Golden Age Against The Machine is Shawn Lee's audio love letter to the golden age of hip-hop. For Lee this spans the early '80s to mid '90s. Like many other musicians, sample based production effected him deeply. It permeated the how and what of his musical performances. The sonic qualities of his productions, the arrangements and his drumming, in fact his whole approach...

For those of us of a certain age hip-hop was at its most creative - at its most intense - in the '80s and '90s, so the fact that Shawn Lee has tried to capture that raw feel and excitement several decades later is something that will be welcomed by many an oldie, like myself.

The album contains 17 tracks (59 min, 12 sec). Highlights include 'Back To The Future' (which includes '80s pop-culture references including Back to the Future and Return of the Jedi); the tongue in cheek 'I Just Had a Baby'; 'Ashes To Ashes'; and the James Bond-esque 'Marimba'.

This is a lovingly crafted album that will be embraced by young and old alike.

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Nick Smithson