It's always an event when Seattle's own DJ Topspin drops a new double mixtape. In this case it's VELOUR VIBES 4 - SO(UL) AMAZIN'. If all you listen to is old CNN and maybe M.O.P., then this might not be for you, but on the flip side you may just need some soul in your life right about now. Peep his website too: www.topsyte.com. That's how DJs should have their shit set up; simple, clean, to the point, and it serves as a home base to cop his CDs too. DJs take notes, the mixtape vets are constantly laying the blue print out for you.

Right out the box this double mixtape is pure, unadulterated, hip hop and R&B soul music MIXED TO PERFECTION. Jon B is back with some new shit on "Watchin' Her". Dude stays with some smooth joints in the stash. Plus Topspin got the Jon B shout out too... that's big. I had Topspin's remix of "Buddy" on rewind for 10 minutes straight. That's how you cater a remix to the vibe of your CD. Normally I wouldn't f**k with Glenn Lewis but "ABC" is so well written you have to appreciate it for what it is... a dope soulful song; def that classic funk smooth shit. Now you would think with all the soulful vibes goin' on it would be hard to fit in a Young Buck verse but Topspin pulled it off with "You Ain't Making Me Go Nowhere". Tone Treazure got some heat with "Come With Me". I can dig it. The bass was working overtime on "Sex God" with Phonte and the Brand New Heavies; nod your head to this joint people. "I Found My Smile Again" by D'Angelo might not be a hit record but it's refreshing to listen to. The skills were breathing lovely on Mr.?????'s "I Need Some Lovin". I wish more cats just freaked instrumentation like that cause the vibe you get is crazy as cat s**t. I had to mention Donell Jones ft. The Clipse on "I'm Gonna Be". This is my joint. Disc 2 is just more of the same, another tight intro again. Topspin freaked one of the best remixes I heard of "Let It Go", and the key thing is it stays in tune with the rest of the project. I never though I would listen to Amerie's track "1 Thing" ever again, but Topspin's J-Dilla remix had me open... can't even lie. If you only get a chance to hear one song peep Topspin's flip of Sade on "Paradise". The Wu-Tang was a perfect fit too. I can listen to this joint all day. The joint that crept up on me was "Sloow" by J Davey. This joint has hit potential right now and it's funky.

The bottom line is Topspin is a dope all around DJ. He keeps the "vibe" consistent throughout this project which is a hard thing to do when you're actually mixing and playing some of the joints he chose to play. It f**ks my head up how he can keep sh*t soulful, all while working in joints from Raekwon & Young Buck. That's the mark of a quality and skilled DJ. He didn't work inside a box that had him strictly playing "new shit" and as it looks, it took him two mixtapes to get what he hear in his head out to the masses. If that isn't the personification of "SO(UL) AMAZIN" than I don't know what is. (12/5/07)