Exeposé Online

Making the headlines since 1987

stormzy

Album Review: Ed Sheeran – No. 6 Collaborations Project

– by

Online editor Stephen Ong reviews Ed Sheeran’s latest album

Ed Sheeran’s rise to fame has been nothing short of extraordinary, going from an unsigned artist to an artist with three top five hits in 2011, before breaking numerous records with the release of ‘Thinking Out Loud’ in 2014. Just as extraordinary as that was the decline in quality of his music on ÷, which was a sign of what was to come on Sheeran’s fourth studio album, No. 6 Collaborations Project.

No. 6 Collaborations Project is neither a follow up to Sheeran’s 2011 EP No. 5 Collaborations Project nor ÷; instead it’s more akin to a DJ Khaled album. For all the flack ÷ gets, at least songs like ‘Eraser’ and the numerous ballads on the record had substance, something sorely missing on No. 6 Collaborations Project. Sheeran is a man who has built up a career on substance, singing about homelessness, prostitution and heartbreak with a soulful voice that was unlike anything on pop radio – and at this point in his career, it seems as though he’s abandoned this raw honesty.

at this point in his career, it seems as though he’s abandoned this raw honesty

That being said, No. 6 Collaborations Project is barely even an album. It’s not part of the Ed Sheeran mathematical canon of albums, and functions as a collaborative compilation rather than an actual cohesive album. It’s not an engaging listen, but to be fair to Sheeran, he has substantial input on each of the tracks, and doesn’t feel the need to proclaim that ‘we the best music’ at the start of each song. The songs themselves range from inoffensive (‘Cross Me’ is a decent song, but nothing more) to forgettable (‘Remember The Name’ comes 15 years too late to be a hit) to utter atrocities (the less said about ‘BLOW’, the better), but at least Ed Sheeran sounds like he’s having fun.

It’s fair to say that the quality of the album gradually declines – opening track ‘Beautiful People’ is a cute song for summer nights, halfway through the album is ‘Antidote’, Sheeran’s uninspiring recreation of ‘SICKO MODE’, and ten songs in is a vapid dance song with Ella Mai that has you wishing you’re back in a club at 2am dancing to ‘Shape Of You’ for the fourth time that night. Possibly the only engaging moment on the last 20 minutes of the album is the relatable line “Wetherspoon’s was an easy option / To get a cheaper lunch / And a £2 pint” on ‘1000 Nights’, which would be a good song if not for a horrifying garbage rap verse from Meek Mill.

Possibly the only engaging moment on the last 20 minutes of the album is the relatable line “Wetherspoon’s was an easy option / To get a cheaper lunch / And a £2 pint”

Perhaps that’s the appeal of Ed Sheeran – he has a great ear for a pop hook, but it’s the everyday relatability of his lyrics that wins over his diverse fanbase. A trend throughout the album is his inability to fit in, singing ‘don’t think I fit in at this party’ on lead single ‘I Don’t Care’, ‘we don’t fit in well because we are just ourselves’ on ‘Beautiful People’, and Sheeran questions “why the hell she love me when she could have anyone else?” on ‘Best Part of Me’. But despite his songwriting on No. 6 Collaborations Project being the worst it’s ever been, his talent shines through on the few rap verses he has; ‘Take Me Back to London’ is a definite grime hit where Sheeran’s rapping is at least on par with Stormzy’s. Another reason the song shines is the quality of Stormzy’s feature; the only other song where both Sheeran and the featured artists are firing on all cylinders is the eccentric ‘Feels’, featuring Young Thug and J Hus. Young Thug’s melodic autotuned rap is perfect foil for Sheeran’s tight hook, and J Hus is at home on the song’s bouncy beat.

