Rapid Fire Reviews: Mark Van Hoen, Jermiside & Danny Diggs, & Apollo Brown

Mark Van Hoen – Where Is The Truth
City Centre Offices: 2010
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Primarily gaining acclamation in the instrumental scene under the moniker Locust, Mark Van Hoen returns after a six year hiatus to release, Where Is The Truth. With age comes maturity, which is exactly what this album represents. And with that, it would be safe to say that Mark Van Hoen has paid special attention to detail. Everything from the droned vocals to the mystified vintage synths, Where Is The Truth is a masterpiece of intricacies. But even with such growth and inspiration, Van Hoen tends to drag out some of the songs a little bit more than needed. Despite that one tiny gripe, Where Is The Truth does a great job of taking a spiritual journey through a world of instrumental progression. – David Reyneke

4 out of 5

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Jermiside & Danny Diggs – Middle Classic
HiPNOTT: 2010
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The first time I heard Jermiside was about a year ago when he spit a couple verses on Dumhi’s Flowers EP. To be honest, I thought he had skills, but his flow was mediocre and his subject matter was rather played out. With that said, I was quick to write Middle Classic off. Luckily I decided to give this a listen the other day, and much to my surprise, Jermiside stepped it up. But I can’t hand all the credit to him, producer Danny Diggs laced him with some silky smooth beats, and the features on the album are spot-on. While there are certainly a few duds spread across the album, things comes together on songs like “Afraid” and “Didn’t I Tell You”, which feature Maverick Sabre and Von Pea respectively. – David Reyneke

3 out of 5

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Apollo Brown – The Reset
Mello Music Group:2010
Purchase on Amazon

Detroit-by-way-of-Grand Rapids producer Apollo Brown had his work cut out for him as soon as I glanced at the track list. He gathered what might be the finest collection of underground boom-bap anthems and took to remixing them all. And it’s for this reason that his producer-centric The Reset doesn’t lose itself in having a slew of guests. Sure, it’s hard not to get distracted by Diamond District spitting on “Streets Won’t Let Me Chill” and Rapper Big Pooh and Black Milk on “Hungry”. But Brown has revamped these cuts with a very cohesive sound in mind. It’s a sound steeped in that gritty, raw, soul sampling-based production that helped make Diamond District’s In The Ruff feel like a trip back to the early ’90s. And even as some of the beats on here become repetitive, Brown’s The Reset displays fiercely that he is another Detroit artist to watch for. Be sure to keep on an eye out for his upcoming 2010 projects with Boog Brown, Daily Bread, and The Left, all of which promise to have, at least, some killer production. – Andrew Martin

3 out of 5

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