Little Simz - "Lotus" (2025)

Simz' rise to one of the UK's biggest rappers is one of the most inspiring success stories for independent artists (and just life in general) as she is one of the few I can think of that has done it pretty much entirely on her own. Performing in a prime Glastonbury slot just under the headliner (Coldplay) in 2024 is pretty insane for an artist that has never signed to a major label. Simz' career really began to take off following 2019's GREY Area, where she hooked up with producer and childhood friend Inflo. The two had an amazing creative chemistry that resulted in three excellent records that were layered in rich and dramatic funk, soul and orchestral instrumentation that matched Simz' intensely personal and heavy lyrics and themes.

During the rollout of the Lotus' singles, it hit the press that Simz' was suing Inflo following an unpaid loan she gave him during 2024 to help fund the first (and at the time only) live show for his project SAULT (which Simz was a frequent collaborator); which left her unable to complete her tax return for last year. With this news coming out, it was evident that Inflo would not be producing this new record and furthermore Cleo Sol, who is married to Inflo and provided vocals to many of Simz' tracks including her biggest hits, would not be featuring. So this is a massive shake up for Simz, creating a record for the first time in a long time without two of her closest collaborators (and friends).

Miles Clinton James has been picked by Simz for production duties this time around, and looking into his work he did some additional production on 2021's Sometimes I Might Be Introvert as well as some credits with Micheal Kiwanuka and on Foal's last album. This sets the record apart from the Inflo trilogy, as while it is still sounds distinctively Simz, a lot of the extravagant orchestral instrumentation has been replaced with a grittier, darker sound reminiscent of UK post-punk. This pretty aptly compliments the main lyrical themes of the record, the majority of which is pretty explicitly about Inflo and the breakdown of their relationship.

The opening track, Theif, comes in with a rumbling bassline and eerie twangs of guitar before Simz' effects-laden vocals swoop in like a phantom from above. The multi-tracked and echo-y hook of "You're a theif!" definitely gives off the intention of Simz presenting herself as a spectre haunting Inflo's conscience. This leads straight into the lead single, Flood, which features some intense tribal drumming and mantra-like lyrics where Simz recites to her self her methods of how she's going to get through this traumatic time and how she's not going to let this happen again. Obongjayar and Moonchild Sanelly are featured on the chorus and absolutely kill it.

The other two songs released as singles are Young and Free. Young is a very interesting and unique song for Simz, being a kind of Britpop-y, post-punk-y, pop rap tune with its Kinks-ian baseline and faux-posh accent that Simz is putting on. The song is clearly a piss-take of something, but I haven't quite figured out what. I like the song, but it does feel very out of place on an album that's otherwise so serious. Free is a neo-soul jam about being kind-hearted and taking life at your own pace; and is a style of song that Simz can write in her sleep to be honest. It's a good song, but does it really do anything to stand out from the several similar songs in Simz' back catalogue? Not really. I feel like Only, which sits inbetween the two tracks on the record, is a more interesting exploration of that style. Jungle's Lydia Kitto takes on the chorus vocals and does a great job. The sauntering, jazzy beat and self assured lyrics about slowly falling in love with no hang-ups or need to rush just oozes cool.

The first half closes out with Peace and Hollow. For me Peace is the weakest song on the record and probably the only one where it feels like Inflo's presence is noticeably missing. The instrumental feels pretty undercooked with a repetitive guitar line that doesn't change or progress throughout the four and half minute runtime, and Mira May's hook of "I need to find some peace of mind" remains identical from the first chorus to the last. Hollow on the other hand, is captivating in it's starkness and simplicity. Simz' spoken word vocals are set against a string quartet and it's the first point in the record where she really starts to dig into the breakdown in her and Inflo's relationship. After a first half that somewhat struggled to find its groove, it really sets the record up for a frankly phenomenal second half.

And that second half opens up with a bang that is the Obongjayar assisted afro-beat jam, Lion. The song just makes you want to move. The chanted outro "We don't care for what they say, that's my superpower" is just so self affirming and uplifting. This leads straight into Enough, which is basically a dance punk song has similar themes about being enough for yourself and knowing that you can succeed. This whole stretch of the record gives off massive main character energy but it just works - I guarantee you that these songs will make you feel good.

Following on from this brief respite, the album takes a turn into some really dark territory in the final four tracks. Blood is essentially an argument between siblings put to music. Wretch 32 plays the role of Simz' brother in a fictional scenario where both siblings have become successful rappers, but the distance and success has only heightened the unresolved trauma in the family. The song is insanely written and delicately balances being hard-hitting and shocking while still being an enjoyable listen. The title track is definitely the elaborate focal point of the album, being a six and half minute, multi part behemoth of a song that sees Simz go to her darkest place and then back out again. The second verse is a long, spiralling rant about the expectations she feels as a public figure and the pressure to be perfect and a 'prodigy'. The track reaches rock bottom, before church bells and choral backing vocals seep into the mix and Simz drags herself out of the depths to begin rebuilding. Micheal Kiwanika provides a cathartic respite on the choruses to prevent the song feeling too nihilistic.

The final two songs are very lowkey, as if Simz has exhausted herself out with the intensity of Lotus, and is now faced with the reality that she has to confront. Lonely is about exactly that, that Simz feels lonley and isolated; and not sure how to proceed with her music career without her key collaborators. It is very raw, and without a lot of the instrumental flourishes that the rest of the album has, which allows for every word to sink in. Blue closes the record out as a very gentle tune that ties up the records themes well. Sampha's soothing vocals provide a sense of relief, as if the pain is coming to the end and Simz is slowly moving forward.

Lotus is a really great record, and proves her talent can withstand even the most traumatic of shake-ups in the artistic process. It's a shame that the first half is just a little bit wobbly (not even inconsistent, just the flow isn't quite there), because the back end is just as good as GREY Area and SIMBI. It's very rare for an artist to go an 4 album streak of work of this level of quality, and it doesn't seem like that streak is going to end anytime soon.

Top Tracks: Theif, Flood, Only, Hollow, Lion, Enough, Blood, Lotus, Lonely, Blue

9/10

Loyle Carner - "hopefully !" (2025)

Loyle Carner's third record, 2022's Hugo, stuck with me a lot more than I thought it was going to. That album pushed Loyle into a more upfront and commanding space, with more intense instrumentals and tighter, more focused writing and theming. It makes sense, with the album focusing on the meaty topics of Loyle's mixed race heritage and Absent father. Hopefully ! flips the coin right over, mainly revolving around Loyle becoming a father, and the struggles and upsides that parenthood brings. As such, this is Carner's most settled and content release so far, and sonically the most low-key his music has ever been.

I enjoyed the singles as they rolled out, and left me intrigued as to the direction as a whole. They were all very low-key, somewhat trip hop inflected tunes with a moody and smoky atmosphere. It left me wondering whether there was going to be anything even akin to the loose and jazzy highlights of the first two records, let alone the bombastic soul-inspired instrumentals of Hugo. Lead single all i need is about uptempo as it gets, with it's scratchy breakbeat, and multitracked and reverb laden synths and vocals. in my mind, which was released as the b-side and precedes all i need on the album, is a much more dreamy and hypnotic track fitting for a song about being stuck in your own head. The other singles continue down this path. The closer, about time similarly features a very gentle hi-hat rhythm, subtle twinkling keys and reverb heavy acoustic guitar. It's one of the more lyrically upfront tracks on the record, with Loyle detailing the lessons he's learned balancing a music career and fatherhood and how he's going to pass that on to his children. It's a very wholesome way to end the record.

The rest of the record follows in this suit. The gentle, formless, somewhat ambient intro to the opener feel like home teases in the record before a skittering beat pulls the song (and thus the album) into life. However it feels like its over before it really gets going. Similarly, strangers and don't fix it don't really come together into anything much of anything. horcrux brings back some of the jazz rap vibes with it's syncopated drum beat and loose piano chords. The tempo and intensity of the song slowly progresses into one of the more attention grabbing songs on the record. The very raw and intimate neo-soul vibes of purpose give of massive To Pimp a Butterfly vibes, which I will always be a massive sucker for - and so is an album highlight for me

I think hopefully !'s biggest problem is that that while all these songs are perfectly up to Loyle's usual standard when taken individually, they don't really come together into anything more impactful or notable. I have been listening back through the rest of Loyle's discography while writing this and as chill as they can be, they just had a bit more oomph and drive to them. hopefully ! feels a bit indulgent in that regard, and reminds me a bit of the rough around the edges releases that many artists released around lockdown that lacked the polish or fanfare of a major new LP. It is still perfectly enjoyable while it is on, and much like the rest of his records, works perfectly as late night wind-down music to chill out to. Check it out if you're a fan of Loyle or chill hip hop in general, but don't expect it to move the needle either way.

