAWDADDY [IRELAND]

If you were going to dial up someone to make a funk mix, chances are Dante Carfagna would be near the top of your list. Thankfully in 2005 Andrew Meza and BTS Radio managed to get through on a phone line that was constantly engaged as Carfagna held court with the likes of Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow. Sit back and enjoy as one of the world’s leading authorities on rare groove thumbs through his collection of 45s and presents the (Get)Downers Mix.

A tropical hip-hop track (we’re struggling to place the rapper, any ideas?) opens proceedings on Benji Boko’s exclusive Bonafide Beats mix. And its funky opening starts as it means to go on. Cut from the same cloth as Jackmaster’s recent Fabric mix, Boko’s intentions here seem to revolve around reviving such classics as ‘Just Be Good To Me’ by S.O.S Band, and in doing so has concocted a half-hour long eclectic party mix.

Described by DJ Yoda as being ‘the future’ (of mash-up style party mixing, presumably) Boko has taken the opportunity to halt the rampant obsession with searching for the perfect beat, and instead turn his humble gaze back towards the 80s and its hedonistic lounge groove and bombastic Latino funk flavours. A shameless exercise in nostalgia and homage if ever you heard one, Benji Boko has carefully rummaged through his record collection and melded together a heady collage of classic crowd-pleasers, a welcome relief in the current climate of stubborn revisionism of past trends.

The Stepkids
The Stepkids
Stones Throw

I’ve had this album for less than 48 hours. I’ve played it five times. It’s very, very, very good.

This point should be emphasised because it’s not so much hype as expectation accompanying The Stepkids’ eponymous debut long player. Three musicians who have been playing live with the likes of Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, and 50 Cent, as well indie-punk band Zox, The Stepkids have built that expectation with two singles, “Shadows on Behalf” and “Legend in My Own Mind”, both of which feature here, and one of Stones Throw’s recent Direct to Disc live LPs. The studio album is no let down. It’s an exceptionally well crafted piece of work, soaked in soul, jazz, and beat orientated hip hop that also draws on the feel of early 70s psychedelic west coast rock. Particular highlights are “La La” and “Suburban Dream,” which carry you a long with their hooks and riffs, and the soulful “Cup Half Full.” Buy this album. That’s all that needs to be said.

Words: Chris Renwick

One of the most sorrowful images from the past five nights of violence has perhaps been the destruction of a Sony warehouse used primarily by distribution company PIAS. A storage home for countless independent labels, who for the most part operate on shoestring margins at the best of times, the events stand as a “horrible” setback, in the words of Beggars Banquet (home to 4AD, Rough Trade and XL Recordings) Chairman Martin Mills.

Massive losses have already been recorded for labels such as Lex, Young Turks, and the Ninja Tune/Big Dada imprint where a source had this to say;

“After a tense and upsetting night for London on Monday, Tuesday morning’s news was even more of a blow. It’s emblematic of the futility of what took place that small, independent companies releasing unusual, uncompromising music have suffered as a result of the riots. We’ll survive the destruction of our stock, and we hope very much that everyone else does too. We’d like the thank the public and the press for all their support, and of course we were just one part of much wider destruction, in which many people lost much more than their stock.”

Nearly a hundred labels have been reported as affected:

1234, 2020 Vision, Accidental, Ad Altiora, Adventures Close to home , Alberts , All City , Alt Delete, Ambush Reality, Angular, Ark, ATC, Atic, Atlantic Jaxx, Azuli, B Unique, Backyard, Bad Sneakers, Bandstock, Banquet, Beggars, Big Chill, Big Dada, Big Life / Nul / Sindy Stroker, Boombox, Border Community, Boysnoize, Brille, Bronzerat, Brownswood, Buzzin Fly, Can You Feel It, Catskills, ChannelFly, Chemikal Underground, City Rockers, Counter, D Cypher, Dance To The Radio, Deceptive, Def Jux, Dirtee Stank, Divine Comedy, Domino, Drag City, Drive Thru, Drowned in Sound, Duophonic, Eat Sleep / Sorepoint, Electric Toaster, Emfire, F. Comm, Fabric, Faith And Hope, Fantastic Plastic, Fargo, FatCat, Feraltone, Finders Keepers / Twisted Nerve, Fingerlickin’, Flock, Free Range, From The Basement, Full Time Hobby, Goldsoul, Gronland, Groove Attack, Halftime, Hassle ,Heron. Hum&Haw, Independiente, Info UK, Join Us, Kartel, Kensaltown, Kitsune, Kompakt, Laughing Stock, Leftroom, Lex, Lo Max, Loose, Love Box, Lowlife, Lucky Number, Marquis Cha Cha, Memphis Industries, Merok, Metroline, Mute, Naïve, Nation, Navigator. New World, Ninja Tune, Nuclear Blast ,One Little Indian, Output / People in the Sky / Process, Pale Blue, Palm, Peacefrog, PIAS Recordings, PIP 555 Productions, Play To Work, Powerhouse (T2), Propaganda / Ho Hum, Raw Canvas, Red Grape, Red Telephone Box, Rekids, Renaissance, Respect Productions (PES digital), Reveal Records, SMG, Rock Action, Roots, Rough Trade, Rough Trade Comps, Rubyworks, Ruffa Lane, Search And Destroy, Secret Sundaze, Secretly Canadian / Jagjaguwar / Dead Oceans, Sell Yourself, Setanta, Shatterproof, Sideone Dummy, Slam Dunk, Smalltown, Soma, Something In Construction, Sonar Kollectiv, Soul Jazz, Southern Fried, Stranded Soldier, Subliminal, Sunday Best, TARGO, Taste, Ten Worlds, Thrill Jockey, Total Fitness, Touch And Go, Track And Field, TriTone, Trouble, Try Harder, Turk, Turnstile, Twenty 20, Underworld, Union Square, Urban Torque, Vagrant, Vice, Victory, Wagram , Wall Of Sound, Warp, Wi45 , Wonky Atlas, Word And Sound, Xtra Mile, You Are Here.

While the list is still open to fluctuation, it is still a staggering loss, with some of the most respected labels in the country suffering at the hands of mindless thugs. Sad times all round.