In short, No. 6 Collaborations Project isn’t meant to be listened to as an album, and the songs are probably best enjoyed in your playlist of this summer’s chill pop music. Ultimately, it’s a collection of throwaway pop songs that Ed Sheeran wrote with his musical mates for a laugh, and will have the unfortunate side effect of dominating every musical platform there is for the next year. Nonetheless, this appears to be a good sign for the eventual Subtract; with this project out of the way, Sheeran can focus on what will be a serious, and hopefully his best, effort yet.

Album Review: Dave’s PSYCHODRAMA

“Stop all the pain. How do you stop all the pain?” Dave’s opens his debut album with an inquisition into his own mental health – and the next 51 minutes are spent encouraging the same self-evaluation from his listeners. Appending certain tracks with snippets of a therapy session, Dave leaves facetious hip-hop skits behind in favour of a weighty narrative of introspection that cares about individuals and the tensions that shape them. And from these sensitive roots grew a work of ambition and resonance. Spinning off the success of the 2017 EP, Game Over, Dave’s PSYCHODRAMA is informed by the tangible vitality of grime and the vulnerability of spoken word, but it explores all of the dark crevices in between. This is rap music that refuses to simply satisfy and exhilarate. It’s determined to confront personal pain and social injustice across 11, palpable snapshots of urban life.

Dave leaves facetious hip-hop skits behind in favour of a weighty narrative of introspection

His flows slip seamlessly between deep, bouncing pulses and spare piano arrangements, with equal parts grit and wit. As we’ve come to expect from the prolific 20-year-old, the lyricism is slick, biting, and at points jaw-dropping; each track builds a tight web of clever phrasing and sizzling wordplay that serves his reflections on family and identity as well as it does his socio-political probing. “I turned a loss to a lesson”, he remarks on ‘Screwface Capital’, in a punchy reminder of the emotional costs of city life, and a confirmation that he’s as efficient in simplicity. The track plays out to a hypnotic, jazz-skewed keyboard solo, in one of the album’s most intriguing diversions.

each track builds a tight web of clever phrasing and sizzling wordplay

Brave in content and form, Dave doesn’t shy from brutal truths: he laments an abusive relationship for 11 minutes on ‘Lesley’, and caps his debut with ‘Drama’, a 7-minute reflection on his career, his family, and the pain that’s got him to this point. He offers poppier outings on ‘Voices’ and ‘Location’ with a hint of old-school garage, but no integrity is lost in the process – every loose thread is anchored down by self-reflexive weight: Dave knows who he is and where he is, and draws boundaries around his art. In the midst of his lamentation over women suffering in abusive relationships during ‘Lesley’, he remarks “I understand that I could never understand” – a commendable and necessary awareness that his persuasive lyricism is not dogma.

Dave draws boundaries around his art

The 11 tracks are draining, and it’s a fair price we have to pay for this pointed exploration of heavy themes. The gloves are off, and we feel the full impact of every punch. But there’s a point where I was left pondering what Dave wants to be. Poetic storyteller? Political commentator? Mouthpiece of a community? And the more I listen, the more I understand my own critical shortcoming – in trying to understand its coherence, I ended up searching for homogeneity. A homogeneity that doesn’t, and shouldn’t exist.

there’s a point where I was left pondering what Dave wants to be

“Black is people naming your countries on what they trade most” – on the album’s stirring centrepiece, ‘Black’, Dave sketches out the stubborn social parasite of racial inequality, dismantling the homogenous lens through which the ‘white’ elite continues to view ‘black’ culture. The song is a multi-layered defence of his racial identity – its pain, its beauty, and its value – and the album as a whole extrapolates this unapologetic celebration of selfhood onto a broader frame. And although Dave brings the message to his front door on the pulsating, angry ‘Streatham’, he’s speaking to black, urban communities everywhere.

Dave sketches out the stubborn social parasite of racial inequality

Dave looks to articulate what the media and the political elite so lazily overlook – a community is constructed and defined by its individuals; by both their successes and their sufferings. And as PSYCHODRAMA flicks from pulsating grime beats to subtle, skewed sampling, to ominously ambient minimalism – all while sitting atop Dave’s mellow, careful piano riffs – it feels like Dave is holding up a mirror to his own, diverse surroundings. What we’re left with is a pertinent, urgent defence of communities that are persistently misunderstood and generalised. A fast-paced, chaotic lifestyle doesn’t obscure political and emotional intelligence.