Top Tracks: in my mind, all i need, horcrux, purpose, about time

6/10

Kendrick Lamar - "GNX" (2024)

At the back end of last year Kendrick surprise dropped GNX, his sixth full LP, and I'm glad I've let it sit with me for a couple of months as it has really grown on me. It follows a massive 2024 for him, where he absolutely decimated Drake in their rap-beef and one of those songs rivalling HUMBLE. as his biggest hit yet. That song being the massive sounding, party banger Not Like Us produced by DJ Mustard. It was the kind of transcendent pop-rap jam that Kendrick rarely explores, as when he does go in a more pop direction, it's usually in the styles relaxed neo-soul beats and contemporary R&B, or straight up trap. 

While in retrospect it makes sense that GNX follows in this direction, at first it kind of took me aback a little. Kendrick's last record, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, was excruciatingly personal, with the narrative of that record basically being about Kendrick overcoming the pressure he feels on him to be some kind of 'black saviour' figure, alongside his past familial trauma, to basically live his life for himself. It seemed like a massive whiplash for him to make what is quite frankly his most mainstream album to date. Similarly, GNX follows on from the Drake beef, with Kendrick at his most self-aggrandising and self-righteous, taking shots left and right at other rappers and rap culture at large. Which again is a massive u-turn on one of Mr. Morale's biggest themes, that of letting go of ones ego.

But the more I let the record sink in, the more it clicked with me. The pressure on Kendrick with each release to make albums that were simultaneously 'grand artistic magnum opuses' and also pop mega smash hits resulted in both DAMN. and MM&TBS being quite inconstant and cohesive releases; with Mr. Morale in particular being quite a tortured and messy album in retrospect. Looking at it from that angle, it's clear that GNX was the only path forward for Kendrick, as no-one (not even Lamar) can keep topping each release with something 'even more' grandiose and culture defining. And anyway, Kendrick deserves to let loose every once in a while. It also helps that these tracks absolutely bang, and at a trim 45 minutes, it's Kendrick's tightest mainline release.

And yes, while it lacks some of the overtly provocative and deeply personal moments and mental genre-bending experiments that initially drew me to Kendrick's music, it's still lyrically dense and meaningful, and has some great beat switch ups and instrumental flourishes. There is a recurring motif featuring mariachi singer Deyra Barrera, neo-soul slow jams featuring SZA (and Kendrick R&B crooning voice is finally getting better after like 3 albums of trying it), hardcore hip hop bangers and a handful of those loose, reflective west-coast hip hop jams that Kendrick never fails to pull off. GNX is also Kendrick at his goofiest and most fun, with a couple of moments becoming meme status.

All in all, by removing himself from the pressure of being 'the most important artist alive' Kendrick has made his most consistently enjoyable LP since To Pimp A Butterfly, and I wouldn't be surprised if it tops DAMN. as his commercial peak in the coming months / years.

Top Tracks: wacced out murals, squabble up, luther, man at the garden, hey now, reincarnated, tv off, peekaboo, heart pt. 6, gloria

8/10

Little Simz - "Drop 7" (2024)

 

Little Simz is back with another EP in her Drop series, which sporadically intersperse her main LPs and are generally used as a place for her to experiment a little without the perfectionism and burden of expectation that is a common theme within her music. This one comprises of 7 tracks that incorporate techno, trap and grime with a bit of Latin and afrobeat rhythms - a stark contrast to the soul and funk instrumentals of her past few main albums. 

These tracks are all pretty short, with much less attention to detail than the lush instrumentals of SIMBI and NO THANK YOU. They're repetitive and somewhat hypnotic, and Simz' vocals and lyrics feel much more off the cuff and frankly background-y than the commanding presence she usually has. It's all a bit vibey and unfinished. I've had the pleasure of seeing Simz live a couple of times now, and I just can't see any of these tracks penetrating her live set the same way a couple of the tracks off Drop 6 did.

The opener, Mood Swings is definitely the most complete song on the EP, and midpoint SOS is quite a nice Latin meets deep house track that I can vibe to. The closer, Far Away, brings back some of the jazz and soul that Simz is more known for and I vibe with that also, even if its a lot more lightweight that I'd expect from a Simz track. 

Drop 7 is perfectly listenable but on the whole it just doesn't leave much of an impression. I would have rather this had spent a bit longer in the oven and had more of its own identity, because it is a significant step below everything Simz has put out since 2018 and I'm definitely going to forget about it within a few weeks.

Top Tracks: Mood Swings, SOS, Far Away

5/10

Kendrick Lamar - "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers" (2022)

Before 2023's new releases inundate us, I am getting round to the last of 2022's albums I wanted to talk about - perhaps the most anticipated of the year for many due to Kendrick basically dropping off the map following the conclusion of the DAMN. tour and the release of the Black Panther tie in album in 2018. After DAMN. being such a divisive release, diverting from the funk, jazz and old-school hip hop of To Pimp a Butterfly for a more current and commercial mix of contemporary R&B and trap (and being his biggest commercial success thus far), everyone was wandering what Kendrick's next move would be. Would he returned to the sounds of TPAB that made him the king of hip-hop, or double down on the style of DAMN. that had crossed him over to a legitimate pop-star? The answer is both, and also neither, as Mr. Morale is such a complex record with so many intertwining but also conflicting ideas. This is why it's taking me 6 months to get round to writing about it - despite me being super anticipated for it. I frankly didn't know what my opinion was of it initially.

I never got round to talking about all of Kendrick's records after TBAP an untitled, unmastered back when I started the blog, but in short DAMN. was a record for me that while I appreciated Kendrick's more introspective lyrics and the overall concept of the album, I've never fully clicked with the more synthetic instrumentation and beats. Nor do I think Kendrick's skillset as a rapper and vocalist really match the modern R&B aesthetics on some of the songs, leaving some of them to feel kind of like duds to be honest. So when The Heart Pt.5 came out as the non-album teaser for this new era of Kendrick and returned to a TBAP-esque soul instrumental I was really excited. The track is phenomenal and came across as very much a deliberate reaction to DAMN. both sonically and lyrically. DAMN. saw Kendrick in a very dark place feeling like the weight of expectations were on him to be some kind of saviour for black people following how critically acclaimed (and politically charged) TPAB was. The Heart Pt.5 sees him in a much more self assured place in regards to his relationship with his fans and Black America in general.

This theme is carried through into Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers and is very much the core concept of the record, how Kendrick feels put on a pedestal as a black savoir figure and how that impacts all aspects of his life - and ultimately his journey of rejection of that expectation alongside healing from his past traumas and demons. The record is an 18 track double record, the first half being the Big Steppers side which revolves around Kendrick's worst impulses and coping mechanisms regarding his fame and weight of expectations, but also his family and societal trauma growing up. The second half, the Mr. Morale side, is essentially the resulting therapy and healing that Kendrick goes through so he can finally feel at peace with himself and his family.

Musically, the record kind of follows on from TPAB in that there are some more jazzy and soul based instrumentals, but also follows on from DAMN. with a fair few synthetic modern hip-hop beats. But then in equal measure there is a good handful really out there experimental hip-hop moments that the closest thing I could compare them to is the more unconventional fusions of jazz and electronic beats on untiled, unmastered. The opening cut, United In Greif, is a great example of this. After opening with a barrage of bars from Kendrick, the track settles into its main passage - a combination of emotive jazzy piano chords, a skittering, glitchy breakbeat and synthetic bleeps and bloops. It genuinely sounds like a Radiohead beat and not really anything like Kendrick has rapped over before. The lyrics of the track delve deep into Kendrick's coping mechanisms to deal with grief and pain - primarily his shopping addiction and his desire for unnecessary status symbols (super cars and watches etc). 

The first chunk of the Big Steppers side flows on from United In Greif in the themes and approach of the tracks, being very raw and direct about the uncomfortable sides of Kendrick's personality. N95 follows on from the opening track with something a lot more conventional and probably the closest thing a banger like HUMBLE. the record gets. While at points it comes off a little defensive, the track goes in on online mob mentality and victim culture that perpetuates hurt and division. I like it, but I feel it could've had another pass at the lyrics as Kendrick does conflate these ideas with 'cancel culture' at large at points. There is a difference between people looking for someone to blame for their own issues and holding people in positions of power accountable for damage they have caused. It's just a bit of an odd take for Kendrick to make considering how much of his music revolves around his own personal accountability and his determination to hold others to it too. Which is exactly what he does on the following track, Worldwide Steppers. The song is built around a really grimy and nocturnal pulsating beat which fits it's topic perfectly. Kendrick opens up about his experiences having sex with white women, and how it gave him a sense of power and revenge for the racism him and his forbearers have faced. This first chunk of the record cumulates in Father Time, one of the real standouts from the album. The track tackles Kendrick's relationship with his father and how his upbringing has given him a lot of negative attitudes and coping mechanisms (alongside a few positive ones). The track is loose and jazzy, and features a beautiful feature from Sampha on the hook. It's a really mature and forward-facing song, and one of the best examples of what the album is trying to be.

