Marco Polo - Port Authority

Canadian producer Marco Polo has relocated to NY to produce his version of the Pete Rock Classic Soul Survivor – a star-studded who's who of underground hip-hop, mixed with classic 90s-feel beats and melodies. One of the first raft of releases on the re-launched Rawkus label, this will put a huge smile on the face of anyone who was a big fan of the label's seminal Lyricist Lounge and Soundbombing compilations – here are the returns of Rawkus heroes like Wordsworth and DV Alias Khrist, spitting like they'd never left. Also ripping it up on classic Rock-a-like beats are such luminaries as Masta Ace, original Pete Rock collaborator Ed O.G., Kool G Rap, Ju Ju of the Beatnuts and Sadat X of Brand Nubian. This is more than a mere tribute, however – Marco Polo has crafted his beats with love and meticulous attention to detail, creating several tracks that sound as if they were plucked straight from hip hop's Silver Age. An epic voyage of re-discovery. [Bram Gieben]