Dave looks to articulate what the media and the political elite so lazily overlook

“You’re my therapy” Dave confesses as he speaks directly to us on ‘Psycho’. For the youngster who grew up freestyling and mastering the piano, PSYCHODRAMA seems to offer a very real sense of therapeutic release – a proud tapestry of his artistic and emotional voyage.  But the album is as inviting as it is intimate. He speaks for his community, but he simultaneously pleads his listeners to look inward themselves – he wants us to understand our own shortcomings, and reconcile our own pain. And I’m left accepting this invite, and thinking about that line on ‘Lesley’ – as a white, middle-class kid, there is a limit to what I can ‘understand’ about the importance of this vital album. Potent, challenging, and healing – it is a work beyond me, and a work beyond anything else in the British rap scene.

The Brits: Past, Present and Future

This years Brits seemed to garner more attention than some in previous years, being dominated by Dua Lipa and Stormzy, who both took home 2 awards, and with Rag N Bone winning best British single. It is perhaps an indicator that the awards winners, much like at the Grammys, have become almost exclusively chart darlings. However, categories such as Best British band and International group offered a more varied set of nominees with groups such as London Grammar and the XX getting nominations, where perhaps they should in the main album categories also.

The biggest name in Grime dominated this year’s awards.

Brits in past years have been dominated by certain artists in certain categories, with Annie Lennox in particular winning the Best British female award 6 times. Likewise, Coldplay have won best British group on 4 occasions with several nominations. Do these dominations from one particular artist mean the awards are flawed or is that the awards are justified? Did the 1975 really deserve to win their award over Radiohead in 2017? Will we see such domination from future acts, or a more mixed set of winners? I feel we are unlikely to see artists sweeping the major gongs, like Oasis in 1996.

Past awards have included some controversial performance moments ,with Jarvis Cocker of Pulp infamously interrupting Michael Jackson’s performance of Earth song in the 1990s. Other moments of controversy include Robbie Williams calling out Liam Gallagher in his acceptance speech in 2000. It remains to be seen whether we will see moments akin to these in future, however they are arguably the moments the ceremonies are remembered for – perhaps more so than the music.

one artist’s final release, followed up by another’s debut

The album category is harder to pick holes in with the large bulk being critical darlings. However, perhaps there could have been more variety in this year’s album nominees. It certainly bodes well for Grime that Stormzy was able to win best album and is a marked contrast to the 2017 winner, Bowie’s Blackstar; one artist’s final release, followed up by another’s debut. This also highlights the range of genres competing for awards in the modern day and success for established acts coupled with newer artists does help draw in more of a mixed audience.

The main prediction I have for the future is for the awards to become even more commercialised, with Rock groups only receiving fleeting nominations, akin to this years awards where the main representation was in the Best British group category. This is not necessarily a bad thing. However, it does mean the awards are likely to cater more to fans of commercial pop act. I feel rap and hip hop look set to dominate, with Kendrick Lamar’s award for best international male, coupling up well with Stormzy’s successful evening.  May we perhaps see the awards used more as a political arena, with Stormzy calling out Theresa May over the Grenfell tower tragedy during his performance? Or was this a flash in the pan moment?