Unfortunately, the back end of the Big Steppers side is where the album begins to derail for a while, starting with the interlude Rich. The track is a spoken word piece, delivered by Kodak Black. Kodak is a rapper who was been charged with rape back in 2016, and on first glance you might think that Kendrick has chosen to include him on the record as some kind of representation of there 'being good and bad in all of us', but looking into Kodaks life, he has not gone through any attempt at redemption and continues to be involved in violent crime in the years since. Furthermore, the interlude steers clear of any reference to any of this, and essentially is just a pity-party about growing up in poverty and that's why the way he is. Kodak shows up in little snippets across the album and has a feature on Silent Hill, so this is clearly an intentional move from Kendrick, but not one that holds up to any scrutiny. Prominently including a controversial rapper who has not taken any accountability for their actions doesn't fit well on a record all about healing and self-accountability. The following song, Rich Spirit is fairly weak and uneventful, being a fairly run of the mill contemporary R&B song similar to some of the stuff on DAMN. The beat is pretty bland and Kendrick's lyrics are some of the least insightful on the album. 

This is then followed by another 'controversial' track, We Cry Together. The song is essentially an argument between lovers put to music, and on a technical level it is brilliant. The back and forth flows from Kendrick and Taylour Paige sound amazing as does the dissonant, free jazz instrumental. Unfortunately the intentions of the track are muddled and not entirely obvious. On first glance, the track is a back and forth between the two characters where they take turns remarking on each others toxic behaviours, but on closer inspection the track is very one sided. Taylour masterfully tares down Kendrick's infidelity and insecure ego, but his comebacks just boil down to "Girls are bitchy" after you think about them for more than a second. I think that is the point he is going for, but it's not obvious, and considering some of the other thematic blunders on the album it wouldn't be a surprise if Kendrick's bars on this track are whole-heartedly earnest. The track also ends with a complete diffusing of the situation, where the two characters make up and start getting intimate, which again undermines whatever message the song is supposed to have. Lastly, Kendrick has made a good handful of 'arty' dramatic songs like this before (most notably u on TPAB), but I feel like this is the only one that I could never play out loud over a speaker, because it is literally an argument and there is a certain degree of embarrassment I would feel if someone overheard me listening to it.

Purple Hearts closes out the Big Steppers side and is fine. Summer Walker sounds quite nice over the glitzy R&B beat, although Kendrick is certainly the least interesting part of the song. The Mr. Morale side opens up with equal ambivalence for me. Count Me Out is a perfectly serviceable trap banger that lays out the second half of the record well, but it doesn't excite me. Crown is a dreary and fairly repetitive song that takes the common 'heavy is the head that wears the crown' motif and does nothing interesting with it. Silent Hill rounds out this trio of un-remarkability with another 'eh' trap song that doesn't do it for me. Here's where Kodak Black shows up for the last time and even ignoring the context of his appearance on the album, he adds nothing to the song. It does feature some pretty funny "Huh!" adlibs from Kendrick though that I can't help but smirk at - he sounds so stupid.

Thankfully the record picks up again in the second half of the Mr. Morale side. Savior is really the turning point, where Kendrick stops worrying about the opinions of others and you can hear the uplift in both the instrumental and the vocals. The hazy synths ascend up the chord progression and there is actually a catchy hook on the song for the first time since Father Time way back in the Big Steppers side. "Are you happy for me?" Kendrick's cousin, Baby Keem, beams during the chorus.

This launches into Auntie Diaries, one of the most personal songs on the record. The track tells the story of Kendrick's trans uncle and Kendrick's journey towards understanding and acceptance, and then later moves onto how one of Kendrick's cousins came out as trans. The storytelling on the track is excellent, with Kendrick's bars laced over a jazzy meandering beat. Similarly to Savior, the back end of the song builds and builds to a crescendo that feels like some sort of heavenly ascension as Kendrick finally comes to peace with the idea that his family members identify this way. Again, this track is one of the ones that has been tagged as 'controversial' due to Kendrick's use of the f-slur and deadnaming. I personally don't really see how these arguments hold much water, as the words are used to support the story and themes that despite Kendrick's initial belief that because he never said the words with malicious intent, they do indeed cause damage and he now sees that. However, I understand that I have no jurisdiction on what others consider offensive. The main fault I have with the track is actually the very last line, where Kendrick relates his previous use of the f-slur to an incident where he invited a white person on stage to sing along with him and they said the n-word and he shut them down and sent them back to the crowd. My problem is that Kendrick isn't actually very clear on what he means by this, is it that he now sees that he can't say the f-slur? Or that he's not going to pick up on white people singing the n-words in his songs when there's no malicious intent? The line seems pretty superfluous to the rest of the song and feels like it was only added in for some shock value to end the song on.

Mr. Morale takes the progressive outlook that has been building over the past couple of tracks and supercharges it into a confident and self-assured trap banger. Kendrick takes the healing he's been embracing and reflects on the trauma his family members and other black celebrities have experienced and whether they have managed to move on, or whether it is something that still haunts them. The beat is driving and the vocal contributions on the bridge by Tanna Leone sound cool as hell. This uplifting feeling is short lived, as the following track is the longest, deepest and darkest moment on the record, but incredibly necessary for the narrative of the album and for Kendrick's journey into healing outside of it - and honestly its the best out of the 18 tracks here.

That song is the 7 minute Mother I Sober, in which Kendrick dives deep into his own childhood and familial trauma with a level of specificity that is truly heart wrenching. The instrumental centres around a moody piano riff, and the mix remains relatively empty for the entire runtime - elevating the potency of every bar on the song. Kendrick details the history of sexual and physical violence within his family and the trauma it had caused within his mother and himself. He then elaborates on how his mother projected her experiences onto him, continually asking him if his cousin ever touched him, and refusing to believe Kendrick when he told her "no". He then ties it back to his coping mechanisms - the shopping and sex addictions - from the start of the album, allowing him to come full circle and truly heal and feel at piece. The structure of the song beautifully tells the story, the first verse detailing the abuse he witnessed as a child, followed by the second tackling the false accusations from Kendrick's mother, before the third reveals the reasons she felt that way and Kendrick can finally understand and let go. Each verse is punctuated by the harrowing vocals by Portishead's Beth Gibbons on the hook, and she is such a perfect fit for the song and by miles the best feature on the album.

Mirror closes the album out well with the repeated hook "I choose me, I'm Sorry". It perfectly encapsulates the journey and narrative of the album. However, following on from Mother I Sober, it feels a little lightweight in comparison. I still like the song, but it doesn't excite me like the past couple of songs before it.

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is such a mammoth album in content and theme (and 'controversy') that it's hard to have one coherent opinion on it. On one side, its bloated and messy, yet there's a whole albums worth of really great songs in it. It makes a good handful of thematic blunders, but when it's on point, its really on point. On the whole I certainly like it a lot more than DAMN. and I'll still put it on from time to time, so I'm definitely more on the positive side of things. However, mileage will definitely vary from person to person.

Top Tracks: United In Grief, N95, Worldwide Steppers, Father Time, Savior, Auntie Diaries, Mr. Morale, Mother I Sober

7/10

Little Simz - "NO THANK YOU" (2022)

Following quickly on from last year's Sometimes I Might Be Introvert which blew up Simz from bubbling up from the underground to one of the UK's biggest current rappers, NO THANK YOU surprise dropped right at the end of last year with one weeks notice and no advanced singles - showing how big Simz has blown up (especially for an truly independent artist). The record follows up on a lot of the themes of SIMBI, but without the grandiose narrative and presentation - which follows a macro-level theme that runs through her entire discography of her struggle between the desire to make grand, artistic statements and her need to make music as an immediate emotional release to whatever challenges she may be facing. Her second album (Stillness In Wonderland) was very much a prototype for the grand narrative of self-preservation in the musical landscape that SIMBI took much further, whereas GREY Area was far more raw and immediate - mainly addressing the feelings of betrayal from a messy break up. The most obvious example of Simz' need to just let it out was the Drop 6 EP, which released just over a month after the UK went into lockdown in 2020 and is one of the first examples of a 'pandemic release' I can think of.

