blue forty-four: Catarrh Nisin vs. 6v9id / Swordman Kitala

Pro-dubbed C20 in maltese cross-style packaging with all-over onbody printing

An absolute gem of a split release from two international MC dons.

Swordman Kitala you may be familiar with from his work as part of Kampala collective Nyege Nyege and collaborations with Scotch Rolex (nee DJ Scotch Egg), MC Yallah, Lorenzo BITW and most-recently, Blue Tapes leader Soft-Bodied Humans.

Here Kitala delivers three stone-cold bangers. Your Ma Babe is a towering piece of futuristic Ugandan dancehall, We Da Gail A Mad Over is a summer anthem in waiting, and Jangle Fever is probably the closest thing to a Top 40 hit Blue Tapes will ever release.

We’ve partnered him here with Catarrh Nisin – one of the deadliest MCs in Japan’s emergent grime scene. This is no basic Bow E3 homage, though. Producer 6v9id casts Nisin’s attitude-laden flow in these amazing sort of blasted dystopiascapes. The result is something altogether new – angry but atmospheric, a swirling debris-cloud where you expect beats and bass.

Much to love here for fans of The Bug (or really any of Kevin Martin’s myriad projects), Scorn, or the output of Nyege sublabel Hakuna Kulala.

Praise for Swordman Kitala

“Stuttering raps and rough edges dodging and weaving around the aural carnage with undeterred force.” – Underscore

“This just bangs.” – Super Super Sounds

“A formidable, mutant electro, sure-fire hitter.” – Loose Lips