:: Still More Bounce

Various Artists

‘One for my homies’ is the theme on 5Mic’s latest release, Still More Bounce. I’m usually a bit wary of anything resembling a tribute album. They are often the realm of b-sides and not-quite-good-enough-for-the-LP tracks. SMB is an eclectic mix of styles that course along a fine flexible thread, the murder of rapper Roger Troutman by his brother, and it somehow avoids the oppressive atmosphere of a tribute. There is honesty here, not just a bunch of artists cashing in on the latest funeral. The title track is the standout, with Rass Kass and Merciless Stylz belting out deep vocals over a funky, feel-good break. The whole compilation has a warm feeling to it, as the West Coast gets together to pay homage to one of their own. Daz Dillinger keeps up the party vibe with ‘Party Started’, before Merciless goes completely old school R&B for the whole middle of the LP. This album isn’t for everybody. But then, neither were the late eighties. A lot of the sounds here are reminiscent of that era of promiscuous growth for hip-hop and R&B. It is at times self-indulgent, as the artists take advantage of the opportunity to ignore the constraints of their own careers to pull out the stops, and do it like they used to, and it works in a way. This isn’t the greatest hip-hop album of the season, but it is a good look back over the shoulder of the last few; a nostalgic romp with a few new sounds thrown in for good measure.