NO THANK YOU feels like very much an amalgamation of Simz' last three releases. Inflo returns as producer and brings back a lot of the orchestral and jazzy instrumentation that made SIMBI feel so dramatic; however Simz' takes on the album are far more targeted and personal akin to GREY Area, and the whole release strategy and general off-the-cuff feel to the record is reminiscent of Drop 6. While having it's merits (none of SIMBI's melodramatic interludes, and certainly Simz' densest set of lyrics), I do feel this approach isn't necessarily the best of both worlds. The identity of the record can feel a little muddled at times, like it's caught between the two artistic directions that Simz has been flipping between for years. The majority of the tracks are long, which allows for Simz to really delve into the topics of each track, and for Inflo to add tons of gorgeous flourishes to each instrumental (including swooning orchestral swells and gospel choir backing vocals); but they don't always quite connect together.  The long track lengths also mean the pacing isn't quite as spot on as Simz usually is. On first listen the order of the tracklist made the album felt like more like a mixtape. The album opens with Angel, which is the most forward looking and positive song on the album; which is then followed by Gorilla, and swaggering bop with its jazzy bass-line and Simz' elastic flow. From Silhouette to to Broken, the album gets progressively darker and more depressing with absolutely no levity. Then after Broken, the album ends with three much shorter tracks that don't feel nowhere near as dense and monumental as the previous seven. It makes the album feel a little wonky, like it just sort of limps out after several 5min+ behemoths.

Despite the slightly off pacing, each of the first seven tracks are all really great when taken on their own merits. The aforementioned Angel opens up the record with a low-key, watery synth loop, Simz sounding very chill and laidback on the mic and the always brilliant Cleo Sol cropping up for soulful hook. The track sets the scene for the themes of the record: Simz' struggle fighting the exploitation of her art by the people surrounding her in the music business (apparently she split with her long time manager this year), and the black experience in general and the cycles of trauma and lack of support in black working class communities. After brief detour through the self-assured Gorilla, Silhouette returns to the themes established on Angel, treating the idea of betrayal as people becoming silhouettes of themselves, moving out of the clear vision of them that you thought they were. The track could have very easily fit on SIMBI, with its combination of a funk rhythm and grand orchestral flourishes. No Merci takes the orchestral swells and pairs them with a more hard hitting hip hop beat for a more direct takedown of industry BS.

X goes broader around the themes of institutional racism, and the idea of what it means to be a successful minority - and the responsibility and guilt Simz feels for essentially making it when so many don't. The gritty beat and gospel backing vocals make the song feel fit for a movie soundtrack. Heart On Fire is a little shorter than the previous tracks, but Simz' performance is so scaving and raw. The second verse is particularly impactful as Simz details how she lost sight of what she wanted to get out of making music, relying on milestones and financial goals to find some purpose. Broken is definitely the grand centrepiece to the record, as Simz ditches the music industry BS to break down mental health issues at a much more relatable and down to Earth level. The song is framed around minority communities (Simz outright states "Why is mental health a taboo in the black community?"), but the lyrics are universal enough that can relate to anyone struggling. The backing vocals repeatedly singing "When you feel broken and you don't exist / When you feel broken and you cannot fix it" really struck a nerve on first listen.

After all the heaviness, Sideways comes in with a warped soul sample and Simz sounding the most content since Angel at the start of the record. I do like the song, and it is very much needed at this point in the record; however it's barely over 2 minutes and feels somewhat underdeveloped compared to what comes before it on the album. Extending the song and adding some more instrumental layers / switch ups would have definitely pulled the song up closer to the quality of the previous songs. Following this is Who Even Cares, a washed out and effect laden synth funk song that really lacks any intensity or much depth despite how vibey it comes across on the surface. Similarly, the closer, Control, feels quite underwhelming, being a simple piano balled that doesn't really feel like it ties up the albums themes and message particularly well.

While not quite at the same level of consistency and attention to detail as Simz past couple of albums, there is still so much good stuff here that its well worth your time. It's certainly darker and heavier, so requires a more deliberate listen than the likes of GREY Area and SIMBI (and therefore I doubt it will be in constant rotation for me after years the way those two albums are), but investing your brain in the meaty lyrics will definitely reward you.

Top Tracks: Angel, Gorilla, Silhouette, No Merci, X, Heart On Fire, Broken

8/10

Loyle Carner - "Hugo" (2022)

Loyle's first two albums solidified him as the go-to 'chill guy' of current UK hip hop. The loose, jazzy samples and low-key, laidback delivery made them perfect records to thrown on late at night to unwind to. However, by the end of 2019's Not Waving, But Drowning the vibe had felt like it had run it's course and it was time for Loyle to try something a bit different. Which, thankfully, on Hugo he does. The tempo has picked up, alongside the intensity of the instrumentals and Loyle's delivery; with an increased focus on wider socio-political issues where those themes were used as more set dressing for Loyle's introspection before. It's not a drastic switch into hardcore hip hop or anything, but you can certainly see the influence of Kendrick and Kanye's more dramatic presentation with soul and gospel samples - or even Little Simz's Sometimes I Might Be Introvert from last year which has blown her up into one of the biggest UK rappers currently.

Hate kicks off the record with an eerie synth sample and a crashing hi-hat rhythm, to which Loyle drills into the things he 'hates', which is more a drilling into his own insecurities and thought patterns than just a rant. The lyricism and wordplay on the track is some of his best so far, and while it doesn't fully pop off on first listen, it really is a grower. This leads straight into Nobody Knows (Ladas Road), a groovier cut with its jazzy piano and gospel backing vocals, but equally powerful as Loyle digs deep into his mixed race heritage and absent father. This is a topic he has dabbled in before, but never in such an upfront and honest way.  The rest of the first half follows in the path the first two tracks set out. Georgetown is built around a wonky bass sample and whining synths and Loyle loosely raps over it. It's the closest Hugo comes to the outright bops from the first two records and has a certain coolness to it. Speed Of Plight has a darker instrumental and Loyle's delivery matches the town with a more direct and less swaggering tone.

From Homerton onwards, the album slows down and becomes more familiar to Loyles previous work. Homerton is still very lush and full with a swooning trumpet and soulful backing vocals from Olivia Dean and JNR WILLIAMS, but after this the moodiness creeps up massively. The following track, Blood On My Nikes, is probably the darkest (and also my favourite of the album). It has a tense and sinister beat, and Loyle delves into his experience of gang violence and the desensitisation of violence through videogames. Plastic is incredibly jazzy and smooth, I really like the instrumental on the track. However, the lyrical hook on the track is that Loyle is calling out disingenuous people (and also himself) by referring to them and their possessions / attributes as plastic, and I really feel it runs dry and becomes a little gimmicky by the end of the song. The last three songs really slow the album down and really revert back to the sentimentality of the older records. However, as they only appear at the end they don't have time to outstay their welcome; and do work as a way to wind the album down at it's finish. My favourite of the three is definitely A lasting Place. Similarly, Loyle's love for spoken word and audio bite interludes is still present on Hugo; however I feel they are much more relevant and less intrusive than they were on Not Waving, But Drowning.

On the whole, Hugo is Loyle's tightest and most consistent release so far; and it really feels like he has grown in confidence to make some more outward political statements in his music, rather than just looking inward. However, due to the more serious tone of the album, it lacks any of the fun, laidback bops that are the main draw for me when I come back to revisit his records. While I don't think they would have worked as well in this context, it does hold this album back from being vastly better than his last two. It's still really solid though, and it's nice to see Loyle branch into new musical avenues.

Top Tracks: Hate, Nobody Knows (Ladas Road), Georgetown, Homerton, Blood On My Nikes, A lasting Place

7/10

Little Simz - "Sometimes I Might Be Introvert" (2021)

Wow, turns out masters courses are hard work - so this is the longest break I've had on here. Anyway, hopefully back to more regular posts now. Little Simz burst into the mainstream sphere with her 2019 album, GREY Area; a raw and gritty hip hop record with a concise flow and poignant introspective lyrics. It was my favourite record of that year and it has not dropped out of my rotation since. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, while still of excellent quality, couldn't be anything more different. It is a maximalist, 'magnum opus' scale record that brings back a lot of the neo-soul and funk elements of Simz' earlier output; but amping up the confidence and gravitas to another level. At over an hour long, with 19 tracks (5 of which are grandiose orchestral and spoken word interludes), SIMBI (also Simz' personal nickname) is a behemoth. This dramatic, semi-narrative structure is clearly borrows from hip hop giants like Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar; as does the theming around the struggle between the artist and the person off the stage, and the deeper introspection on Simz' psyche. It is obvious that Simz' is aiming for this record to be mentioned in the same conversations as My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and To Pimp A Butterfly. And for the most part, she gets there.

