Dual Core

A very positive review of our album Next Level was posted by Justin Hall over at Monster Closet.  In addition to the amazing graphic (left), he had these great things to say about our album:

for two dudes that self-produce all their material, int 80 (vocals) and c64 (beats) have always avoided the fuzzy, cheap, amateur sound that plagues most basement hip-hop. Next Level keeps that tradition alive with production that’s just as professional, clean, and perfectly mixed as anything from the recording industry. the duo’s more in-your-face, confident and brazen than ever – c64’s tracks are all over the map, from the thoughtful (Forever) to the head-nodders (Kick Back), and 80’s rhymes bounce between smirking (Here To Help) and serious (Letter to C64).

there’s a ton to offer all species of nerd – gamers of the tabletop scene will dig Natural 20’s, while Gears fans rejoice in The Hollow as 80 tells the game’s story better than CliffyB did. nerdcore hip hop fans will recognize genre superstars in I Remember and Magnificent Seven. and leet hax0rs will appreciate Kick Back and Life’s Work (which name-drops a couple prominent script kiddies).

Now that any of your previous uncertainty has been discarded, you can feel care-free as you purchase Next Level.

-eighty

I have been listening to Rolling Doubles quite a bit lately and wanted to share with you all how enjoyable this album is.  Easily this was one of the best nerdcore albums last year.  Other top releases in my book were the Digital Gangster LP, Final Boss, and of course our own Lost Reality.  So you know that Sir Beef Thompson, Esquire came correct in order for this album to reside on such a prestigious list.

Beefy starts the listening experience off with a bang, rolling hard out of the gate with the first four tracks.  Right away Beefy unrolls the blueprint for the album to give you an idea of the ride you’re on.  “You Can Call Me Beef” and “Table Top” are two of my favorite nerdcore tracks of all time.  When we were invited to the Nerdcore Undercover project, I seriously considered remixing “You Can Call Me Beef” for our submission.  Additionally, I have fond memories of requesting “Table Top” on the Nerdapalooza show back when hex lived in California.

“Play With Me” offers a great change of pace as Beefy does an outstanding job relaying the frustrations that we nerds often face when talking to a prospective significant other.  Bethzilla sings a great hook and really draws the listener in by adding the perfect texture to the feel of the track.  The “Story Time” track towards the end also helps tie together Beefy’s laments towards these issues.

Following “Play With Me”, we’re right back to the normal (read: awesome) vibe of the album.  High energy levels for beats and rhymes alike keep the headphones glued to my ears, my finger off of the skip button, and my head continuously nodding.  The producer(s) involved in this project deserve the utmost respect.

Beefy did a phenomenal job with this album.  He offers the listener a great experience the whole way through by selecting amazing beats along with the right subject matter and proper depth for his raps.  Additionally the feature artists were picked perfectly with ytcracker, The Former Fat Boys, Bethzilla, and my good friend Shael Riley.

If you don’t have the album, go get it from Amazon ASAP.  Congratulations on a fine production, Beef, here’s to many more!

Last week, the list of 10 Definitive Nerdcore Tracks was posted by Z at Hipster, please! Guess to which group the first <li> belongs?  If you guessed Dual Core, you are absolutely correct.  Here is what Z had to say:

“Nickname ‘dead-eye,’ loaded and cocked / my Deagle sends a round through the scope on your AWP.”
Some of the earliest MCs to find themselves classified as nerdcore actually self-identified as “CS rappers.” Many of these computer science devotees, however, were not exactly the most adept with regard to lyrical delivery. But Dual Core’s int eighty is a perfect example of a contemporary, tech-minded rapper who can still flow. Though “Hostage Down” (from their 2007 debut Zero One) is about gamer culture, as opposed to, say, programming, eighty brings the fire with a nod to the more technical aspects of Counter-Strike atop one of c64’s fiercest beats to date.

Other artists to make the list include good friends such as Lars, ytcracker, and Frontalot.  I’m pretty sure I owe Z at least one drink and maybe a special freestyle or something at Nerdapalooza.

-eighty

Kate just posted an awesome review of Lost Reality over at The Game Dame.  We are lucky to have her as a listener and fan, and extremely fortunate that she digs our music.  This is such an awesome testimonial:

If YOU haven’t experienced nerd love yet, grab yourself a copy of Lost Reality. There’s not a bad track in the bunch. There’s not even a “meh, ’sokay” track in the bunch. It’s strong from beginning to end and something you should be proud to add to your collection.

Go show Kate some love, and at least read the rest of her review.

-eighty

We just received another excellent Lost Reality review from our good friend Dr. Beef Thompson, aka Beefy.  I wasn’t sure what Beefy would make of our album, tbh, as artists are sometimes the harshest critics.  Would he like it?  Would he hate it?  I really didn’t know.  Turns out, he loved it!

If you already happen to have Lost Reality and are looking for some fun nerdcore, give Beefy’s album Rolling Doubles a listen.

-eighty

Wow.  You really need to read this review of Lost Reality over at Hipster, please!  I have never read a review so eloquently phrased.  Quoting an excerpt would be a grave injustice.  Seriously.  I am surprisingly at a loss for words, which as a rapper is extremely rare.  Please please go read Z’s review of Lost Reality.  Wow!

-eighty