Hand'Solo Records

January 16th, 2021

New Magick Show video for “OZ” featuring Moka Only

In less than a week, Donald Trump will leave office as a one-term president, and it can’t come soon enough. “OZ”, Magick Show’s second single from their Dark Night of the Soul EP, drops on Jan 20 to celebrate, but we just can’t wait so we’re dropping the video early…

Magick Show is a rap duo out of Sudbury, ON, combining the distinct styles of working class poet Mickey O’Brien and lyrical/sonic explorer Max Moon. Their debut, Dark Night of the Soul, released in October, is an abrasive departure from their solo projects. “OZ”, the final track, takes a step outside of the horror-mystic aesthetic to focus more on the true horrors in the world. With guest Moka Only on the hook, the duo fast-forward through the years to imagine a post-apocalyptic scene where might is right, scarcity is common, and the marginalized are constantly on the brink of survival. The release of “OZ” marks the duo’s wildest and most timely release yet, dropping on January 20 to celebrate the departure of Donald Trump as U.S. president. The “OZ” video, created by Baked Clown Animation, is a bad yet thoroughly entertaining acid trip through the worst and most ridiculous elements of 2020, better known as The Worst Year Ever. ”OZ” is produced by Juno-nominated producer and Sound Battle Royale champion Fresh Kils, with scratching by turntable renegade DJ Slam!.

January 8th, 2021

Primal Winds lyric video for “Neon Lights”

New lyric video and DJ Pack from Primal Winds out now…

Fighting the system is hard work and sometimes you just need a break. But how are a pair of programs supposed to do that in The Grid? Head to Argon Square, of course. So when Primal Winds need a break from the doom and gloom of their fourth album, The Renegades, which explores how the dark themes of Tron parallel our own world, District Prime and Iron Wind jump on their light cycles and hit the city to let loose for “Neon Lights”. Wind’s original production is a head-nodding throwback to inspirational 80s movie montages anchored by a soulful hook from frequent collaborator Alexa Ourania. The single also includes a mellow, introspective boom bap remix from DJ Matto while The Cybertronic Spree drummer Rumble kicks the drums and synth into overdrive to transform the song for his remix. In addition to these three catchy versions of one song, “Neon Lights” also receives the lyric video treatment thanks to Janelle Designs. …Because you deserve it, program!

January 3rd, 2021

Trailer for Magick Show’s “Oz” video…

Magick Show teams with Baked Clown Animation for this animated video that takes a humorous look at the previous year, featuring an assist on the hook by Moka Only. Produced by Fresh Kils, with cuts from DJ SLAM!.

January 3rd, 2021

Happy New Year – and pre-save “Neon Lights”!

Happy New Year, folks! I don’t think I’ll find many willing to argue that 2020 wasn’t a terrible shit show, but I think Hand’Solo Records released some great music from some great artist throughout the year. And now, hopefully 2021 will be a better year, especially since it’s the 25th Anniversary for the label.

The first music to drop from Hand’Solo in 2021 is the second single for Primal Winds from their current album, The Renegades. Dropping Friday, January 8, the single for “Neon Lights” also features remixes from DJ Matto and The Cybertronic Spree‘s Rumble. If Spotify happens to be your preferred method of music delivery, we would appreciate if you could pre-save “Neon Lights”…

December 25th, 2020

Merry Christmas… and “Don’t Be Like Them”

Merry Christmas from Mickey O’Brien and Hand’Solo Records with Mickey’s new live off the floor band mix of “Don’t Be Like Them”, a song about overcoming circumstances from his debut album My Drift, out today!

Like many in 2020, Mickey O’Brien learned much about himself. His personal life in shambles due to a horrible breakup and a relapse, Mickey chose to take control and put his life back together rather than continue the downward spiral, coming out the other end stronger and more resilient than before. When a break in quarantine provided an opportunity to record a trio of songs live off the floor with a band, the third and final song selected had to be “Don’t Be Like Them”, a song about not being a victim of circumstance, from his 2019 solo debut, My Drift. Recorded live off the floor in the old Northern Breweries building, a well-weathered Sudbury landmark, by some of Nickel City’s finest players during the same session that already provided live off the floor band mixes of “Sophia” and “11:11”, the performance was also filmed and edited by Shawn Kosmo (Here Kitty Kitty Productions). Mickey O’Brien hopes his message resonates even more at this time: In the dark, choose to be the light!