The record kicks off with its strongest run, from the opening Introvert to I Love You, I Hate You. Introvert is this massive, world shattering orchestral hip hop song that elevates Simz' lyrics from musings about her place in the world to a 'do or die' level of intensity. This instantly transitions into the gorgeous 2nd track, Woman, featuring Cleo Sol. This is pure neo-soul serenity, with its smooth as anything instrumentation and Cleo's silky vocals on the hook. Woman once again instantly transitions into the jazzy and off-kilter Two Worlds Apart. These kind of snappy transitions are common throughout the entire album and they are all brilliant. Two Worlds Apart starts hazy and relaxed, with Simz rapping in a lackadaisical flow about a failing relationship that has gone stale. She slowly morphs into a more deliberate and confident flow as the track progresses, reflecting her realisation that she no longer needs this person. I Love You, I Hate You might have the most poignant and precise lyrics on the entire record, detailing Simz' relationship with her estranged father and the trauma and baggage that comes with a parent walking out on their family. This is all set to a snappy funk beat and warped, repeated soul sample of the line "I love you, I hate you", that just oozes intensity and importance.

Following this is the first interlude of the record, Little Q, Pt.1,  a spoken word interlude from Simz' cousin leading into Little Q, Pt.2, a song which Simz' wrote from his perspective about the experiences he has been through including a near fatal stabbing which left him in a coma. The song is built around hopeful children's choir backing vocals that give a sense of joyousness and innocence; as if it is relieving itself of the cycle of anger and violence that perpetuates in the gang cultures that sent Little Q to a hospital bed. Little Q, Pts. 1 and 2 sits as sort of a transition from the very funk and soul heavy first few tracks to the much more eclectic middle section, which starts with the first of the fantastical, orchestral interludes. While I certainly get the need for some kind of interludes on the album to break up its various styles and genres, the musical theatre-esque melodrama of them is really on the nose and doesn't really do all that much to smooth over the transitions between the different styled songs. In fact I much prefer the hard, snappy cuts such as the one between Introvert and Woman.

While all the songs in the middle section on the record are at the very least pretty great, it is the part of the record with the most sonic whiplash. Speed is a raw and gritty tune that would've fit perfectly on GREY Area with its gruff bass and fuzzy synth line. This leads directly into Standing Ovation, which follows in the same dramatic and grandiose orchestral style as Introvert. The track is dynamic with a lot of tempo changes; which makes it feel like the grand centrepiece of the album. Then the album whips back to the neo-soul sounds of the first leg with the super sexy and suave I See You, before crashing into another interlude. After this we have the edgy and sinister sounding Rollin Stone, which leads into the biggest 180 on the record, the bouncy synth-funk bop, Protect My Energy. All of these songs are good tracks, but hard to place contextually within the albums flow and progression. It feels like a whistle-stop tour of everything Simz' wants to explore.

After another dramatic interlude, the album does settle down for it's last portion. This begins with the seamless back to back due of Point And Kill and Fear No Man. These jazzy afrobeat songs ooze confidence and charisma. The sound so joyous and free, like a carnival in the street. After one last interlude, the record closes with a couple of more gentle, reflective songs; where Simz reflects on her friends, family and journey. How Did You Get Here is more broad, detailing her journey through school, finding her passion for rap, finding a group of likeminded friends, and then finally striking it out on her own and finding success. Miss Understood focuses more specifically and Simz' strenuous relationship with her sister; and how the demands of being a performing artist has caused them to grow apart. Its a bittersweet and understated way to end the record and features such a soothing emotional hook that has me singing along every time.

While I think GREY Area is technically a better album on an objective level (It's tighter and more consistent in tone and theme) and I still just about prefer it personally, SIMBI's songs alone put it in the same ballpark. I managed to go see Little Simz live a few weeks ago, and the songs hold up even better in that environment. If it had just a little less sonic whiplash, and featured some slightly less on the nose interludes I would not be able to fault it at all.

Top Tracks: Introvert, Woman, Two Worlds Apart, I love You, I Hate You, Little Q, Pt. 2, Speed, Standing Ovation, I See You, Rollin Stone, Protect My Energy, Point And Kill, Fear No Man, How Did You Get Here, Miss Understood

9/10

Slowthai - "TYRON" (2021)

 

Slowthai burst onto the scene a couple of years ago with his manic, DIY and punk style of grime and hip hop. He leaned into his background, growing up on the council estates of Northampton, to create this persona of a wild, unpredictable, standoffish kid of the streets; but paired it up with incredibly poignant and powerful socially and politically conscious lyrics. This made his debut record really stand out against the usual grime bluster and posturing. Fast forward two years, where Slowthai got 'cancelled' for being drunk, inappropriate towards the host Katherine Ryan, and starting fights at an awards ceremony; immediately before a global pandemic locked him inside, forcing him to reflect on himself, his persona, and his actions. What results is TYRON, a 35 minute record where Slowthai separates his manic and aggressive, and thoughtful and emotional sides onto two distinct halves.

While I understand the artistic motivations behind this, it does mean the record runs more like two very separate EPs rather than one cohesive listen. The tracks are also short, some so short that they feel like vignettes or motifs rather than a complete song. This mainly affects the first, more aggressive half, which could've done with a bit more depth as the disassociation of Slowthai's emotions leaves this half feeling a bit lightweight, despite how hard hitting and in-your-face it sounds to the ear. This side feels very much like Slowthai playing into his leery-lad character, acting like he owns the place and doesn't care about people's opinions and criticisms. You can tell it's supposed to be a bit tongue in cheek, but there isn't much beyond that for the entire half. CANCELLED is literally about being 'too big to be cancelled'. Both that track and MAZZA have really kinetic and propulsive beats, and Slowthai's performance on both is inflected and charismatic. Skepta's feature on CANCELLED is fairly run of the mill but the beat and Slowthai carry the song. The side as a whole has a punky, trap flair which makes it very listenable despite not every track standing out.

The second half is where the record really shines. Slowthai shows much more of his emotions and vulnerability, against some really lush and detailed instrumentation. i tried opens up this half with a jazzy and low-key beat, which Tyron raps detailed and heavy lyrics dealing with his torn identity adn imposter syndrome, feeling that he's only famous for his manic antics rather than the quality of his work. The intro of the track literally states that 'I tried to die', like he feels that much of an imposter that he's contemplating suicide. Following this is focus, which focuses on the themes of mindfulness and self-improvement. This is backed by a stripped back trap beat and a simple bass riff, giving it a really relaxed vibe.

The record ends on its best run, nhs into feel away, then adhd. nhs is such a bittersweet tune, as Slowthai lists off good and bad opposites in life; reminding us and himself that bad things happen in life, and you've got to acknowledge that or you'll never enjoy the good parts. The track is built on this pitched up vocal loop which also acts as the hook and combined with the lush piano notes makes it sound very sweet and refreshed. feel away is the most overtly soulful song on the record, thanks to James Blake's smooth croon on the hook. The track is revolves around a crumbled relationship, but references to pregnancy and car accidents make it feel far more traumatic and catastrophic. The chopped up, reverb-y piano sample adds to the haunting nature of the song. adhd has a more prominent drum beat, and Slowthai's rapping is much less enigmatic and more monotone, sounding almost defeated. The track is about him growing up with adhd and how people didn't really understand how it affected him or understood him. It's a very downer note for the record to end on, but fits with the record's themes as whole, that Tyron is still working out who he is and how he feels.

Some of TYRON is fantastic, introspective and engaging hip hop; but it still doesn't feel like Slowthai has reached is full potential yet. The distillation and segmentation of his different moods leaves the record feeling a bit choppy; and out of the heavier, more manic tracks, nothing bangs as hard as Doorman or gets as lyrically heavy as Northampton's Child from the first record. I am really looking forward to what he does next, because an entire record similar to the second half of TYRON could be really up my street.

Top Tracks: CANCELLED, MAZZA, i tried, focus, nhs, feel away, adhd

7/10

Gorillaz - "Song Machine, Season 1 - Strange Timez" (2020)

Gorillaz were one of my first musical loves, with the singles from Demon Days and their respective videos imprinted in my brain from my childhood. And as I've grown up I've only grown to love them more, as I started to understand how creative and daring the project is, with the format allowing Damon Albarn to not be confined by genre boundaries and conventions. That being said, the cartoon band's post hiatus work so far has been rather mixed, lacking (for the most part) the colour and life that permeated the group's first 3 albums. Song Machine fixes that by effectively being a series of standalone singles (and videos), completely disconnected from each other - allowing each track to be entirely its own thing. This makes each song on the record feel as colourful and unique as possible, without Albarn having to worry about the overall theme or atmosphere of the entire record. Plus some of these tracks are phenomenal.

