i don't *think* i've mentioned this yet, but the new Dynamic Syncopation album, on NinjaTune, is a real killer -- the best hip hop record i've heard in a while. i heard a few tracks off a 12" over the summer in portland, and i had to track down the lp.
i'm crap when it comes to writing about hip hop, but i read a definite "old school" vibe here -- although not in a self-consciously retro sense. think tight, sparse production -- clean breaks, short, stabbing basslines, and a very lean sampling aesthetic -- a shard of funk guitar here, a horn stab there. in a way, it's almost like a higher-fi version of company flow... rhymes, as far as i can tell (i'm a sound guy, never a lyrics listener), are tight and on-point.
highly recommended! oh, and in other ninja news, i also grabbed the cinematic orchestra 12" with hefner & four tet mixes, and the four tet is really, really nice. very worthwhile.
phil
p.s. how's that new flesh for old album?