June 26, 2012 will see the soundtrack to the human and individual struggle to live free drop, courtesy of French music consortium ALTERPROD/ALTERBEATS. The French Revolution serves as the debut LP for the collective of producers, graphic designers and videographers. Boasting guests appearances from likes of both legendary and underground mainstays, such as Sadat X, AG, Chief Kamachi, Block McCloud, Reef The Lost Cauze, Bekay, Red Eye and Shabaam Sahdeeq, among others, the album will be available both via digital distribution and as a CD sold through several record shops and online outlets.
Through struggle comes liberty. Representing a uniquely French twist and tale of social unrest and anti-government sentiment, the Alterbeats collective spoke about the new album, explaining: "This release represents our own revolution on several levels. We've taken a DIY approach for this album, where we have all brought different strengths to the table, from production, graphic design and videography. We've pulled together like a self-reliant brigade, but we could not have done it without the support of all the artists, both abroad and domestic that helped contribute to this project. All of us are eager to get this out to the masses and stake our claim to the culture."
The tone for The French Revolution is set immediately in the album opener, "The Next Execution," where the tourist's idyllic view of Parisian life is shattered with the words, "Paris, a city filled with poverty, misery and despair. The time was ripe for revolution."
The album's freedom-centric lyrics continue to shine atop desolate beats and a strong industrial sound, evident on "TV Screen," which includes guest features Block McCloud, Chief Kamachi & Kromeatose. "TV Screen," which serves as the lp's inaugural single, makes a strong statement about modern society, oppression and the unheard, with lines like, "Yes, we do exist, but they don't believe till we on the tv screen."
"Alter Ego (feat. Sadat X, AG & Lion of Bordeaux)," the album's seventh song, slows the pace a bit, adding melodic song and horns to drive the point home, while "True Rhyme (feat. Divine)," which will be accompanied online by an in-house produced video, is punchy and aggressive, "You get lost in my thoughts but get it in due time."
Further cementing the ties between France's struggle for freedom and today's, The French Revolution's cover employs the use of very suggestive iconography to tell this story. From a female soldier symbolizing Marianne, a central figure of the French Revolution, to her holding of a French blue, white and red flag, which at closer looks resembles a Shemagh, the symbols are used to reinforce the concept of the liberty that came about as the result of the revolution. Although historically, this apparel when wrapped is associated with terror, it's employed on this cover to reinforce the concept of a few uprising against many, a theme central to The French Revolution. In the background sits and illustration of the "Arc de Triomphe," which is symbolic for freedom and triumph of Democracy over the French Monarchy.
Alterbeats brings its deep experience with a bevy of collaborators and renowned emcees such as Tragedy Khadafi, Main Flow, Termanology, Blaq Poet & M.O.P. among others. Their previous discography includes Halfabrick & Alterbeats' Revolutionary Tactics (Part 1 & 2), Amadeus The Stampede's Universal Language and DJ Modesty's King From Queens (Part 2 & 2.1).
Sure to be one of the most significant independent hip-hop releases this summer, The French Revolution delivers their own musical uprising through the trifecta of their production, video and design force, while providing a sobering reminder that freedom is not free. Look forward to listening as people around the globe continue to rise up and be heard in their own battles for liberty and justice.
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Comments
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Average Visitor Rating:
(4.2 Stars)
Total Comments: 23
Name: Deadpool (Posted: 4/15/2013 1:56:00 PM; Partial IP: 79.242.218) Location: Sandy Eggo, CA Comment: 3.5 stars for this one. Alterbeats is Vanderslice & snowgoons thrown in a blender. More then just the sound but also the lack of consistency. Almost half the album is throwaway beats but the other half shows how sick Alterbeats can be. Decent album worth a listen.
Name: Dialectic (Posted: 12/21/2012 7:36:00 AM; Partial IP: 77.163.142) Location: Athens, Greece Comment: Deep, soulful & gritty; the French really nailed it here. A well-rounded, focused entry into the scene. 'NYC Evils', 'The Nod' & 'Fast Lane" are my favs though the LP's full of highlights. Killer Compilation! FR repping!
Name: cestohVXDclothing (Posted: 11/1/2012 10:31:00 PM; Partial IP: 129.154.83) Location: los angeles Comment: Shit about time we get a solid album...sampled the tracks and sounds dope. What I like most is the beats all sound different from one another but they are all hard. Hip hop needs more albums like this!
Name: wrd up (Posted: 9/9/2012 4:02:00 PM; Partial IP: 21.178.110) Location: UK Comment: PLEASE PRESS TV SCREENS ON A 12" VINYL BIG TUNEE BRAPPPPPPP
Name: phippsy (Posted: 9/9/2012 1:41:00 PM; Partial IP: 5.8.203.83) Location: pompey uk Comment: still bangin this! the Absouljah joint is a grower, mad nice! love the beat on the carnage 45 & Ihsan Bilal track! mad props!
