You make a blog called “golden era rap” for many possible reasons. One of them is not likely to be because you like a whole lot of music coming out now. In fact, you’re probably sick of the vast majority of new music; so sick that you even stop following it, and even feel a tinge of pride when someone mentions a name that you KNOW is famous, and you can still say “I see him around, but I’ve never actually heard any of his songs.” Perhaps you get to a point where you’re so jaded, you genuinely begin to believe that all the great albums have already been made. If pressed, you can name your top 10 of all time, and they’re mostly, if not all, at least 10 years old. And then, Sleigh Bells, “Treats.” You suddenly remember what it’s like to need to buy a CD. Not because you’re feeling guilty about downloading, not because you’ve listed to it and you figure the band could use their help and you’d like to register support. But because– You. Need. It. I think the last time I was hit this hard was Portishead (yeah, I said it) — completely different style, of course. But, similar in that sometimes hip-hop needs a swift kick in the ass from ostensible outsiders to remind it of why it is so glorious. And in that way that you can’t think of much that’s as deliciously sad as a Portishead song, I can’t think of much that’s as deliciously hard as a Sleigh Bells beat. And though this is mostly first impressions, I don’t see my opinion changing much on this one. Get this...

“Swollen Pockets” by Phase-n-Rhythm. Love the Fresh Prince meets Slick Rick style, only track from these guys that I know. And that’s the coolest large (or largest cool) DJ I’ve ever seen. And a better audio...