Bonafide Magazine @ MSN: Review: Ras G – Raw Fruit Vol. 2

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Review: Ras G – Raw Fruit Vol. 2 Posted: 29 Jan 2014 01:44 AM PST "Raw Fruit 2!!! same agenda another raw “cold pressed” blunt smoking green drink sippin beat adventure made at my SpaceBase for I&I to vibe out to" So says the maker himself on the purpose and production for Raw Fruit Vol. 2, the second beat tape in a series of four. Ras G is a producer’s producer. Frequently associated with Brainfeeder, Dakim, Kutmah and the Los Angeles beat scene as a whole, his work takes a more experimental and jazzy approach than many of his contemporaries, but is no less revered because of it. Last year's 2013 album Back on the Planet raised Ras' profile up a few notches from a respected underground beatmaker to psychedelic space voyager. But his latest entry into the Raw Fruits canon shares relatively little in common with his full-length. Anyone expecting more along the lines of Back on the Planet will ultimately find themselves left if not disappointed, then a little bemused. These Raw Fruit tapes were not meant to follow what was a highly praised full-bodied release of high fidelity production values; they are raw, off the cuff cassette tapes, and Vol. 2 heartily conforms to that practise. Raw Fruits Vol.2 samples ska, pop, hip-hop, spoken word and heaps of tracks that are buried too deep to know. Opening with a punch, GMO Hoes is a nasty shimmering beast of a beat, which neither cuts too short nor overstays its welcome. Ras keeps up the pressure with Los Angeles Remix and plenty of "Oh Ras!!" to boot. Pullout!!!! takes cuts from Mighty Morphin Foreskin, a highlight from FlyLo’s Captain Murphy mixtape Duality, but doesn't in any way replicate the style that Mr. Ellison was going for. Bringing up the back end, Dynamite Smoke is a particularly soulful cut, draped across some piano drops and there's even a short morality message in the latter half of Spooky Shit. From an aesthetic perspective, Raw Fruits Vol. 2 is a proper tape; raw, unfiltered, chopped up culture and canned effects, interspersed with some inspirational samples. Ras even lets you know which sampler he made it on for each track. But the inherent difficulty with reviewing a tape is in knowing what standard or degree of professionalism to really expect. It feels less of a polished, agonised-over work, and in that sense, more of a release to be treasured by the hardcore Ras fans rather than for the casual listener. That's not to say that Raw Fruits 2 is a poor release – it has enough beats to keep your headphones happy – but it's not from the same book as Back on the Planet, and neither should it be treated that way. Words: Rory Foster