Name: 3rd (Posted: 8/28/2012 9:27:00 PM; Partial IP: .21.155.57) Location: england Comment: nice solid CD will cop it!!!! peace
Name: king (Posted: 8/8/2012 3:40:00 PM; Partial IP: 101.18.147) Location: my castle Comment: great cd, really diggin how this joint is sounding, big cop
Name: phippsy (Posted: 8/7/2012 7:18:00 PM; Partial IP: 5.8.203.83) Location: portsmouth, uk Comment: loved this album, still bumping it daily! some big features on here! stand out tracks for me, sadat x and ag kill it, both tracks wit HalfaBrick on are fire! lord lhus and sicknature on a banger! haredest track on the album - The International Juggernaught! go cop this shit! peace
Name: mozaka (Posted: 8/4/2012 12:32:00 AM; Partial IP: 201.76.145) Location: Underground Comment: 7 track of 18 are good so 2 stars best track of the album
Alter Ego & What's Realer
Funny name of album
Name: big dogg (Posted: 7/22/2012 8:39:00 PM; Partial IP: .101.31.92) Location: uk Comment: please get this back in stock!!!
Name: scientist (Posted: 7/6/2012 8:37:00 AM; Partial IP: 03.238.125) Location: earth Comment: uninspired, recycled sound, been done before a million times. with that said if it was done 15 years prior it wouldve been super fresh but unfortunatly timing is everything and in a sea of hip hop im afraid once the buzz wears off itll fall into obscurity like so many before that copied a sound but didnt quite make it stand out. definatly NOT shitting on this album just saying that its been done to death.
Name: jay booma (Posted: 7/1/2012 12:50:00 PM; Partial IP: 197.152.16) Location: france Comment: french revolution ahahahahahahahaha
Name: pulcra (Posted: 6/30/2012 4:39:00 PM; Partial IP: .89.153.53) Location: troy, mi Comment: dope album. good effort
Name: forf kind (Posted: 6/30/2012 1:42:00 PM; Partial IP: 226.221.62) Location: us Comment: you're out of your mind calling this the album of the year. its average at best. except for coup de grace and tv screen the beats are very bland. theres a lot of room for improvement here.
Name: alterbeats (Posted: 6/30/2012 8:16:00 AM; Partial IP: 95.159.159) Location: paris Comment: thx to all the hip-hop head who take time to listen to this cd !! we totally independant so we really apreciate when u listen or buy it!!! thx!!!
Name: 3rd (Posted: 6/29/2012 7:43:00 PM; Partial IP: .21.182.29) Location: uk Comment: real nice CD will cop this
Name: Lunchbox (Posted: 6/27/2012 4:09:00 PM; Partial IP: 87.154.124) Location: MN Comment: This album might be the album of the year in my opinion. It's got that Jedi Mind Tricks/Snowgoons type feel to it. Solid album from front to back. Not a bad track on here.
Name: SiN (Posted: 6/23/2012 10:02:00 AM; Partial IP: 08.136.173) Location: heLL Comment: TOP NOTCH SHIT HOMEBOY!!!!!
Name: Weirdo (Posted: 6/22/2012 7:04:00 PM; Partial IP: .36.166.27) Location: Milan, Italy Comment: The dudes on Alterbeats crew are killin' it with graphics and beats from a while. I'm sure this album will be good, just look at the guests. FIRE.
By the way @FreeDogg, @fIrSt bOrN thanks for the love about Crazeology, appreciate.
Name: DMS (Posted: 6/22/2012 4:27:00 PM; Partial IP: 226.185.39) Location: US Comment: These dudes are pushing this album really hard. The first single was solid. The second one, alterego was boring as shit. There's a serious imbalance in this crew - their graphic designs vastly outshine their dull beats.
Name: Decay (Posted: 6/20/2012 3:25:00 PM; Partial IP: 46.162.200) Location: Uk Comment: Def. need 2 hear this joint! @freedogg peep Dj doom temple of doom album! Pretty dope!! It's a producers album!
Name: fIrSt bOrN (Posted: 6/18/2012 2:26:00 PM; Partial IP: 2.81.199.4) Location: BALLtimore,Murderland Comment: yea im not to familiar with alterbeats but I dig alot of the artist and these over seas producers are lighting it up man...@freedogg,yea that crazeology joint is hott and im def in line for that GOONS shit to..
Name: FreeDogg (Posted: 6/16/2012 11:28:00 PM; Partial IP: 185.177.48) Location: dA bUrG, FL Chi-Town Comment: Wow this looks DOPE. Diggin' all the producers albums. The best producer album so far that I heard is Crazeology. Hopefully this is up there and i'm anticipating the new SnowGoons album SnowGoons Dynasty
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