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by
20 April, 2004@12:00 am
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        It’s always a treat when an artist who has been around for a minute is able to dig into their vault and release some never before heard material for their loyal fans to consume. The Left Coast collective known as the Lootpack has now made some of their older material available with the release of The Lost Tapes. For those who have been craving some of Madlib’s production circa his Alkaholiks’ “Mary Jane” days, look no further -  The Lost Tapes packs all of that boom bap mid-nineties production that put Madlib on the map.

      The trio known as DJ Romes, Wildchild, and super-producer Madlib, was first heard on The Liks 21 & Over with both “Mary Jane” and “Turn the Party Out” and later on Coast II Coast with “WLIX”. From that point the group has branched out and released a critically acclaimed album and birthed the entity known as Madlib.  Even though they haven’t made a true follow up to their Stones Throw release Soundpieces: Da Antidote they have been able to successfully pursue solo projects. Now, almost a decade later, the vaults have opened up, welcoming you to the historic sounds of The LP’s.

        As soon as the drums smack the listener with the vibrant “Innersoul”, it will feel like it’s 1996 all over again. As Madlib and Wildchild fire up a healthy dose of their lyrical assault, the dirt and grime in Madlib’s drums becomes so refreshing. It’s apparent that the production instilled within The Lost Tapes is before Madlib became more experimental, yet and still it shows a potentially deadly producer with an upswing nobody could put a ceiling on. The mega smooth sounds of “Situation” become instantly magnetic with its smokey groove, as Madlib showcases his skills on the mic. Declaime falls through on the rock solid sounds of “Get Whack”, as once again Madlib showcases the very reverberation that would make him a child of funk rhythms for the next decade.  DJ Romes sandwiches a Guru vocal sample in between Declaime’s verbal assault, making this joint one not to miss. Though most joints on The Lost Tapes cater more to the Lootpack’s lyrical bravado (especially Wildchild?s sure fire flow), “Miss Deja Vu” illustrates how they can rock the mic in more ways than one. “Why Do We Go Out Like That?” seems like it could have been slated for an early Liks album, but Declaime finds his way through the funk-laden track, treating the listener to a gem of a track.

       Even the interludes on The Lost Tapes foreshadow what Madlib’s future in hip-hop production would bring, with the jazzy, old school vibes and knack for finding an irresistible beat. It’s a shame that this didn’t come out the year it was made, but now that it has found its way out of the vaults, it is definitely one not to miss. Watching the growth of the members of the Lootpack is worth the price of admission alone. The Lost Tapes provides the perfect fix for those who pine for hip hop at it’s finest element. Clocking in at just under an hour, The Lost Tapes delivers some of the better moments from the crew. If you are a fan of the old Madlib sound, or just a fan of the Lootpack as a whole, this one’s for you. And even if you aren’t one of the Lootpack’s loyal followers, The Lost Tapes still works as a good reference of one of the more underrated groups in hip-hop.

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