Newselph’s released his If It Ain’t Broke, Remix It album one week ago and it’s on time for holiday playlists. It was just two years ago when Newselph’s last album The Art Of Living came out during the pandemic. producer’s ’90s hip-hop aesthetic has guest appearances from Dres of Black Sheep, Jarobi from A Tribe Called Quest, Sadat X from Brand Nubian, Chris Orrick of Ugly Heroes, Sareem Poems, Dre Murray and James Gardin amongst the rest. He reworks 10 songs from his Illect Recordings label mates and launches each one into a new rap rhythm stratosphere. Sivion’s “The Best” is removed from its creaky vinyl sample origins and is redressed in a busy funk groove. A preference for warm guitars and hard snares prevails and Newselph’s touch owes its style to R&B as well as various boom-bap heroes. The overarching sound evokes the human connectedness of a band more than a computer. IIABRI delights and is a reminder of how recycling songs is an unshakeable standard of hip-hop.
