Well, well, well. After what seemed to be a period of stagnation for the usually prolific Madlib comes news of a monthly release schedule from the renowned producer/DJ/rapper with more pseudonyms than there are slang words for cannabis. This announcement comes hot on the tail of the much-rumored new Madvillain project being substantiated; turns out Madlib has been busy.
Starting this December, Stones Throw Records will be launching The Madlib Medicine Show, a 12CD, 6LP monthly series featuring hip-hop productions to live jazz instrumentation and beyond, with unexpected surprises every release. The first volume, aptly titled Before The Verdict, features Guilty Simpson and will be available from the Stones Throw store a month earlier than the worldwide release in January 2010. Spanning 17 tracks of new material alongside remixes, it's a perfect precursor to Madlib and Guilty Simpson's forthcoming OJ Simpson album. Oh, and did I mention the vinyl edition will be hand-screened with a limited pressing, or that the second installment, Flight to Brazil is a mixture of Brazilian jazz, funk, prog-rock, folk, and psychedelia?
Stones Throw has been doing a lot of exciting things the past year, with more and more limited releases, hand-screened covers, and an ever-expanding roster of musicians with non hip-hop backgrounds. You don't need me to tell you that this is a label worth keeping a constant eye on and ear to.
Listen: Madlib & Guilty Simpson - "The Paper" from Madlib Medicine Show No. 1.