Exeposé Music’s Best Albums of 2017: #50-41

50. Sam Smith
The Thrill of It All

Sam Smith’s The Thrill Of It All is a powerful demonstration of emotion. His second album, the 14 tracks also work as a semi-successful exploration of mode; the artist’s intention to explore range and style is apparent, but the ecclectic mix of sounds does somewhat detract from the coherence of the project. ‘Say It First’ and ‘One Last Song’ are the album’s weakest points, with the former indulging too much in breathy tones and the latter maintaining a rather too Bublé-esque jazziness. As these early tracks roll past, however, the album strengthens with surprising speed as 
the refreshingly mellow yet agile ‘Midnight Train’ warms the listener up to the album’s most successful songs – ‘Burning’ and ‘HIM’. ‘Burning’ is the point that the album realises what it’s trying to do and hits its stride, creating a mature, confident and unashamed sound. The artist’s tenacious identity is established with fantastic success in ‘HIM’, a song which is lyrically, vocally and musically resonant. The track transitions seamlessly between solos almost too intimate to be comfortably listened to and passionate, powerful soulful gospel choral notes. Overall, Smith manages to channel the drama and intimacy of his earlier hits in a new and enticing manner, proving his potential to be much more than a one hit wonder. Emma Bessent

49. Gorillaz
Humanz

April saw Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett fuse a dark, ethereal tone with banging beats as their virtual band Gorillaz dropped their fifth-studio album Humanz. Packed with punchy instrumentals, Humanz is a vibrant record, littered with a diverse collection of memorable guest spots. Dancehall champion Popcaan lends his reggae-fusion swagger to ‘Saturnz Bars’, singing over a savage, pulsating baseline. Socially conscious raps rising star Vince Staples jumps on the pacey, upbeat apocalypse jam ‘Ascension’.  Unashamedly political, the gospel heavy ‘Let Me Out’ warns of “change come to past/ you best be ready for it” as rap titan Pusha T accompanies ‘RnB’ legend Mavis Staples. ‘Hallelujah Money’ is explicitly political as Benjamin Clementine’s comedic spoken word poetry mounts a direct challenge to the contemporary global political atmosphere. Stripped of the tight, cohesion of past Gorillaz records, Humanz is an energetic, genre hopping album, bound together by Albarens chillingly melancholic vocal delivery. Tom Murphy

48. Stormzy
Gang Signs & Prayer

If the name Stormzy makes you think, ‘That’s Not Me’, well then ‘Shut Up’ and listen to Gang Signs & Prayer. Following on from the success of grime bangers such as ‘That’s Not Me’ and his collaboration with Ed Sheeran, Stormzy is back better than ever. Gang Signs & Prayer demonstrates Stormzy’s versatility and the album is a tasteful melange of new grime classics like ‘Big For Your Boots’, and soulful tunes such as ‘Blinded By Your Grace, Pt. 1’. Featuring completely stripped back vocals from the artist, this song truly surprised me, not only with its romantic flair but the raw emotion which is unexpected from the singer who once professed his “love for the Gs in the ends”. I know that looking down the list of albums Stormzy is certainly not the album that the ‘rah-rah’ life is automatically drawn to. But, maybe you have to be reminded that Stormzy is only 24, and in seven years has reinvigorated the London grime scene. He won Best Grime Act at the 2014 and 2015 MOBO Awards and is the proud owner of a Deliveroo Gold Card (you don’t know how much that makes me admire him). And what’s more, this album contains artists like Lily Allen and J HUS and is officially the first grime album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart. Tell me again how Stormzy’s not really your thing? Jaysim Hanspal

47. Everything Everything
A Fever Dream

When I introduced Everything Everything to a friend, the first thing he said was “this is Radiohead that you can dance to”. Although I disagree that you can’t dance to Radiohead, it is an accurate way to describe the band’s fourth studio album A Fever Dream. This is partially due lead singer Jonathan Higgs’ soaring vocals, never better than the end of ‘Good Shot, Good Soldier’. Lyrically they have maintained their witty political banter that made them so popular on their previous album Get To Heaven. With 
stand-out tracks including ‘Ivory Tower’ which is about internet trolls on Reddit (“let me see you with the caps lock on/ If we’re all apologetic then I’ll be the neckbeard, alright?”) and the clearly anti-Trump ‘Big Game’ (“and someone’s gonna burst your blood-blubber head/ Even little children see through you”) Despite this the band clearly don’t want you to take them too seriously, in their Reddit AMA when asked “Would you say any of you are the primary songwriter?”, they replied “Ed Sheeran”. This is definitely an album for 2017, but perhaps that is its downfall, in 10 years it just won’t make sense – but at least you can dance to it. Phoebe Davis

