Jehst originally was a great rapper (who did the odd production or two) who came on the scene with a new style. As time went on Jehst has more and more got into producing with him resulting to last year producing his whole EP “Nuke Proof Suit”. It wasn’t very consistent to be honest in both the production and lyrical departments. But this year instead of rapping over them Jehst has got a list of top UK rappers to spit over them.

This is a big shock as most of the beats are really consistent for being good. The first question rises to your head: Why didn’t Jehst use them or keep them for himself. I personally believe it’s to due to the artist style and preferences. The album begins with a bang with the lead single “Dunya (My World)” featuring the fast rising in the ranks Micall Parknsun. It sort of reminds you of his last album main single of “Run Hard” featuring on Falling Down. It reminds me due to the Asian type song he sampled. Parknsun’s lyrics aren’t really narrowed down but more free ranged. Judging from this you would fall quickly to an assumption from this that all off his production follows a basic formula. But you’re wrong!

The production really varies which is also a strong point for a production album. Though the “If You Were Me” has a sort of Jehst vibe it doesn’t stick to same old formula. If it’s the dark “Say Word” featuring Kashmere or the Soulful“Listen” featuring Sir Smurf Lil’, this album caters for all tastes. “Tempa Tempa” featuring the laid back *****y Verb T is a great different sounding beat from most on the market. My favourite has to be “Right Now” featuring Kyza who isn’t normally my taste but is one of my favourites at the moment. Kyza flows excellent over the sampled piano and delivers some deep stuff.

One song I do not really like as much (though it’s not that bad as most albums weaker song or two) is “Soldiers 4 Life (remix)” with the Universal Soldiers. The lyrics are nothing amazing but accompany the beat but the beat does nothing for me. A piano sampled some where before but used different and completed with hard drums. Also there is a lot of remixes of songs already released. Even though after one or two it does shows a skill of building a beat over vocals though you do feel a bit cheated after a few. I took this with a pinch of salt as this album was more about Jehst’s production. Some of the remixes I prefer to the original. The “Money in the bank (remix)” (which should be labelled “Money in the bank (remix remix)”. The original had a different Jehst beat which had the same sort of flavour but I’m feeling this more. You can forget the marvellous job he did for the remix of Rodney P’s “Future”. With the organ and drums it gives it a old school funky feel (which suits him again as he was a pioneer of UK Hip hop)

There’s two more remixes both equally enjoyable but not much I could go into explaining. In all this gets 4 out of 5 on the border of 4.5.

Even though production wise Jehst worked his arse of and got a list of A star rappers these are my flaws.
I thought on the album apart from 1 weaker song they all pretty bang on. With only 11 tracks you expect them all to be on point like Illmatic. Again some may feel cheated on the fact it’s filled with remixes but you got to remember this is a production album. One flaw which I haven’t said is maybe Jehst could have brought in some less well known names but I suppose he wants to sell more units and has to keep it tight with the lowlife records.

Recommendation: Buy this album! One of the best this year and one of my favourites (maybe even my favourite)

After his last two great releases, Jehst album’s is something to be highly anticipated and something you think is likely to live to the hype.

This Album one minute I love it and the other few I’m reaching for the skip button. One of my favourite has to be the title track and the lead single “Nuke Proof suit” The beat is very catchy with the deep bassline and the energetic arrangement. This is actually one of Jehst’s most complicated beats though compared to most it’s nothing difficult. Jehst makes light humour of a quite political topic finishing off with a catch as hell hook. The only problem is the squeaky voice can get on nerves. “Vice City” is another one which caught my ear. The simplistic but effective looped beat has a happy positive feel. Jehst addresses the struggle of city life. Jehst seemed to have switched back to the less abstracted but still present still which many feel in love with from return of the drifter. “Hydroblowback” many would say this is the best song with its chilled out beat and atmosphere where Jehst is almost singing his verse’s and delivering a catchy as hell hook, its hard to argue with them. “Work Ethic” again a nice simple but effective looped beat finished with a catchy hook. Jehst looks at his hard work staying on target while using more of that classic ROTD style.

As I kind of pointed out before Jehst finds it hard to stay on topic. Many would say this is a strength and his formula of success the others would say its his downfall. I do enjoy it but sometimes he does sound like a tramp who jump wandered into the studio. “Neck Breakin” and “Ape Shit” would be the two which show this the best. Neck Breakin, Jehst gives the beat an old skool vibe though the high pitched sound could get on your nerves. Ape shit many would say it’s a highlight though im one to disagree. The beat is simplistic and that being nice. Yes it is creative and yes he does create a nice haunting and eerie atmosphere with the chimes though its boring. Though both are creative, weird and fun to listen lyric wise kind of like one of Redman songs they are really ramblings of a drunk and stoned man, don’t think they even have any topics. “Magnum Force” and “Pepper Spray” are more of the unique style of lyrics Jehst is bringing. Its also nice to see Kashmere feature on a track. Jehst both brings nice heading nodding beats which are quite funky though both again very simplistic.

In all this album gets a 3.5 out of 5 and I think this one is more of a grower. It is sort of growing on me. There is only 8 tracks and to me it is cutting it a bit fine. First you think of the old saying “Quality before Quantity”, then of all the other classics and then you remember his Return Of The Drifter had about 8 tracks (not counting skits and remixes) and that was classic I thought maybe this would be. 8 tracks means it leaves it short but sweet though it also means if one track terrible there is not much to compare it to so you might brand it wack for just one tiny mistake. Jehst flips between his Return of the drifter and Falling Down style and delivers quite a creative, weird and fun to listen lyrics. I like how Jehst tried at a one man solo self production release and I can now give him the artist status. The beats are good, experimental and to a style of his own but with them being so damn simplistic you do get bored of them.

