Guilty Simpson has unveiled a new track in anticipation of his upcoming album. Simpson is signed to the legendary outfit Stones Throw Records, which boasts such unimpeachable names as Knxwledge, MadLib and Aloe Blacc.
Vanguard Organization has the kind of mimicry of the old school that you might expect from an early Hilltop Hoods track – samples, scratches and a groovy stripped back sound. You could accuse this of yet another example of that Beast Coast / Joey Bada$$ throwback boom bap sound; but the reality is that Guilty Simpson really has been rapping since the early 90’s. This isn’t a homage, it’s a continuation. J Dilla was an admirer of Guilty Simpson, and provided production on his debut album, Ode to the Ghetto. Guilty Simpson isn’t harking back to the golden age; he’s still living it.
There’s shades of MadLib, Flying Lotus and MF Doom. The opening beat promises something brutal, but we’re instead given something in the less is more tradition. It’s almost crying to be ripped apart and reassembled in a massive club remix.
His upcoming album is entirely produced by Katalyst, member of the enigmatic 35-person hip-hop supergroup Quakers. Hip hop heads look out.