Tom Misch – Beat Tape 1 (Vinyl 2LP)

Second time around for London singer/songwriter/beat-maker Tom Misch’s debut album “Beat Tape 1”, a set appearing on vinyl for the first time some six years after the digital download version appeared online. It’s well worth your attention, in part because Misch’s blend of crispy hip-hop beats, warm and sun-kissed instrumentation (think Rhodes, gentle jazz guitar, boogie bass, toasty bass, and woozy backing vocals) is both highly entertaining and uniformly on-point. Those who study instrumental hip-hop will spot subtle nods towards some of the sound’s greatest beat-makers – Dilla, DJ Cam, Mitsu The Beats, Guru etc – but Misch’s sound is undeniably his own. A previously overlooked underground classic.