Showing posts with label Freezing World. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freezing World. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Freezing World Review...

As soon as I read this at work today, I began to have an awesome day. After getting painfully bad reviews of Trail Mix and Medicine at RapReviews.com (e.g. the guy who reviewed Medicine said not to operate heavy machinery while listening - HA!), we finally got some redemption in the form of Pete T. My self-esteem jumped up a couple notches, mainly because of lines like these:

"...their meticulously penned verses should offer at least something for everyone, and Ben Hameen in particular impresses throughout the tracklist. His blissfully smoked-out tone might be likened to Myka 9, but when he sings the hooks and backing vocals, it's more akin to an ungangstafied Nate Dogg. His multiple talents and endlessly soulful hooks buoy even the less effusive numbers. Their dedication to rap as an art and wholesome, tireless optimism will rub some the wrong way, but vocally "Freezing World" is often fantastic. "This Far" is gorgeously balanced between smooth guitar, percussion, somber synths, and a show-stopping performance from Ben Hameen for perhaps the LP's best track. The stark closer "See What You Find" is breathtaking, with a gloomy guitar line perfectly suited for his calls for introspection."

I must say, it really is a well-written and honest (and flattering) review. Thanks, Pete!

Read Pete's entire review here (or click the pic):

Monday, January 10, 2011

Atlanta gets shut down...

The view from my driveway this morning...

Click to see large pic

It's getting ready to sleet all day, after a night of majestic snow. Atlanta is shut down already...this might get ugly, we are not prepared for this.

Instead of driving around, I recommend that all of us Atliens (and anyone else caught in this winter storm) do the following: sit back, make a little drink of your favorite whisky/scotch on the rocks, twist your favorite flavor, and listen to the most apropos album I can think of, courtesy of one of my favorite music blogs (until someone politely asks them to take it down and leave a purchase link in it's place):

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Freezing World review...

Our new record is officially BloggerHouse approved!

"Hip-Hop as it stands today, is completely overloaded with wannabe thugs, internet beef and simplistic production. Remaining true to the earlier beginnings of the music, the Atlanta-based crew, Collective Efforts offers up anything but the expected with their recent offering “Freezing World”. Throughout the last half-decade, Collective Efforts has left an imprint on the underground by providing the listener with back to the basics production and lyricism. While Collective Efforts has yet to attain true commercial success, their consistent approach to making music is very admirable as opposed to the simplistic measures that are often the path to the garbage we that we are subjected to on the radio.

With their most recent outing, “Freezing World”, Collective Efforts’ attempts to uncover happiness amidst the everyday struggles that we often tackle as individuals. The album possesses a feeling of hope, filled with lyrical and sonic gems that find the trio of trio of MC J Mil, Bambu De Asiatic and Ben Hameen painting visual portraits of fading dreams, unfulfilled commitments and and critical oversight from the overseers of the music industry who slept on the trio. The production on the album, handled by the Collective Efforts trio is solid if not spectacular, yet it’s the lone beat contribution from the legendary Diamond D that is “Freezing World’s” crowning moment. Recognized for his musical contributions as a member of the world-renown “Diggin’ In The Crates” collective, Diamond’s production found on “I Get Down,” fits the overall feel of the album perfectly.

With hits of live instrumentation and melodic backdrops seamlessly intertwined with drunk-rattling drum spikes, “Freezing World” is a musical expedition, and a true class on “originality”. Each of the trio brings their own unique input and personalities to the developing storyline that is the culmination of all their past and present workings. “Freezing World” also features notable lyrical appearances from the likes of fellow ATL-iens, Senor Kaos (“The Dream”) and Dillon (“Freezing World”) making the album somewhat of a family affair.

With “Freezing World”, it may very well be “when hell freezes over” that the trio achieves the critical acclaim that they so do deserve, yet Collective Efforts has delivered an album that Hip-Hop needs. While the album’s title reads: “Freezing World”, Collective Efforts is sure to heat things up this summer with this stellar outing that even I slept on for months!!"

Thanks to Eric for the great write-up! Peace.

Check the review on Bloggerhouse.net

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

The new record is here!

Yesterday, our new album Freezing World dropped on 1320 Records and iTunes. Check the e-blast HERE, and visit the site below:

CE Behind the Scenes...

Dope video Matt made for the Freezing World promo, check it out.



Here is the original post on CE's website:

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Flyin' through February...

Damn, where does the time go?



Right now, most of it to the job, which I definitely am blessed to have...so in what little "me/CE/free-time" I am left with, in addition to dropping another dope song for the upcoming Diamond D EP, Mil and I managed to get our Freezing World single and accompanying art and blast out right on schedule...unfortunately no new video to back it up, but at least Mil made the graphics look purty again.