The opening track, Strange Timez, launches us into the record with eerie, sporadic keys and The Cure's Robert Smith twisting and eccentric vocal hook, before 2D's dreamy and dejected vocals lamenting the state of the world take over for the verses. The track slowly unravels into an alt-dance groove. The track is spooky and dark, yet colourful and catchy - just like the best Gorillaz tracks. Much of the record follows in the title track's footsteps, being the best Gorillaz tracks of the revival and some up there with the classics. The following track, The Valley of The Pagans, featuring Beck, is a fun new wave romp about internet / celeb hedonism. It's super slick, groovey and colourful. Beck sells the persona of a super arrogant celebrity so well on the song. Pac-Man is funky with really video-gamey synth tones, and features a fantastic multipart verse from Schoolboy Q to close out the track. The closing track of the standard edition, Momentary Bliss, is a homage to British ska and punk, but with the trademark cartoony synths that Gorillaz are know for. Both the punk due Slaves and the rapper Slowthai also kill it on this track.

The tracks Aries and Desole are the pinnacle of the record and by far my two favourite songs of the year. Aries features drumming from UK artist Georgia and basswork from (formally) New Order's Peter Hook. The song is pure New Order worship, but the track is amazing. It is such a good New Order song that it's better than a lot of what New Order have put out, and their 80s track record is pretty great. Peter Hook's bass, 2D's dreamy and wistful vocals, and the thin ethereal synth lines; it's all there. Desole fetures elements of African Wassoulou music, with Fatoumata Diawara's beautiful lead vocals and the  dreamy Afrobeat groove. It's emotional and intense, yet restrained and full of longing.

Even the weaker tracks on the record are still fairly decent, and have elements to them I really like. The Pink Phantom has grown on me a lot since it was released as a single. It's a completely over the top and melodramatic piano balled featuring Elton John hamming it up on the vocals. On initial listens, the inclusion of the monotone, autotuned rapping from 6lack completely bewildered me; but now while I don't think it adds to the track, I don't really think it detracts from it either. Friday 13th has this really nice dreamy synth pop meets dub instrumental, although Octavian's feature is easily the least charismatic on the record and I really wish someone more colourful provided the vocals. The Lost Chord and Chalk Tablet Towers have some really good atmosphere to them (both being quite R&B infused tunes), but just lack an extra element to make them stand up against the best of the record.

I've also got to mention the Dulux Edition tracks, because they're all generally good or great. Particularly the 7 minute dance banger, Opium. The track infuses alt-dance with acid jazz and Latin music and just keeps going trough these manic, chaotic phases. Simplicity is a much more strip backed chill Latin song, and MLS is colourful and fun with really charismatic rapping from JPEGMAFIA. The closing track, How Far?, is also really good, being this sinister and carnival sounding song featuring drumming from the late Tony Allen and an angry and bitter vocal performance from Skepta.

Strange Timez is such a great return to form for Gorillaz, and while it doesn't quite reach the consistent brilliance of Demon Days and Plastic Beach due to its lack of consistent theme and atmosphere, it is undeniable that the change in format has resulted in a such a more creative and quality release than the likes of Humanz and The Now Now. It's one of  my favourite records this year.

Top Tracks: Strange Timez, The Valley of The Pagans, Pac-Man, Aries, Desole, Momentary Bliss, Opium, Simplicity, How Far?

8/10

Run the Jewels - "RTJ4" (2020)

I've known of the hip-hop duo Run the Jewels (comprised of Atlanta rapper, Killer Mike, and New York rapper and Producer, El-P) for a while by their political activism and the critical acclaim that met their previous 3 self-titled records. This is my first time ever listening to them however, and wow I wish I dived in when I first was made aware of them. This record is 40 minutes of intense, charismatic, political hip hop; paired with equally colourful and powerful instrumentals. The record just pops, it commands your attention and will not lose it at all in the whole runtime.

The duo have always made political music, yet the context surrounding the release of RTJ4 brings so much significance to this record, and is why I gave it a listen myself. Following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests across the globe, and an emotional and powerful speech by Killer Mike himself, the duo decided to release the album two days early on the 3rd of June, and for free via a download on their website. This record feels like the soundtrack to the moment, like they have captured the zeitgeist, but still stands on it's own as an excellent release outside of the current context.

I think what's really special about this album is not just that the production and beats are imaginative and varied, and the lyrics and flows are technically impressive and strikingly poignant; it's the way they all wind together and interplay off each other. Beat switch-ups and visceral sonic moments are paired with every statement of intent or punchline Killer Mike or EL-P raps, with elements introduced into these songs just for one time to match up with the lyrics at that precise moment and then done away with in favour of something more appropriate for the next mic drop moment. Most of the tracks are fairly short (10 out of the 11 are under 4 mins), and they roll up one after another without a single moment of silence inbetween. It never lets you breathe, almost as if it's telling you to think about it after the record is finished, in it's entirety, not piecemeal track by track.

Despite the serious subject matter, the record is still a very fun listen. The album is very loosely framed by the opening and closing tracks as a sort of 'duo on the run from the cops' TV show, which gives the album a slight sense of separation from reality which aids in making some of the more humorous bars work. The first few tracks focus more as an introduction to Killer Mike and El-P themselves, while still referencing the broader themes of the record. yankee and the brave (ep. 4) opens the album with an introduction to these two characters who are on the run, before ooh la la follows it up with an incredibly catchy woozy piano sample and the earworm-y hook of "ooh la la, are we wee". The flows on this track ebb and flow just like instrumental. It's easily the most chilled out of the tracks, with throwback record scratches closing it out.

As the record moves on, it dives further into the political themes, and by the time goonies vs. E.T. closes out it is fully immersed. Killer Mike's final verse on this track sees him call out the preformative activism of 'woke twitter' and the counter-productiveness of internet tribalism. Following this is the hardest hitting and probably the best track on the album, walking in the snow. Mike and guest Gangsta Boo roll out bar after bar, calling out the treatment of children at the Mexico-US border, how cages aren't built for just one group, institutional racism and police brutality, and the public's general apathy to the injustices of the world. The lyrics "And you so numb you watch the cops choke out a man like me, Until my voice goes from a shriek to a whisper "I can't breathe"" feels like a gut punch considering how George Floyd was killed. This song was written back in November, and yet feels like it could've been last week. It's genuinely moving.

It's one of a few tracks which feature really heavy, grimy guitar samples. ground below samples post punk band Gang of Four, and pulling the pin features guitar work and ethereal, psychedelic backing vocals from Queens Of The Stone Age's Josh Homme. The track also features vocals from Mavis Staples, which gives the track a real sense of weight and urgency. It feels like the internal gut-wrench of an individual who is finally standing up against the injustices facing them and others. The back half of the record really feels oppressive and smothering, as opposed to the bounciness and stomp of the first half. JU$T rages against the systematic oppression of minorities, America's prison-industrial complex, the political elite's links to child sex trafficking and the general public's perpetuation of these systems by their willingness to play along and 'be a slave to the system'. Rage Against The Machine's Zack de la Rocha roars "Look at all these slave masters posing on your dollar" in the most direct chorus on the record.

The final track, a few words for the firing squad (radiation), switches back to the yankee and the brave characters from the start of the record, about to be gunned down police, making their last stand. The track builds and builds until its final moments, where it all comes crashing down in a crescendo of dissonant strings and wailing saxophone before the hidden title theme plays letting you know it is all over (and supposed to be a TV show fantasy, but unfortunately is the reality we live in).

This record is relentless. It is relentlessly fun and listenable, yet relentlessly heavy and profound. This record is 2020, and also can be set apart from the context and still stand on its own. The first thing I did after finishing is pop on Run The Jewels 2 because I just wanted more of this. This record is absolutely fantastic.

Top Tracks: yankee and the brave (ep.4), ooh la la, out of sight, goonies vs. E.T., walking in the snow, JU$T, ground below, pulling the pin, a few words for the firing squad (radiation)

9/10

Little Simz - "Drop 6" (2020)

Little Simz 3rd record, GREY Area, was my favourite record that I heard last year. She's a charismatic and captivating MC on the mic, and that record had dense and emotional lyrics and awesome, dramatic live instrumentation that commanded your attention. This EP follows that record by heading in a different sonic direction. As a continuation of her 'Drop' EP series, Drop 6 has been written and recorded recently from Simz's home during lockdown. Aside from references to the current world situation in the lyrics, this is reflected in the sound of the instrumentation here. The lush, jazzy and dramatic live instrumentation from GREY Area is replaced with more lowkey and simple beats. There's a dreamy atmosphere to tracks like you should call mum and where's my lighter.

