(Instrumental Hip Hop) Runaways UK - Classic Tales - 1998, MP3, 192 kbps

AJ Kwame and Joseph 2 Grand are the Runaways, a duo who have spent their 10 year partnership constantly on the
run from musical mediocrity. An innovative force within the UK music scene since their inception in the early '90s,
the pair have consistently risen above the potholes of fad and fashion to forge a truly unique body of work, of which
Progress provides the latest (and greatest) instalment.
The pair met in Brighton in 1991, forming the visionary outfit RPM (or Revolution Per Minute) a year later. RPM
released a string of singles on the fledgling Mo Wax imprint, and toured Europe alongside James Lavelle and DJ
Shadow. AJ's wide-ranging musical abilities and Joe's deck wrecking skills leant RPM a unique edge as a plethora
of 'trip hop' groups rose in their wake.
In 1995 AJ & Joe changed both name and label, becoming the Runaways and finding a new home in Ultimate
Dilemma Recordings. Highly acclaimed singles led the way to their debut longplayer Classic Tales, a musical tour
de force that was the culmination of the Runaways quest to forge a truly British hip hop sound. The album featured
striking cover art in the form of a painting of a calming, typically English pastoral scene. This attention to
presentation has been carried over to Progress, where the duo have enlisted the help of the Turner prize winning
artist Chris Ofili in exclusively providing striking and unique cover artwork.
In tandem with their studio recordings, AJ and Joe have built a fanatical following through their club gigs. Taking
their three deck DJ show right across the world with dates in Europe, America, Australia and South Africa, as well
as various residencies in the UK, the Runaways' sound has rocked clubs across the globe.
As they and their music have travelled worldwide, AJ and Joe have forged relationships with a host of like-minded
artists. Their golden remix touch has graced tracks from DJ Zinc, Doctor L and Emiliana Torrini, and most recently
they have been producing tracks for Cyclops 4000 (aka Sir Menelik / Scaramanga / Chewbacca Uncircumcised etc.)
for his album on Rawkus Records.
But it is their own consistently challenging recordings that continue to provide the greatest aural satisfaction, and
Progress is their most essential release to date. Two years in the making, it combines Joe and AJ's unquenched thirst
for musical experimentation with the quiet confidence that comes from a decade spent in the studio and behind the
decks. This is no better demonstrated than in their choice of collaborators who feature on Progress. From the
legendary to the established to the unknown, AJ and Joe have gathered a diverse collection of MCs, vocalists and
musicians around them to complement their musical endeavours.
The unique revolutionary intellect and engaging lyricism of Iriscience (from the devastating L.A. crew Dilated
Peoples) ride over album opener 'Pounds For Dollars', making transatlantic connections with lyrics like: 'I'm on
Virgin / Watching the Story Of Stephen Lawrence / It's got me thinking 'bout my own health and life insurance'.
Other featured MCs include the legendary Juice Crew member Masta Ace, for whom the Runaways provide a thick
slice of prime time funk in the current single 'Express Delivery', while hotly tipped newcomer J-Zone gets his
chance to shine, using his next-level delivery to explain why 'You Don't Understand'.
Outside of the hip hop arena, Runaways utilise the powerful vocal talents of Sylvia Powell on the monumental hip
hop ballad 'Broken Love' (also featuring some deft saxophone manipulation from long-time friend and collaborator
Ramon Layzelle), and keyboards from Outside's Matt Cooper and violin from Lucy Williams on the classic
Runaways instrumental cut 'Momentum'.
Always keeping at least one eye on the dancefloor, Progress also offers its share of future club classics. 'Do What
You Wanna Do' takes a trip back to the 'cotton club' vibe of the 1930s, while 'In The City' rounds the album off on
an upbeat note with its pulsating bass and insistent horns.
Spanning the full range of the Runaways' musical vision, from neck-snapping hip hop to melancholy instrumentals,
Progress demonstrates that the AJ Kwame and Joseph 2 Grand are continuing to do just that.#
The only question is can up you keep up...