Cookin Soul "MACKARONI BEATS" (Instrumental Album)

​Cookin Soul, the acclaimed Spanish production duo celebrated for their seamless fusion of classic boom-bap and contemporary hip-hop, unveil their latest instrumental project, MACKARONI BEATS. This release offers listeners an immersive journey through soulful rhythms and intricate beats, highlighting Cookin Soul's signature style.​ The album comprises 11 meticulously crafted tracks, each showcasing the duo's adeptness at flipping original, soulful samples. MACKARONI BEATS serves as the instrumental counterpart to their earlier collaboration with rapper The Musalini on the album MACKARONI, released in April 2024. Just keeping it a buck, I heard these instrumentals before hearing their album with Musalini, but I'll go back and dig into that when I get a chance. Dig into it!

Phoniks "A Phoniks Christmas" (Instrumental Album)

A Phoniks Christmas is a holiday beattape released by Portland-based producer Phoniks. It features 13 instrumentals to help get you into the holiday spirit. Not much else was detailed along with the project outside of the equipment used to put it together... Specifically, his Technics 1200 turntables; a SP404mk2; MPC Live 2, as well as a Korg Microkorg, Ibanex AF55 Artcore Hollowbody and all the jazz and soul Phoniks could muster on one project. The archives are filled with projects out of the Don't Sleep Records camp and there some posts for Christmas as well to keep you busy in the archives! It's an early message, but I hope you have a Happy Holidays + a Merry Christmas! 

Ant "Collection of Sounds Vol. 2" (Instrumental Album)

Collection of Sounds: Vol. 2 is the second in a series of four albums of unreleased material from the vault of distinguished hip-hop producer Anthony “Ant” Davis (one half of Atmosphere, productions for MF DOOM, Brother Ali, Murs, Rav, Sage Francis, and more), offering a new window into his decades-long career and pushing his artistry to the center. Ant’s production is known for its rich, textured soundscapes that blend vintage and soulful elements with deep emotional resonance. The second installment of his instrumental series, Collection of Sounds: Vol. 2, features smooth beats, intricate sampling, and lush, jazzy layers that create an immersive atmosphere. He masterfully incorporates sly riffs and funk-laden grooves, stirring sentimentality and highlighting his ability to craft emotive, engaging music. The result is a sonically complex album where Ant blends funk, soul, classic R&B, and hip-hop influences, evoking a nostalgic sense of bygone eras. Ant’s introspective approach is complemented by a dynamic, vibrant energy in Collection of Sounds: Vol. 2. His production on “Damn Koop 2012” and “Claps, Cuica and Synth Part 2” includes playful, funky samples and energetic rhythms that infuse the music with a lively, upbeat quality. He balances this with laid-back, reflective songs like “Changes,” and “Velvet Ish,” featuring a mellow, retro ambiance. The beats are marked by crisp drum patterns and varied melodies, showcasing a broad range of influences. This versatility demonstrates Ant’s skill in navigating both introspective and spirited musical landscapes.

Ant "Collection of Sounds Vol. 1" (Instrumental Album)

Anthony “Ant” Davis is a distinguished hip-hop producer, one-half of the renowned duo Atmosphere, and a founding member of independent record label Rhymesayers Entertainment. His decades-long career of beat-making has also included works for MF DOOM, Brother Ali, Murs, Rav, Sage Francis and a dozen others. Raised in a military family, his nomadic upbringing exposed him to many diverse influences and, coupled with his father’s love for collecting records, laid the groundwork for his deep appreciation for all sorts of music. Ant’s latest endeavor, Collection of Sounds, is a four-volume series of instrumental works showcasing the breadth and depth of his musical expertise. The Collection of Sounds series offers a window into Ant's creative journey, reflecting his evolution as an artist over the years. Drawing from a vast vault of unreleased material, he’s exhumed cross sections of his catalog with surgical precision, organizing songs by sound rather than mere chronology. Volume 1 is at times so intimate as to border on claustrophobia, like the creeping “Bar One,” or the haunted twinkling of “I Was Always a Collector,” while other tracks are expansive enough to fill entire venues, like the forebodingly airy “4-Track Beyond Beat 1996." Many of the beats on Collection of Sounds: Volume 1 have pockets that are practically begging for rappers to explore. Collection of Sounds is not about forgetting who you are—it’s about remembering, reconfiguring, and reimagining, all at once; a testament to Ant's artistic integrity. Listen to it below...

