Son Raw is living in interesting times
When i wrote my 2014 Grime wrap up, I had a hard time keeping track of just how many labels were putting out Grime – a major shift from a few years earlier when it was basically Butterz, Oil Gang and No Hats No Hoods. Thankfully, the boom times show no sign of abating and despite the abundance of imprints putting out strong UK music, there’s still plenty of room for newcomers to make their mark and bring something new to the game – particularly when it comes to experimental music existing outside of club confines.
Bristol’s Blacklink Sound is a strong contender to do just that, focusing on the rich experimental/ambient side of instrumental Grime that’s been bubbling up over the past year. They’ve just launched with a 16 track compilation featuring a number of major names in the scene including Strict Face (who deserves some sort of award for consistently dropping amazing free material), Loom, Shriekin’, Sharp Veins, Big Deann and more. Keep an extra eye out for Invader Spade as well – his Hip-Hop/Soul sampling tracks are about to make a LOT of noise in 2015 – if you haven’t heard them yet, you will soon.
Blacklink volume 1 is available for the price of a Facebook like. I don’t sign off on every new label, but I definitely cosign this one. Be on the look out for their forthcoming vinyl-only releases as well, their upcoming official debut features some major names and some seriously twisted tunes.
Download:
MP3: Blacklink Sound Compilation 1 (like on FB to DL, stream below)