The EP opens with might bang, might not, a track built around a jungle-ish beat with Simz's hardest hitting performance out of the 5 tracks. The track is simple and effective, and I particularly like some of the vocal inflections in Simz's braggadocios performance. you should call mum delves into Simz's reaction to and opinions of the Covid-19 situation and lockdown, and is really expressive and relatable. She details her boredom, desire and struggle to be creative, and her anxiety and worries about the socio-political context of the the entire situation. damn right and wheres my lighter have a dark psychedelic atmosphere to them that makes them feel like a sort of fever dream to compliment the surrealism of the lyrics.

This EP lacks the meticulous attention to detail of GREY Area, and all of the tracks are short and you know exactly what you're getting from them in their opening moments; but the dark, dreamy atmosphere is great and Simz kills it in her performance (as she always does). At 12 minutes, its so short and sweet that its easy to just throw on again straight after its finished playing.

Top Tracks: might bang, might not, damn right, you should call mum, wheres my lighter

7/10

Childish Gambino - "3.15.20" (2020)

My first real exposure to Donald Glover's musical project, Childish Gambino, was his 2018 global smash hit, This Is America. The captivating fusion of trap and afrobeat, paired with with the razor sharp political lyrics has made it an instant classic. This really peaked my interest, so I went and checked out his 2016 album Awaken My Lover, expecting more cutting, conscious hip hop. What I got was 70s throwback record of psychedelic funk and soul - and I really enjoyed it. But I still expected the inevitable next CG album to follow in This Is America's footsteps, even after the release of the follow up 2 track EP, which was more of a contemporary R&B sound.

So it was to my surprise that 3.15.20 is closer in sound to Awaken My Lover than This Is America, although it is hardly a sequel in the same throwback sense, as almost everything about the sound, style and release of this record is weird and unstructured. The title comes from the date the record was originally released, as a looping livestream on the website donaldgloverpresents (before releasing on streaming a few days later), and the majority of the tracks are titled as their timestamps in the entire records runtime. The exceptions are tracks 2 and 3, titled Algorhythm and Time. This is America does not feature on the record, yet Feels Like Summer (one of the tracks from the follow up EP) does. Although it now goes by the name of 42.26, track 10 of the record.

The sound of the record jumps all over the place, from contemporary R&B, to experimental hip hop, to the throwback sounds of Awaken My Lover; all through the lense of some really odd production choices. The mixes here feel muddy and washed out, but not in a good way. The whole mix feels out of balance. Things that feel like they should pop (Vocals, guitars and synths, ect.) don't; and many of the lower ends (percussion and bass) sound to harsh and loud. Time, featuring Ariana Grande, is a good example of this. Both her and Donald have striking, fairly high pitched voices, yet their vocals just feel concealed in the low end of the mix.

These tracks are also very unstructured, with half the tracklist being over 5 minutes, and a good chunk of them not really feeling like songs - more extended instrumental sections with Donald and others just doing whatever they feel like on top. While choruses and hooks do crop up, they feel rather unrefined and not very catchy. 12.38 is a six and half minute tune of Donald laidback-ly riffing over a simple beat, and while the relaxed vibe of the song initially sounds pretty decent, it goes nowhere for 4 minutes then just jumps off the deep end after that point with random effects placed on the mix and unremarkable features from 21 Savage and Kadhja Bonet don't anything.

The album really dips around the midpoint. The 8 minute neo-soul croon-fest that is 24.19 just goes on and on. The production on this one sounds really bad and murky, and makes Glover's usually quite intense croon sound amateurish. The pitch shifting that crops up from time to time also really doesn't sound good. The main track fades out at around 5:30 for a weird interlude with intense breathing and the building of industrial beats to lead into 32.22. This is a track in the style of some experimental, industrial hip hop, and just sounds ugly. The garbled, autotuned vocals combine with this repetitive, garish beat to just feel really pointless and annoying. Nothing else on the record sounds like this, which makes it seem really random and disjointed why it's on here (especially since it does nothing interesting).

The best tracks are the ones that do feel like complete songs (or songs most of the way to completion). 19.10 is straight up Prince worship, but the singular goal of the song gives it some focus and is fairly catchy. It's not amazing, and feels like 3/4 of a complete song, but I don't get tired of it by the end of its runtime unlike a lot of the tracks here. 42.26 is essentially unchanged from it's original incarnation as Feels Like Summer, and so is actually quite jarring how much better it sounds than the rest of the record. You can definitely tell it was recorded and mixed separately from the rest of the album. The relaxed, tropical grove of the song and Glover's reggae-ish singing do genuinely feel like summer. The Closer, 53.49, is reminiscent of the wacky, psychedelic funk that cropped up on Awaken My Lover. The track is short and snappy, and Donald's vocals really pop.

This record is really quite weird. Everything sounds so unfocused and unfinished, yet so intentional. It hops genres with each track; ideas are either barely explored or dragged out far too long; and the lyrics don't build to any sort of coherent theme or concept. It's certainly ambitious and subversive, just not really the strongest executed.

Top Tracks: 19.10, 42.26, 53.49

5/10

Massive Attack - "Blue Lines" (1991)

Continuing on with my '100 albums you need to listen to' poster, and also Massive Attack's discography, I have jumped from Mezzanine to the band's debut, Blue Lines. This record is generally considered the origin point for trip hop, and so a more embryonic form of the genre is on show here. The genre's hip hop and dub elements are more clearly on show here than in later records, and the fusion between them is more fractious. Some tracks have a much stronger hip hop vibe, and some lean into soul, dance and dub, but these influences aren't as combined as they would later become in the genre.

Safe From Harm opens up the record with this rolling bass line and drum rhythm, with Shara Nelson's soulful vocals contrasting against the chunky synth lines and rhythms. It's very much a blueprint for the 'Massive Attack sound' going forward. One love follows a reggae beat with Horace Hinds' crooning on top, yet the tune is more chilled and stripped back than full on dub. Five Man Army is much heavier, with dubby bass and psychedelic effects floating around all over the mix. Horace's and Tricky's vocals play off each other, rapping in different registers in a call and response style. The title track is near enough a jazz rap song, where the group raps in a very 90s style over a funky beat and soothing lounge-esque keys. Be Thankful For What You Got and the single that put the band on the map, Unfinished Sympathy, are much more soulful. Unfinished Sympathy is particularly intense with swelling strings sitting on top a relentless percussion loop and sampled ad-libs from Mahavishnu Orchestra's Planetary Citizen. Shara Nelson returns for a emotional gut-punch of a performance, singing the hook "Really hurt me baby" with so much passion and intensity.

Daydreaming has a dreamy chord progression and eerie background vocals from Nelson. The group's rapping also is very dream-like on this track, floating from one topic to another, and features references to The Beatles and other famous songs. Lately has a slight R&B vibe to Nelson's vocals and melody, but the chunky beat and squelchy bass steer the song in a more spacious direction. The album closes with Hymn Of the Big Wheel, which sounds like synth-pop meets reggae. It's quite a triumphant way to end the record, with lyrics dealing with the idea that the world keeps turning, despite anyone's troubles - so you should try to enjoy yourself as much as you can despite whatever is going on. 

While Blue Lines is not as complex or intensely enveloping as Mezzanine, the more chilled out and straightforward approach make it an easier listen to throw on in more situations. I don't feel I have to give it all my attention to maximise my enjoyment. It's also engaging to see the starting point of the genre, where its influences are more clearly on show.

Top Tracks: Blue Lines, Be Thankful For What You Got, Five Man Army, Unfinished Sympathy, Daydreaming

8/10

Slowthai - "Nothing Great About Britain" (2019)

2019 was really Slowthai's year. He broke into the mainstream with his debut record, which was then nominated for the Mercury Prize; dropped co-labs all over the place and toured with the American super-group Brockhampton. And it's really not hard to see why he has made such a splash, as he is such an attention-grabbing character with an incredible presence on the stage and on these tracks.

Slowthai instantly grabs you with his very unique rapping style. It's not the most technical or flashy, but Tyron brings a punkish, DIY attitude to it which sets him apart from any other rapper I've heard. He has weird vocal inflections, and a rough aggressive tone throughout the majority of the record, although there are a few softer moments in the tracklist.

It's hard not to be sucked in by the lyrical content either. Slowthai raps about growing up in on council estate with his single mother, and some tragic childhood trauma, including the death of his younger brother and Tyrone's poor relationship with his step-father. The tracks are also stuffed full of commentary on class inequality and politics, as well as references to British pop-culture and stereotypes.

The opening track is the title track, which serves as a tone setter for the rest of the record. Slowthai lists off social injustices and ends with brash pot-shots at the Royal Family. Following this is the Mura Masa assisted Doorman, a manic, dance-able banger about going out and the related alcohol and drug abuse. It has a certain post-punk/dance punk quality to it, despite having electronic instrumentation. It is the cream of the crop of the album's tracks, I've been listening to it for months and it never gets old. Gorgeous is more organic, built around a loop of a little piano riff, with additional strings and manipulated vocals in the background. Tyrone raps more nostalgically about his youth here, despite the challenges he faced during it.