Khruangbin "A La Sala" (Instrumental Album)

A La Sala (“To the Room” in Spanish), the fourth studio album by Khruangbin, is an exercise in returning in order to go further, and do so on your own terms. It extends the air of mystery and sanctity that’s key to how bassist Laura Lee Ochoa, drummer Donald “DJ” Johnson, Jr. and guitarist Mark “Marko” Speer approach music. It’s a gorgeously airy album made only in the company of the group’s longtime engineer Steve Christensen, with minimal overdubs. It is a porthole onto the bounties powering Khruangbin’s vision, a reimagining and refueling for the long haul ahead. A La Sala scales Khruangbin down to scale up, a creative strategy with the future in mind. It is also a response to the unique moment Khruangbin finds itself in now: following a decade spent cultivating extraordinary music paths, beginning a year when they'll perform for more people, in more iconic spaces, staging a live show that pushes a creative envelope peculiar to them alone. On A La Sala, Khruangbin also pulls exploration inward, spurning the din of the crowd’s expectations, mapping a personal direction home. The trio’s collective musical DNA and the years spent constructing it in Houston’s local-meets-global cultural stew ensure the band carries on sounding like no one but itself. A La Sala may in fact be Khruangbin’s purest distillation. Listen to A La Sala streaming below...

Hi-Tek "Werk Road (1997 MPC 60)" (Instrumental Album)

1997 is when the name Hi-Tek began to develop a global buzz, largely due to the combustible indie-rap scene. He’d moved on from the now-shuttered Beatbox Studios in his hometown of Cincinnati and began building his first proper home studio in his new apartment on Werk Road. With a borrowed Akai MPC 60 drum machine as the foundation, he began churning out beats at a more prolific rate than ever. In addition to placements on debut LPs by Mood and Royal Flush, Tek would make his name in 1997 as one-half of the duo Reflection Eternal with Brooklyn MC Talib Kweli. Their Rawkus Records debut 12” “Fortified Live” was an instant smash, and it quickly placed him at the top of the class of up-and-coming beatmakers. The work featured on “Werk Road (1997 MPC 60)” reveals an artist who would not only become one of the most respected producers in rap, but one of the cultural ambassadors of his home city of Cincinnati for over 25 years. Hear Werk Road below...

DJ Premier "Beats That Collected Dust, Vol. 3" (Instrumental Album)

DJ Premier is back with a bang, unleashing the third volume of his iconic series, "Beats That Collected Dust." Renowned for his unmatched production skills, Premier has curated a masterpiece that's pure hip-hop at its core. These beats, originally crafted for artists like Westside Gunn, Kendrick Lamar, and Kanye West, now emerge from the shadows as a testament to Premier's timeless artistry. In a digital age, Premier pays homage to hip-hop's roots with an exceptionally limited vinyl release of the project too. Don't miss out on owning a piece of hip-hop history, order HERE and listen to the project below! Y'all know it, DJ Premier is undeniably the G.O.A.T. in my eyes!

9th Wonder "Zion IX" (Instrumental Album)

Zion IX is the latest installment in 9th Wonder's prolific Zion instrumental series that dates back to 2016. With considerable replay value, there are 34 instrumentals on IX, and the Durham, North Carolina producer sounds as focused as ever. 9th has been reppin' the culture as a lecturer and record executive (Jamla Records), and while I haven't heard as many collaborative releases in recent years, his extensive catalog puts him among the top producers to represent that soul-based sample sound that we all grew to love. On occasion I still go back and revisit his epic episode of Rhythm Roulette, his energy making that beat is still infectious to me. Anyhow, stream Zion IX below...

Emapea "Beat Catz Jazz" (Instrumental Album)

Beat Catz Jazz is an instrumental album from Polish beatmaker Emapea. The LP is full of chilled jazzy beats created with variety of dusty jazzy samples from vinyls, tapes and cassettes. Sounds been crafted with vintage samplers such as Akai s950 and s3000XL to add that lo-fi character. If you're into this such a vibe you'll definitely enjoy it. Using vintage samplers such as Akai s950 and s3000XL, you really get that throwback feel to the beats, and Emapea is really putting in the work to find some interesting samples and flipping them in creative ways to keep the music varied, funky, and fun to listen to. He’s also putting the work to make sure the tracks are nuanced and he develops them in such a way that you’re taken on a nice journey with each song. It’s not just a beat tape where he establishes a groove and then just stays there, these are fully formed songs with memorable melodies and beats that will keep your head bobbing. Beat Catz Jazz isn’t doing anything new, but it’s doing it very well. Certain styles persist because people like them and boom bap built from jazz samples is certainly one that has lived on because of this. Emapea is delivering an album in that style that is accessible, well-made, and just a lot of fun to listen to. - Scratched Vinyl. Dig in...