I recommend you buy the other two first (Return Of The Drifter 1st) and then expanding from then on.

Jehst is from Hudderfield yorkshire UK.

 

High Plains Anthem

The album begins brilliant. The beat which is produced is this quite funky beat made up of drums,bass and the piano which shines out on this one and it is yet very addictive. The hook is a Dj premier type of thing where samples are used of Nas. Jehst flows incredibly well with this raw flow and spits some dope stuff on this track. Jehst uses wordplay and anything else he can to make a dope song. “More bad apples in the crew than cheap cider” makes this song and is my favourite line.

Skit.

A weird beat based thing with alot of scatching does actually what it says on the title

City of industry

To begin with you hear this very depressing sounding violin type of instrument being played it with a nice bass and then the drums slowy begin to be added to the mix. Then some crackling samples of Prodigy (from Mobb deep) begin. Jehst begins to flow and starts describing a typcial bad weather day in a northern town in the uk. he spit some dope stuff again. There is dope lyrics and maybe even better production which infact this song is done by himself, Which gets double brownie points from me.

Bluebells

This beat is more happier than this one and the next one. With the nice sampling and really nice baseline makes this very catchy. Kind of skitish type of thing.

1979

To begin with there is some really quite furious and rough drum loop and a quick scatch of something which you think it going to be a more aggressive song until it stops and some really weeping sound violin type of instrument and some sort of horn instrument. I was thinking if these are the two parts of the bea together this aint goint to work but instead when the drums mix with other stuff if works, amazing! Then jehst starts to rap about him strugggling in life and trying to get back on track. In the hook there is just sampling again which i can’t remember where from.

The Trilogy Ft. Tommy Evans + Ricochet

The bass is what really shines out on this one, but in all this really is a meancing beat. All together the mc’s use battle type of lyrics showing up of fake and piss poor mc’s. To begin with Jehst lays a really dope verse with lines like “Any timewasters grab them by the tie breaker Betta chance of flying off a sky scaper”. Then ricochet lays a good verse but weak against Jehst’s and Tommy’s but still keeps above good with lines like “Spit a muderous verse and rip like van winkle”. Tommy finishes this off with a good verse. to begin with in my opinion it pretty weak but keeps improving ever line. No chorus just killer verses. Ends with some sampling.

Alcholic Author 

This is dopest as it comes. This is my favourite on this dope E.P. I can’t really describe the beat on this one except dope. The lyrics are themed around his environment and the struggle. Damm whenever my favourite song i come to reviewing it i come off piss poor.

Staircase to stage Ft. J-zone

This is the song which on some albums where i think “is this better than so and so aka the favourite song” this arguable with myself to be favourite but is my second. Over a dope Piano loop with a pretty simple drum loop and sampling of Raekwon delievered by Harry love a very good UK producer and you can see why! Jehst lays some very and i mean very quotable lines. “Bling Blinging like Jahjah rings but you haha funny like ja ja binks” just to quote one line out of the many. This is one of Jehst stronger lyricially songs in my opinions. US underground legend J-zone appears on this one and does a dope appearence, but in all he gets outshine by Jehst easily. sorry to j-zone and all but even tho i’ve got love for him and all Jehst pulled out even more cards.

Return of the drifter

This is the title of the track and like the rest of the songs its dope. With harp strings and drum loops and nice bass makes this nice. Lyricwise i think this is about drugs. Nice flow and use samples of himself and someone else.

People under the weather Ft Asaviour

This is more weaker songs which is a 4 no doubt and ironicially i feel this is the more usual dope uk sound which i normally love.The title is a saying in uk only i think which means being sad and sometimes use to say unwell but also cleverly it is taking the piss out of the normal UK weather which is raining. The beat is made up of drums, bass and scatching. This is the only song with a hook and is pretty addictive and they spit dope lyrics.

Trilogy Remix Ft Chester P + Kyza

The beat is the same one as the original but with the new verse from all three Mc’s I feel Jehst i better on this than the original verse. chester p is my favourite and Kyza is the weakest in my opinion. A nice way to finish off this dope album

 

In all this gets a 5 out of the 5 as this is proberly my fave E.p.

In all of the uk records i have about 10+ of them this is one of the two i rate a 5. The other being Iron bridge Toilet humour. The best thing about Uk hip hop is the newer and more range production which the uk seem to have and this defines it.This album only has 1 4 star record. Jehst is lyricially advance than most of the uk mainstream junk which gets through he reminds me of Uk’s answer of Big l with a more advance vocab. Also its a really shame he doesnt get notice while people like lethal bizzle,the streets,Dizzee rascal ETC ETC does. I hate most of the stuff being shown on Channel U as the video are awful and you swear you turning on MTV base. He has this new kid of flow which also adds why i like him. he does his own production on some which adds to his dopeness. He proberly wont get regconized in the outer uk base as his lyrics are too hard to understand at times and the mainstream UK people are too ignorant.

Recommendation: BUY THIS *****ING ALBUM!!!!!! IF YOU FROM THE UK OR GOT INTERNET ACCESS I’F YOU DONT YOU’LL KICK YOURSELF. Jehst has also released another e.p which i dont know the name and a album called Falling down which should be checked out aswell.