Some of the more grime-styled tracks in the middle of the record don't do much for me, I just struggle to connect of become invested in those types of instrumentals. Slowthai and his features (Jaykae and Skepta) still perform well on top. The record picks up again towards the end though, starting with Peace Of Mind. Slowthai is particularly driven and swaggering on this one, with the hook "I feel peace of mind when I'm dreaming of a life I ain't living". You really feel the anguish and anger in his voice here. Missing has a weird, creepy, warped synth-line. Similar effects smother Slowthai's voice, creating a dark, dangerous atmosphere to the track. Northampton's Child closes the record much as Nothing Great About Britain opens it, however with a more autobiographic slant about has family life growing up. It's incredibly touching, especially considering Tyrone's adoration of his mum despite everything they went through.

The lyrical side of this record is top-notch, and it is worth listening just for that. The instrumentals don't always hit the mark for me, and the ones that I do vibe with aren't exactly the most complex or intriguing. This makes the album feel slightly lopsided, but again, the lyrics carry it for the most part.

Top Tracks: Doorman, Gorgeous, Peace Of Mind, Missing, Northampton's Child

7/10

Loyle Carner - "Not Waving, But Drowning" (2019)

Not Waving, But Drowning is very much a continuation of Loyle Carner's first album, Yesterday's Gone. Here he is softly rapping over similarly low-key and jazzy instrumentals, about life and love and growing up (much like his debut).

On the lyrical front, love is a bigger topic for this record than the last, as Loyle seems to have entered a new relationship. The opening track, Dear Jean, details as much. It is essentially a poem to his mum about even he's moving out to live with his girlfriend, he is is still going to be around and be apart of her life. This leads into Angle, featuring a hook courtesy of Tom Misch. This track consists of Loyle professing his love, saying "You're my angel" over and over.

Ice Water and You Don't Know are some of the more driven tracks on the record, with stronger beats and a more angsty tone. Ice water covers Loyle's feelings as they first appear, like an energetic sugar rush. You Don't Know covers a contrasting topic, where Loyle and some interests' ideas of a relationship don't match up, where Loyle questions whether this person is really in love and knows what Loyle wants from it. It has a stomping, swaggering horn instrumental and a sassy hook from Kiko Bun. The reverby and vibrato effected instrumental of Sail Away Freestyle make it stand out among the rest of the tracks. This is also one of the more upfront tracks, with Loyle lamenting people who tell him how to 'wisely' use his earnings and people who have come to him now he's a successful rapper.

My biggest criticism with the record is that it sometimes dips a little too into sentimental nostalgia, a line which a feel the debut tread better. Some of the tracks just feel quite 'soppy'. Desoleil (Brilliant Corners) and Loose Ends featuring Sampha and Jorja Smith respectively are the worst offenders. Not that they're bad, by any means, they just feel slightly like a directionless ramble about emotions and people from Loyle's past. The fairly regular occurrence of studio bites or phone conversations as interludes also adds to this. Its not a big issue, but something that is noticeable coming from Yesterday's Gone to this.

Overall, Loyle's sophomore record is just more of what made the debut an enjoyable listen. So if you liked that, you'll like this. It is perfect for chilling too in the evening.

Top Tracks: Angel, Ice Water, You Don't Know, Sail Away Freestyle, Carluccio

7/10

Kendrick Lamar - "untitled unmastered." (2016)

untitled unmastered. is a collection of unfinished tracks from the sessions of Kendrick's previous album, To Pimp A Butterfly. I must reiterate that they are unfinished, because they seriously don't sound like it. This compilation for me acts like an expansion to TPAB, because these tracks are genuinely great. Rather than having traditional song titles, each of the 8 tracks here are given a number and a date.

These songs are very much in the same vain as TPAB, being politically and socially charged jazz rap bangers. Kendrick's flow and character is just as strong, and the tracks bounce around from weird, dark psychedelic tunes (in the form of untitled 01) to fun and funky (untitled 03 and 06). untitled 02 and 07 even lean into the more trap sound of Kendrick's next album, DAMN. untitled 02 fuses this with the jazz rap he was playing with at the time, and it's really unique and kind of hypnotic. untitled 07 is probably my least favourite of the bunch, as it's rather devoid of the jazzy instrumentation and the trap beat on its own is kind of dull. untitled 05 opens as this rolling jazz beat, and stays that way for a while with some smooth vocals on top from Anna Wise. It takes two minutes for Kendrick to start rapping, and he comes in with a real punch. This is really contrasting to the smooth jazz of the instrumentation. The vocal hook by Cee Lo Green on untitled 06 is really fun and gives the track this sort of lounge vibe. Like rap for hotel lobbies. 

This album is a testament to Kendrick's talent, as it is and album of unfinished off-cuts, and it is this good. The shorter run time also makes it an easier listen; for as great as TPAB is, it's length and heaviness means I'm not always in the mood for it. Although I don't know it all that well, I have now listened to the rest of Kendrick's discography and this is definitely my second favourite after To Pimp A Butterfly.

Top Tracks: untitled 01, untitled 02, untitled 03, untitled 05, untitled 06

8/10

Little Simz - "GREY Area" (2019)

I was first made aware of Little Simz through her performance on the Gorillaz track Garage Palace a few years ago. The energy and charisma she brought to the track made it one of the better Gorillaz tracks from the Humanz era (I'm suprised it didn't make that record if I'm being honest). So when basically every outlet under the sun praised her new album to no end (It's now bagged a Mercury Music Prize nomination) I'd thought I'd check it out. I'm so glad I did, because this record is definitely one of my favourites from this year.

Simz has an intense and exciting flow, rapping over equally powerful and snappy instrumentation. She wears her heart on her sleeve, baring many sides of her for us to see. She starts the record in a sassy, righteous state on the first two tracks, Offence and Boss. Offence is driven by this groovy bass line as Simz convincingly bigs herself up and sells that she is such a great rapper. The track provides some great quotables, "I'm Jay-Z on a bad day, Shakespeare on my worst days" and "I settle with my chest and I don't care who I offend, uh-huh!". The lavish woodwind and strings which garnish the track give it this intense sense of drama. It just sounds so cool. Boss is just as empowered and intense, but rather than selling herself to the listener, Simz is taking fire at a previous partner, and absolutely destroys it on the mic. Her performance is filled with power and anger, as she demonstrates what this person has lost by messing her around so much.

This failed relationship takes a large bulk of the lyrical content here, as Simz approaches it from different angles.On the following track, Selfish, she takes a more self-questioning stance, with some restrained and reflective vocals from Cleo Sol on the hook. The track is smooth and gentle, as opposed to the brashness of the opening two songs. The Little Dragon assisted track, Pressure, details how Simz is experiencing so much pressure in her life through other factors, and now the person she relied on to release that pressure has now become one of those contributing factors. These different approaches to this traumatic break up create this raw and real sense of confusion and hurt throughout the album. This all comes to a head in the back to back tracks of Therapy and Sherbet Sunset. Therapy details Simz's experiences with therapy and how it hasn't helped her. It's raw and poignant, as she goes on about how she's not a charity case and 'doesn't need saving'. Sherbet Sunset goes the deepest into the relationship and is blatant and honest about Simz's confusion and hurt. The placement of these two tracks gives the idea that her work is her therapy. While traditional therapy doesn't seem to work for her, she can pour her heart out into these songs and get some perspective and catharsis out of it. 

Not everything on the record revolves around this, though. 101 FM is an ode to her childhood with references to playing Playstation games and pirate radio in London's tower blocks. The track has this East-Asian styled beat and is just a lot of fun. Wounds is this reggae infused track about gun violence. Venom is exactly what the title suggests, venomous. Simz speedily and harshly raps about how she is just as dangerous as any guy and that the fact she's a women isn't a detriment, and in fact it's an asset. The closer, Flowers, is very reminiscent of To Pimp A Butterfly. It slowly winds the album down and ties the ideas together, as Simz talks about the 27 Club. It's lush and warm, and seems like a final moment of clarity as the album closes.

While writing this I realised that it isn't just one of my favourite albums of the year so far, it is my favourite. Simz has crafted this incredibly tight, cohesive album, where every track tackles something different (or something from a different angle) but it all comes together to form this fantastic whole. The instrumentation is lively and exciting, and is so lushly produced. All of the features absolutely knock it out the park, and are perfect for the tracks they appear on. A simply excellent album.

Top Tracks: Offence, Boss, Selfish, 101 FM, Pressure, Therapy, Sherbet Sunset, Flowers

9/10