Don't Sleep Records "The Instrumentals Volume One"

This collection features a blend of our most popular records and personal favorites, including some slept-on beats that deserve a second chance to shine. These tracks represent the diverse range of sounds and styles that have shaped the unique sonic fingerprint of Don't Sleep Records over our ten-year history. From jazzy, soulful tunes to hard-hitting boom bap and soulful bangers, this compilation offers something for every discerning listener. We're excited to share this collection with our fans and we hope you'll enjoy it as much as we've enjoyed putting it together. - Don't Sleep Records. Props to Phoniks. Peep "Don't Sleep Records: The Instrumentals Volume One" below...

Phoniks "Dreams" (Instrumental Album)

Phoniks' latest album "Dreams" is a smooth, 19 track instrumental LP that seamlessly blends live instrumentation and chopped samples. The beats are carefully crafted to create a unique atmosphere and mood, taking the listener on an immersive journey through lush soundscapes and jazzy hip-hop beats. Phoniks' skillful layering of sounds from a diverse range of sample sources results in richly textured compositions that capture the listener's attention. As the spiritual successor to Phoniks' 2018 instrumental album "Down To Earth," "Dreams" builds upon the groundwork laid by its predecessor and elevates it to new heights. From the soulful chops of "That's All" to the mellow groove of "Ghosts," each track invites the listener to sit back, relax, and get lost in the dreamy vibes. Stream Phoniks' Dreams project below, also available on cassette, vinyl and CD.

Widowmaker vs. D-Styles "Fair Warning" (Instrumental Album)

With production from Widowmaker and live cuts by D-Styles, Fair Warning, is their collaborative effort boasting over 20 tracks. Side A is produced by Widowmaker and D-Styles and Side B is drum breaks and skratch music kits, recored between October, 2020 and March, 2021 at Midschool in Gresham, Oregon and The Shit Palace in Las Vegas, NV. I was impressed with Widowmaker's production on two separate collaborative projects; one with Ayatollah titled Colossus (2015) and the other with the homie, Big Ghost Ltd., titled An Open Tomb (2020). D-Styles is a producer and DJ, most known as a member of Invisbl Skratch Piklz, Beat Junkies and Third Sight. An incredible artist, he's been featured on countless projects over the years! This is a fun listen, dig into the LP below...

Brock Berrigan "Breaking Bad" (Instrumental Album)

Producer extraordinaire Brock Berrigan has cooked up 15 instrumentals for his latest offering, Breaking Bread. In his own words, "I tried to encapsulate the feeling of hiking canyons and the desert in solitude into audio form for this album. Put over a year of my life into this project and am very happy with how it all came together. Sit back and enjoy." Perhaps you can't relate to hiking canyons (or solitude lol), but you can feel these beats. With an exceptional back catalog of music -- many of which you can dig into in the archives -- Breaking Bread is another fine instrumental album. A little less drum heavy, but more reflective and smoothed-out. Artwork by Ian Klarer. Dig into it...

Apollo Brown "This Must Be The Place" (Instrumental Album)

Prolific Michigan producer Apollo Brown transposed the happiness he’s found in his career, family, and circle of friends into his latest album: This Must Be the Place. Brown’s first instrumental project since the grimy noir, Thirty Eight (2014), This Must Be the Place is a continuation of the celebrated Clouds (2011) and a departure from it. Clouds was melancholic boom-bap made for the fall, the soundtrack to a ruminative walk through a leaf-strewn park beneath gray skies, but This Must Be the Place trades somberness for warm nostalgia and glimmers of hope. Brown offers moments for reflective gratitude and portals of escape through new permutations of East Coast-rooted boom-bap, his drums hitting with concussive force as snares crack like ice on midwestern lakes. Though Brown is a consummate and discerning crate digger, he sought different source material for This Must Be the Place. After soliciting compositions from ten trusted sound designers, Brown holed up in his basement home studio, looping, chopping, and deconstructing their work to create 21 wide-ranging productions. For every instrumental that inspires reflection, another transports you above the clouds and to the cosmos. At every sonic turn, This Must Be the Place can remind you to appreciate living the life you imagined or push you as you navigate there. Listen via MMG below...

