Producers and beatmakers are often the unsung heroes of hip-hop, creating canvasses for rappers that shape the sound, direction, mood, and tone of records, while remaining generally under appreciated compared to those who lend their voice. Since the genre was born, they’ve been largely responsible for the shifts in sound we see every few years, whether it’s something new and fresh or a resurgence of an older one. Argov, a young producer from Tel Aviv Yafo, Israel, has already mastered the resurgence of boom bap beats in the underground while adding his own modern twists on them, creating a unique style that has already gained him an impressive catalog in a few short years, having made beats for acclaimed rappers such as Your Old Droog, R.A.P. Ferreira, and AJ Suede.
In just under 15 minutes, Argov shows why he deserves respect and recognition for his contributions to the rap game. Matchbox is a showcase of Argov’s talents, with the help of some of the brightest minds in the underground today. The record was crafted entirely on Argov‘s trip to New York in 2021 and features AKAI SOLO, YL, Starker, Elijah Bank$y, ZekeUltra, Amir Bilal, Blackchai, and Cruzin, with some additional contributions from Roper Williams, Riley Lamarre, Bart Buurman, igov, and no-fvce.
Both variants are pressed on 140-gram vinyl, housed in an 18pt jacket with an additional 11x17" poster printed on 10pt cardstock designed by Ari Kech. Front and back album art by Ari Kech. Obi strip and center labels designed by J. Park. Mixed and mastered by e. Remastered for vinyl by Tyler Bisson of Audio Geography.
TRACK LISTING
1. Lima (feat. Amir Bilal)
2. Old School (feat. YL & Starker)
3. Butter (feat. No-Fvce)
4. Step Up (feat. AKAI SOLO & Roper Williams)
5. Jasmino (feat. igov)
6. Tag Team (feat. Elijah Bank$y & ZekeUltra)
7. Smoke (feat. Riley Lamarre and Bart Buurman)
8. Scriptures (feat. Blackchai)
9. Spark (feat. CRUZIN)
Side B - Instrumentals
PRESSING INFORMATION
Black (w/ obi) /100
Matchflame /100
