The first instalment of Ruckus 45s sets the tone for the label's mission: raw and tactile hip-hop built for the needle rather than the stream. Pressed in a run of just 300 copies, the debut 7" pairs 'Definition' and 'Move Somethin', two cuts that nod to the golden-era blueprint without resorting to any pastiche. The A-side rides a dusty loop and hard-snapped snare with its vocal chops flipping between swagger and philosophy. The flip is slightly looser, drum-heavy and swung, with a bassline that sounds dug from a crate half-buried in concrete. There's nothing particularly glossy here, just a sense of care and the kind of stripped-down groove that reminds you why hip-hop belongs on vinyl, scuffed labels and all.[info sheet from distr.]