46. Muna
Around U

At a time where synthpop is often looked down upon and deemed ‘generic’, ‘hollow’ and ‘meaningless’, LA rising stars MUNA come along with one of the most polished and consistent debuts of the year. Packed full of huge choruses, shimmering melodies and powerful lyrics, About U carries a punch. While tracks like ‘I Know a Place’ and ‘Loudspeaker’ are celebrations of self-love and affirmation, especially for the LGBT community, moments like ‘Everything’ and ‘If U Love Me Now’ explore the anxiety and self-doubt one feels when a relationship breaks down. Such light and shade is reflected by their eclectic production styles, ranging from the fusion of sun-drenched guitars and thundering synths on the track ‘Promise’ and nocturnal electronica on ‘Crying On The Bathroom Floor’. Lead singer Katie Gavin’s arresting vocals tie it all together into what is my favourite debut album of 2017 and one that has been on repeat since it came out back in February. Constantinos Christou

45. IDK
IWasVeryBad

Trap seems to have stagnated a little lately. Far from seeking to make their own statements as artists, rappers seem to be content just recycling beats looted from Metro Boomin’s trash folder and the same few song ideas. Outside of a few – Maxo Kream, 21 Savage, Future, Chief Keef and the like – there’s not much new or interesting going on. The best stuff is happening at the fringes, and that’s exactly what’s going on in IDK’s debut IWasVeryBad. It’s the perfect fusion between the hot trap of the moment and early 2000s lyricism. Want to know what I mean? Check out ‘Pizza Shop Extended’ featuring underground legends MF DOOM and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien. They get put in the service of more traditional trap lyrics than their own work, swapping out comic-book references for helping IDK tell a gritty tale of robbing a pizza shop. This album is not only one of the few trying to fuse contemporary trap with more lyrical hip hop, it’s one of the even rarer albums which genuinely succeeds. Alex Brammer

44. Girl Ray
Earl Grey

The latest musical treasure to hail from North London, Poppy Hankin (vocals, guitar), Iris McConnell (drums), and Sophie Moss (bass), perhaps better known as Girl Ray, may all be less than twenty years of age but released a sparkling LP earlier this year brimming with warmth and nostalgia. It may not have been purposefully lo-fi, yet it suits the record’s atmosphere brilliantly and creates an intimacy on a release from a young group who don’t take themselves too seriously. Inspired by the tracks which made it onto to NME’s 80s indie compilation cassettes, the group’s signature is a breath of fresh air for 2017, complimented by the breezy lyrics peppered throughout the album’s tracks. Recommendable to anyone looking to listen to something different this year, the record also earned the girls a nomination for this year’s Breakthrough Act at the Q Awards; which reflects its individuality and proves Girl Ray are one to watch in the coming years. With its timeless sonic and affectionate themes, some of the album’s tracks wouldn’t sound out of place on the Juno soundtrack alongside the likes of Belle and Sebastian and Cat Power. Chloё Edwards 

43. Fleet Foxes
Crack-Up

Seattle-based indie folk outfit Fleet Foxes came out with their third studio album this year, Crack Up. It’s been six years since the release of their previous album Helplessness Blues and nine years since their debut self-titled and the Sun Giants EP. I was very worried, as Helplessness Blues is possibly my all-time favourite album. However, this is another incredible album by Fleet Foxes. It still has the gloriously and intricately layered instrumentals that they usually have, as well as their tasteful use of reverb, but have now introduced synthesisers. The song ‘Cassius’ works as an example of how well they introduced this very artificial sound with their very natural instrumentation. Robin Pecknold has taken a far more personal approach with the song writing in this album, with the song ‘I Am All That I Need / Arroyo Seco / Thumbprint Scar’ detailing his own personal strife in Columbia and moving forward. Fleet Foxes have once again made a very good album which I can sadly only express in a few words. This is my favourite album of 2017 and I would encourage anyone to go listen to it for themselves. Jamie Moncrieff

