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Album Details

• Artist: Sharkey
• Album: Sharkey's Machine
• Label: Babygrande
• Year of Release: 2004
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: hstisgod on 2004-11-25

From warm up to finish, this album is the definition of sound. Think of the intro track, aptly titled "Warm Up", as the skeleton key to the album. Samplings of massive genre, and a ganked "Gattica" movie clip run the entire track to an oblivion. Inside the liner notes, you'll find the story of Sharkey and his gratefulness to be the scratching guru accompanied by guest stars such as Cannibal OX, Pharcyde, Billy Moon, and Grand Puba of Brand Nubian. "I've been in the game; recording, shopping and doing shows for a minute. A lot of that time creating songs for the major's or commercials. Always having to work within some sort of creative boundaries. So when I began working on this project, I sat down with the label and came up with a few people I really wanted to work with. This record was truly a creative dream for me to make."

Innovative splicing of records, soundboards and singers, "Sharkey's Machine" is a wild journey through the eyes of a talented master of ceremonies. Track six, featuring Jean Grae "Summer In The City (Lovin' It) a call out to the five boroughs of NYC, has a playful and upbeat atmosphere reminiscent to me of the late 90's when artists like The Wiseguys, and Freestyler's ruled such a genre.

Tracks like ten "Here we are", show the clashing of Soul, Hip Hop, Trance, Acoustic Rock and Pop Contemporary. Jazzy, funky mixes of catchy rhythms and rhymes blended from the viewpoint of a diversely influenced human being. Like remixing the U.N.K.L.E. project only a bit more upbeat, and fewer tendencies to run deep into patchy trances. While easily stereotyped a Dance, Trip Hop and a Turntables record, this album will surely appeal to anyone 35 and under. If you have a hankering for a twisted scratch effort, high-end lyrical contributions and occasional memorable instrumentals, then Sharkeys Machine is just right for you.

--P.S., do yourself a favor and wait around for the best track on the disc, far fetched from the end of "Something' Got To Give" sits the most mind numbing, and relaxing trance track of this year (2004).

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