Hey.

A little back story, I started listening to Milenko when it came out, being from Australia it was a pretty unique thing. Copped the back catalogue and liked the majority of it. I still thought AJB and B/B were fairly decent, AJB moreso. Then, when the Wraith dropped it was an instant turn off for me and 90% of whats been released since then hasn't really done it for me either. I thought "maybe I just grew out of it" but recently I thought fuck it, and threw on some older albums and still dug em, so it isnt that.

Since I've started making beats and making my own music, I think I put my finger on why the dramatic dislike for the new shit that a lot of people have. Samples. Everything up to Bizaar/Bizzar was produced heavily with actual drum breaks and a lot of samples. Now I know they still do sample stuff, but no where near as much and I can see why, with how expensive it is to clear and how sales are in decline etc. Also, the older stuff, particularly Riddlebox and Milenko had sooo many layers to each beat, lots of change ups. They were truely genius in terms of production. I could be wrong 'cos I havent listened to the new shit nearly as much but I also think there has been a huge decline in them using scratching/cuts and simple turntablism? 

That and the mixing, the vocals on stuff AJB and before seemed to fit into a pocket in the music, in the new shit the vocals seem to sit ontop of the beat, I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed this? 

I may be being a little picky and even a little offtrack, but I think production is the main divide between the 'old shit' and the 'new shit' and being a Hiphop fan first and foremost, heavy drum breaks as opposed to programmed synth drums and beats being made around full samples are a big deal to me.

Pretty pointless post, but its just something I noticed and feel other people might get a little insight out of it.

Peace.