42. alt-J
Relaxer

alt-J are a band who thrive on disrupting the mainstream and their long-anticipated third album, ‘Relaxer’, does just this. The trio’s third, and shortest, album since their seminal 2012 debut ‘An Awesome Wave’ and 2014’s spectacular follow up ‘This Is All Yours’, places them firmly back on the scene. Whilst tracks like ‘In Cold Blood’ are reminiscent of the band’s Math-Rock origins, ‘Relaxer’ stands apart from previous projects in that each track  gambles with juxtaposing styles: ‘3WW’, with its haunting lyrics (“I just want to love you in my own language”) is an interesting opener, whilst Radiohead referencing ‘Hit Me Like That Snare’ completely departs from their usual clean-cut style. However, Alt-J also excel in simplicity, with beautifully memorable moments on ‘Last Year’ and ‘House of the Rising Sun’, before the album is brought to a tender close with the last track, ‘Pleader’ (based on Richard Llewyn’s book ‘How Green Was My Valley’ and accompanied by a beautifully cinematic music video). Unlike the more cohesive, digestible sound of ‘This Is All Yours’, ‘Relaxer’ represents a band intent on taking risks, demonstrating a new maturity and confidence that makes this potentially their most rewarding project yet. Ellen Mitchell

41. The War on Drugs
A Deeper Understanding

Listening to A Deeper Understanding is something of an experience. Atmospheric and melancholy, The War on Drugs have been forging their own unique style for several albums now – yet the dreampop-inflected musings of frontman Adam Granduciel seem even more refined on this most recent title. First single ‘Thinking of a Place’ sets the bar high – time seems to pass at its own pace whilst listening to this track, particularly impressive given that it’s over eleven minutes long. Yet whilst the album remains true to its overall sound and theme, it refrains from becoming amorphous – each track has its own character, from the spacey guitar solos of ‘Pain’ to the more stripped-back, lyric-led closer ‘You Don’t Have To Go’. Introspective and endlessly metaphorical, it’s difficult to say whether the listener is actually given a ‘Deeper Understanding‘ of Granduciel from the album. The War on Drugs seem less intent on conveying meaning and more focused on creating an iconic sound; whether or not you view this as a sacrifice, it’s undeniably working. Graham Moore

A Night to Remember: Linkin Park and Friends Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington

I remember exactly where I was when I found out that Chester Bennington, vocalist in world-famous rock group Linkin Park, had taken his own life. I was at a blink-182 concert at the O2 in London, and in an arena full of excited music fans, it was a strange and heavy atmosphere to be in, as I watched other people around me check their phones in shock. Anyone who enjoys rock music will have loved Linkin Park at some point in their lives, and Bennington’s death certainly affected me and millions across the world.

Anyone who enjoys rock music will have loved Linkin Park at some point in their lives

Bennington’s tragic death on 20th July raised much awareness about depression and mental health, and inspired solidarity across the music industry, with everyone, from Rihanna and Stormzy, to Nickelback and Imagine Dragons, paying their respects to the singer. It’s only fitting that Linkin Park’s first performance since their vocalist’s passing was a titanic memorial concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, dubbed ‘Linkin Park and Friends – Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington’. The event featured over twenty guest musicians and raised money for the group’s One More Light Fund, a mental health branch of the Music for Relief charity. The band live-streamed the October 27th concert on YouTube, allowing fans across the world like myself to watch the show.