Marco Polo "MP on the MP, Volume 3" (Beat Tape)

MP on the MP Volume 3 is the third and final volume in the MP On The MP trilogy, back with twelve more unreleased beats. Inspired by the "MP On The MP" Youtube series, Marco Polo has compiled 12 fire instrumentals and dozens spanning all 3 volumes. From his work with Torae, Masta Ace, Supastition, Ruste Juxx, Kardinal Offishal, O.C., Breeze Brewin and more of your favorite lyricists, it's dope to get these instrumentals to see some of the unreleased beats and joints that may have been left on the cutting room floor. The Canadian beatsmith has kept it nostalgic yet fresh since he stepped in the game over a decade ago, and remains one of the best producers to rep for our culture. Tap into MP on the MP Volume 3 below, and the archives for Marco's previous releases too...

Tuamie "A Question Called Tuamie?" (Instrumental Album)

Tuamie is a beatmaker/producer from Atlanta, Georgia. His latest offering is a solid instrumental album entitled A Question Called Tuamie? and it features 10 really fine tracks. Tuamie has production credits with Skyzoo, Fly Anakin, Big Kahuna OG, Ill Camille, Koncept Jackson and others. Available as a name your price download via Bandcamp, I definitely recommend digging into this project, so check it out below and click through for his entire back-catalog of beat tapes...

Stro Elliot "Stro's Old Beat Farm" (Instrumental Album)

Stro Elliot has risen to prominence as the percussionist for The Roots and was previously a producer and MC for The Procussions. Long before being a nightly part of The Tonite Show with Jimmy Fallon as a part of The Roots, Stro released a collection of vaulted tracks called “Stro’s Old Beat Farm”. This collection of tracks were created between 2004 and 2010, and gave a glimpse of greatness to those that scoured the internet for the best in beats. SCM also presents Stro’s Old Beat Farm in physical form for the first time, ten years after its release. It is a document of a man who would soon be well on his way. If you dig into this below and hit up the archives, you'll agree...

DJ Rhettmatic Loops, Chops, Beats, & Vibes" (Vol. 1-2)

The first official project being released on Beat Junkie Sound is DJ Rhettmatic's previous Beat Tape albums "Loops, Chops, Beats, & Vibes" Vol 1 and 2, on cassette tape. It is a limited edition cassette tape with an Obi Strip, colored graphics on the tape shell and personally numbered by DJ Rhettmatic himself. Only 100 made with 2 bonus beats that's available only on the tape. I think I originally shared the original instrumental album in 2018, on Rhettmatic's birthday, but as it says, there are additional beats and it's chopped a little differently in this cassette release. Much love and respect to the entire Beat Junkies crew, some of the very illest to EVER do it! Listen below ...

Pete Rock "PeteStrumentals 4" (Instrumental Album)

A renowned producer lauded for his innovative production and impeccable ear, Pete Rock is widely recognized as one of the greatest and most influential hip hop producers of all time. A pioneer of fusing jazz, funk and soul into hip-hop, many sight him as laying down the blueprint for soulful production in hip-hop. He revolutionized rap production through groundbreaking studio wizardry, made remixes matter more than the original songs, established ad-libs as a standard recording asset... the list goes on. Having worked with huge names including Run-D.M.C, Public Enemy, J Dilla and Busta Rhymes (just to name a few), Pete Rock’s work as a producer has translated into over 25 million albums sold worldwide. With such huge influence as a producer, Pete’s solo material serves to only further enhance his reputation as an artist and a producer. This is the fourth installment in Pete Rock's ground-breaking PeteStrumentals series, check out these 14 fine instrumentals below....

KLIM Beats "A Journey Through Sounds" (Instrumental Mix)

Today I want to share this fine mix titled 'A Journey Through Sounds' which is a small take on KLIM's beautiful discography that he's made over the years to raise awareness of what's happening in his home country of Ukraine. The situation that is on-going is something we all never could have guessed or imagined. These are difficult times in the world, and as I've said before, often times creators find inspiration under the most severe circumstances; in the face of their greatest struggles. It's their therapy and why art is such an important part of our lives. That said, definitely check out the mix and much love to KLIM, hold your head. KLIM also recently released his latest instrumental album, Moonball, check that out in the archives, along with many other instrumental releases. Props to NineToFive Records, an international community of producers, visual artists, writers and other creatives joined through a shared passion for genre-bending instrumental music.