Rating: 8.5 / 10
As music continues to evolve and touch listeners all over the world, it becomes more clear that talent knows no boundaries. The Australian Hip-Hop producer M-Phazes has been criminally underrated for quite some time, but that could very well change with this latest Coalmine Records release. Phazed Out has M-Phazes teaming up with the legendary DJ Rhettmatic of the World Famous Beat Junkies to add a new spin (pardon the pun) on previously released songs from the label, and it couldn’t have been done any better.
Alongside the many cosigns that are present between tracks from the likes of DJ Premier, Sha Money XL, and more, the songs flow smoothly into each other, with the occasional exhibition by Rhettmatic to remind you that he’s legendary for a reason. The mixtape-album format could easily fail if executed improperly, but the chemistry between M-Phazes and Rhettmatic allows no room for sloppiness and it reflects from the beginning of the project until the concluding DJ drop.
In addition, the underground Hip-Hop arena is well-represented; Emilio Rojas, Termanology, Heltah Skeltah, Masta Ace, Torae, Sadat X, Mela Machinko, and much more all make appearances throughout the LP, and there’s not a single weak link as far as the quality of their cameos. Saigon delivers a rugged verse alongside Bekay and Inspectah Deck on “The Raw”, Skyzoo and CL Smooth show off their “Perfect Timing”, and the Brown Bag All-Stars take turns on the mic on “What’s It All About.” Through it all, however, it’s the original production of M-Phazes that shines through as the main draw to listen.
[Audio: M-Phazes – “Perfect Timing”]
This 12-track LP is a joy to listen to from start to finish, and if you’re looking to sling accusations, the majority of the blame for that joy lies squarely in the hands of M-Phazes. The seamless blend of his production, the underground artists, and the revered cuts and scratches from DJ Rhettmatic makes Phazed Out a must-listen by almost any standards. If M-Phazes continues to slide out projects like this, it’s a matter of time before his underrated status evaporates completely.