Click the album art to check out the latest CE Newsletter. If you missed it, you can sign up at the top of our website to get it each month (sometimes twice). www.cecrew.com



If you want to be a sport and support, you can purchase the single for $0.99 on 1320 Records.com.



Stay tuned, as we are about to leak another track from the album, and put out some behind-the-scenes videos as soon as the editing process is complete. The album drops in two weeks, and the release party is coming up quick! Anyone checking in may not hear from me that much this month, but rest assured that will be a good thing.

Peace and love.
Hameen

Friday, January 29, 2010

CE on 11 Alive



Got up earlier than I ever imagined I would have to for a show this morning. Woke up at 1:45, snoozed for 15 then rode out with the crew. We loaded in, grabbed some coffee, and sound checked, EARLY!

Senor Kaos came through with CHICAGOrilla and represented on "The Dream"...the lil homie Dilly Mau came through for "Freezing World" (unfortunately we didn't time that one right and you didn't get to see him rapping. We even did "All The Time" at the end, but he had already left...damn.)...and the always hilarious DJ Synthesis of Psyche O rolled through and blessed on the 1's and 2's.

The staff and on-air personalities there were really laid back, and made us feel right at home. You can't tell from watching below, but we played in and out of commercial breaks for the full hour (6-7), and then played two full songs (actually three, but the last one, "All The Time", was a web-only). Aside from some questionable singing by yours truly (I give myself a pass, given that my vocal chords were still not fully awake), I thought it went really well. Thank you 11-Alive and whoever hooked that opportunity for us. Excellent exposure for the crew, and great promo for Freezing World, being that most of our "bump breaks" were offset with visions of freezing rain, sleet, ice and basically bad weather all around...anyway, enjoy. Thanks to everyone who set their DVRs or actually got up that early to tune in!

An edited version of the entire broadcast is coming soon, complete with all the bumps and news segway, so you can see Senor Kaos and and Dillon reppin' with us!

Peace,
Hameen

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Hameen in the studio...



I got the chance to work in a dope studio when we were finishing up the mixing of Freezing World. Thanks to Weiss for the hookup, Pete for the spot, and Mike for the opportunity to learn more ProTools tricks and mixing techniques. We had a fun couple of days locked in the hidden barn studio up in Athens. Here are a couple flicks of your boy running the Tools.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Getting This Album Done...

I feel I have been neglecting this blog, but rest assured, the lack of recent posts is merely an indication that most of my spare time has been spent crafting and completing this new Collective Efforts project. We have decided to do all mixing in house (with a little consultation and feedback from other trusted ears), meaning that I have to get off work, go straight home, get some food, and start working. We have completed all recording and are just working on the final touches, getting everything ready to master. I am also honored to have added to my plate the rewarding process of recording and mixing some new mixtape material for my homie Eli Sweet. He is back in town from China and as usual, has an exorbitant amount of dope verses to drop over stolen hip hop tracks. So, I will pop in every now and then, but for the most part, until Root and I head out to San Fran, I will be consumed in this Freezing World...check out our website from time to time and give us a shout, kind of quiet over there right now as we try to rebuild awareness, let people know we haven't dropped off the Earth, yet. Drop a comment, every little bit helps build morale.

Peace family.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Collective Efforts and Diamond D...

We just put up a sample of the new track featuring Diamond D on production. Check it out HERE or click the picture below...



Peace, fam.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Productive Saturday...

Had a really productive day yesterday, we were in the studio from noon - midnight. For the first 6 hours I laid a couple new verses and some additional vocal layers on a few songs...then around 7ish, Richard Jones came over and laid down some dope percussion elements (he is such a talented dude!) on a few tracks that needed a little thickening. I am very happy with the direction the album is taking. We only have a few weekends left until our deadline, so we have to utilize every free moment - and on that note...

It's early Sunday morning and I am going to go listen to everything we did...cut, chop, paste, and play around until it's right...maybe even finish some more vocal ideas. I'll leave you with some Cyne, out of Gainesville, Florida. Some laid back hip-hop for your Lazy Sunday.

(there's a skip towards the end of this rip, but it sounds better than the other version I saw on the tube)



Tuesday, June 2, 2009

28 Days Later...

Okay, fam, the deadline has been set:

By June 30th, 2009, we plan to have all recording complete for the new Collective Efforts album, Freezing World. All verses, all cuts, all instruments...everything! The album will be narrowed to a solid 13-15 tracks, mixed, mastered, and prepared to present to the world. Wish us luck as we enter the final stages of the creative process.

Find out what motivates, captivates and rejuvenates me on my never-ending quest for knowledge and art.
Peace, fam, thanks for checkin' in...