And what a show it was; led by the band’s other frontman Mike Shinoda, remaining members Brad Delson, Rob Bourdon, Joe Hahn and Dave Farrell powered through nearly 3 hours’ worth of an extensive back catalogue, providing soaring highs and contemplative emotional lows. Early in the night, the stage was emptied save for a lone microphone stand, spotlighted, as the band’s hit ‘Numb’ played instrumentally, leaving the 17,500-strong crowd to belt out Bennington’s lyrics in an incredibly powerful moment. I’m not ashamed to say I shed a tear or two here, as I did when Shinoda later performed a new song written eight days after his friend’s passing, ‘Looking for a Answer’, alone on piano in solemn dedication. Frequent cutaways to the crowd by the camera showed I was not alone; there was barely a dry eye in the arena.

there was barely a dry eye in the arena

However, despite the heartbreak, this night was all about having fun and celebrating the life of Chester Bennington, as Shinoda himself made very clear. By bringing out stars from all corners of music, Linkin Park kept the evening fresh and exciting, giving the fans watching and attending a once-in-a-lifetime performance. Highlights included: Alanis Morrissette joining the band for ‘Castle of Glass’ and a yet-to-be-released song from her, ‘Rest’; Oli Sykes of Bring Me the Horizon belting out quintessential angsty anthem ‘Crawling’; and the aforementioned blink-182 forming a supergroup with the band to perform ‘I Miss You’ and the epic ‘What I’ve Done’. The revolving door of vocalists certainly made for a great show, but they also highlighted what a talent Bennington was, with very few performers managing to capture the same magic and power that he brought to these songs.

After an encore including collaborations with Steve Aoki, Bebe Rexha and Avenged Sevenfold, all the musical guests of the night flooded on stage to close the set with ‘Bleed It Out’, and end the musical proceedings on a euphoric high. This was an incredibly important night in music, both for memorialising a man who made an impact on so many people, and for showing that Linkin Park will continue as an icon in the industry for years to come. Rest in peace, Chester.

Stormzy – Gang Signs & Prayer Review

Wow, this album was long. Long to the point of being difficult, long to the point of having its saggy middle blur into one vast half-trap, half-R&B, oh-yeah-it’s-also-grime mess, God, Gang Signs and Prayer feels as long as this sentence. And yet it only runs fifty-eight minutes.

Don’t get me wrong, this review’s not a hatchet job – Stormzy’s a talented guy. When he wants to, he can absolutely snap on verses. Check “Big For Your Boots”, “Return of the Rucksack”, “Mr Skeng”, or the album-opening one-two punch that is “First Things First” into “Cold” and you’re confronted by an MC who deserves to be at the forefront of the trap/grime fusion that’s been gaining momentum in the mainstream lately; his bars are direct, hard, and nuanced in a way that makes Stormzy look like the UK’s answer to TDE’s Jay Rock.

The main problem with this album is something which has befallen good rappers since time immemorial – artistic overstretching. Stormzy’s hype is built on his skills as an MC, so why so much of his debut album is spent trying to get away from that primary talent is beyond me. He’s been blessed with one of those thick, gravelly voices that was made for rapping, but the problem with that sound is it really doesn’t transfer well to the subpar gospel he keeps gesturing vaguely towards on tracks like “Blinded By Your Grace, Pt. 1”. It’s nice that he’s bold enough to experiment, but it feels more worthy of a side project or EP than his debut studio album. After all, you only get one first impression in the mainstream – and it’s pretty difficult to transition from “Shut Up” to gospel.

Stormzy said…He deserved to be listed next to heavyweights like frank ocean or adele.

Stormzy’s mic skills also worsen the further you get into Gang Signs and Prayer – take “Velvet / Jenny Francis”. He kicks this one off with a slow, emotional flow which would be fine if his writing was up to scratch. As it is, lines which crackle with energy and wit at 140 beats per minute feel prosaic and lifeless. Even worse, the first verse segues into a pre-hook which sounds almost identical to the vastly better “Rich $ex” from Future’s 2015 album DS2. (Seriously, listen to that song before “Velvet / Jenny Francis”. This can’t be a coincidence, can it?) It just feels pretty lazy for an MC who is so clearly talented, and blurs into a middle which sags hard – the only highlights being “Mr Skeng”, one of the uptempo flexes that Stormzy excels at, and “Cigarettes and Cush”, which is basically just a Kehlani song with a Stormzy feature.