Written and performed by Mickey O’Brien
Additional vocals by Sarah Craig
Produced by Fresh Kils

Nickel City’s Finest:

Vocals – Mickey O’Brien
Additional vocals & Keys – Sarah Craig
Guitar – Matt Saroka
Bass – David Cameron
Drums – Chris Dardick
Turntables – DJ Seith
Engineered By Teo DeSimone

Recorded Live at The Brewers Lofts Sudbury ON

Video directed and edited by Shawn Kosmo for Here Kitty Kitty Productions

Stream or download from your favourite site here:

And don’t forget the bundle deals that are ongoing through December, including the Mickey O’Bundle, which includes the current Hand’Solo catalogue for Mickey O’Brien…

December 22nd, 2020

Pre-Save Mickey O’Brien’s “Don’t Be Like Them”

We would love your support by pre-saving the new single from Mickey O’Brien dropping on Christmas Day…

December 21st, 2020

New video for Mickey O’Brien’s Live off the Floor Band Mix of his song “11:11”

Mickey O’Brien prefers to use astrological events to determine his release dates. So what better date than winter solstice, a day believed to hold a powerful energy for regeneration, renewal and self-reflection, to release his live band version of “11:11”, a song from his Twin Flame EP about his attempt to win back his soul mate, the song title a reference to angel numbers that remind one to self-reflect on love and life. Recorded live off the floor in the old Northern Breweries building, a well-weathered Sudbury landmark, by some of Nickel City’s finest players during the same session as “Sophia” (already released on the single) and “Don’t Be Like Them” (dropping December 25). This performance was also filmed and edited by Shawn Kosmo (Here Kitty Kitty Productions) to release as a video.

Written and performed by Mickey O’Brien
Additional vocals by Chris Dardick and Sarah Craig
Produced by Fresh Kils

Nickel City’s Finest are:

Vocals – Mickey O’Brien
Guitar – Matt Saroka
Bass – David Cameron
Keys/Additional vocals – Sarah Craig
Drums/Additional vocals – Chris Dardick
Turntables – DJ Seith

Engineered By Teo DeSimone
Recorded Live at The Brewers Lofts Sudbury ON

Video directed and edited by Shawn Kosmo for Here Kitty Kitty Productions

Stream or download the single from any of these links:

December 10th, 2020

The Dirty Sample’s NO! is on CJSW Year End List!

So very awesome to see The Dirty Sample’s instrumental album NO! make both the all-genre Top 100 of 2020 and the Hip-Hop/Funk/Soul/R&B top 20 lists at his local station, CJSW, in Calgary, Alberta. He lands at #23 on the former and at #4 on the latter. Also great to see our friends Dragon Fli Empire, Sargeant x Comrade, and Metawon on both lists.

December 4th, 2020

Big Deal Bundles!

For all of December, save big with bundles on Bandcamp!

Whether you prefer CDs, cassettes or vinyl, there’s an awesome bundle for you… Click a headline to visit that bundle page on Bandcamp.

BACKBURNER BUNDLE #1
(5 x CD)

Backburner – Heatwave
Wordburglar – Burglaritis
Swamp Thing – Creature Feature
More Or Les & Recordface – Post Millennium Tension
Chokeules – Stay Up

BACKBURNER BUNDLE #2
(5 X CD)

Backburner – Eclipse
More Or Les – Blow the Fuck Up but Stay Humble
More Or Les – Nerd Love
The Library Steps – Rap Dad, Real Dad
Chokeules – Nepotism

TACHICHI & MOVES BUNDLE
(4 x CD)

Tachichi – Chico’s 90s Project
Tachichi – Top Ten
Tachichi & Moves – Pressure Posse
Moves – Hiss 3: Hissterectomy

THE DIRTY SAMPLE-R
(2 x CD and 4 x cassette)

The Dirty Sample – Joshua’s Dreamixes
Touch & The Dirty Sample – Jawz
The Dirty Sample – Tuesday Nights on Cardero
Crash Silverback & Max Muthaphukin’ Stax – Candy & Coombs
Apeface – Ape No More
The Dirty Sample – NO!

MICKEY O’BUNDLE
(1 x CD and 1 x cassette and 1 x 7″)

Mickey O’Brien – My Drift
Mickey O’Brien – Twin Flame: The Honey Bear Saga
Magick Show – “Black Mass” b/w “Oz” (featuring Moka Only)

PRIME BUNDLE
(2 x CD and 1 x 7″ and 1 x lathe-cut 7″ and 1 x cassette)

Primordial Emcee – XF2: Reanimated
Primordial Emcee – “Comic Relief” b/w “The Perfect cRhyme” (featuring Wordburglar)
Various Artists – Choose Your Own Avenger (featuring Primordial Emcee)
Primal Winds – Road Warriors
Primal Winds – The Renegades

VINYL BUNDLE
(3 x 12″ and 3 x 7″)

Various Artists – Choose Your Own Avenger 7″
Primordial Emcee – “Comic Relief” v/w “The Perfect cRhyme” (lathe-cut) 7”
Magick Show – “Black Mass” b/w “Oz” (featuring Moka Only) 7”
Wordburglar – s/t EP 12”
5.1.Nine.0.2. – When a Name is Just a Number 12”
Chokeules – Nepotism 12”

November 26th, 2020

Black Friday Sale! 20% off until Nov 30…

Artists need money and fans need savings, so stretch your money further with this excellent 20% off deal on all Hand’Solo music and merch, digital and physical, until the end of day on Monday, November 30, 2020.

Head to handsolorecords.bandcamp.com and enter “thanks2020” for the discount…