In a promotional interview with the Guardian for the album, Stormzy said that with Gang Signs and Prayer he deserved to be listed next to heavyweights like Frank Ocean or Adele. Having now heard the hype deflate, I’ve got to say I’m reminded of Kanye West’s 2013 declaration that “I am Warhol. I am the number one most impactful artist of our generation, in the flesh. I am Shakespeare, Walt Disney. Nike. Google.” Stormzy’s an incredible talent and a great artist in his lane, but after hearing Gang Signs and Prayer I reckon the chances of his ever reaching the dizzying artistic highs of Frank Ocean are about the same as Kanye launching the next great search engine.

Festival Review: Nass 2016

Down in Shepton Mallet Showground, skaters and skankers, (all wearing bum-bags at inventive angles), brim tents and bust tricks together for four days each year. Having finally scrubbed away all the dirt from Nass, (the UK’s biggest music and action sports festival), it’s time so see if we have any recollection left of the weekend’s greatest moments.

Headliner Andy C - image: Plaster Communications
Headliner Andy C – image: Plaster Communications

Although drum and bass pioneer Andy C’s pumping headlining set on Friday may have been the more packed slot, indie band Rat Boy put out the more exciting performance. Frustrated with the initially small crowd, lead singer Jordan unleashed an arsenal of antics not dissimilar to what is typical of Tyler, The Creator in order to bring havoc and energy to the set. Firstly, taking a skateboard from the crowd, Jordan landed a kickflip first try as he introduced the next song and urged the audience to clamber onstage to the fury of security. Towards the end of single ‘Sign On’, “That dude in the England hat” was pulled onstage again after he had made it up and dived into the crowd earlier in the show. But this time security snapped and began to use him as a Stretch Armstrong as the band fought to keep him onstage. When a violent tussle broke out between Jordan and security, Rat Boy’s tour manager sprung between them and allowed Jordan to escape up a tower of speakers. The set was cut short but the mood of mayhem had been provoked.

Saturday’s biggest crowd puller might have been grime sensation Stormzy‘s ‘lit’ main stage set. With the UK’s greatest contribution to the world in recent years being the spread of grime music, ‘Stormzy tracksuits’ have begun appearing amongst all demographics. Exclaiming “Hold tight all my Adidas gang” to an eruption of cheers, it was clear that the MC’s sponsorship is paying off for both the artist and the sports brand. The set was explosive as he performed all the expected hits as well as tunes from other grime high-rollers such as Lethal Bizzle and Chip.

the mood of mayhem had been provoked

On Sunday, following a disappointing set from chart favourite Wilkinson, EDM duo Knife Party had to do everything they could to turn attention back to the main stage. Given that both DJ’s were situated on top of a giant hawk with lights and branches striking from the wings, it was set to be the festival’s biggest performance. Delivering an onslaught of drum and bass, dubstep and EDM bangers from their tracklist the DJs brought nothing but an incredible set. In an ode to the members’ previous group Pendulum, they played a remix of ‘Tarantula’ which really got the crowd jamming. Similarly, a remix of Red Hot Chili Pepper’s ‘By The Way’ was another highlight as it brought a sing-a-long element to the duo’s intense set before the hectic drop had mosh pits crashing all over the place.

knife-party-press-shot-red
Knife Party’s headline set – image: Plaster Communications

Being Nass we cannot forget about the insane action sports that also occurred. BMX legend Mat Hoffman made an appearance to take to the vert ramp in a special demonstration where he managed to pull off many of the old-skool and new-skool tricks that he once invented. Likewise, the pro BMX competitions in the park, on dirt, on flatground and the vert ramp were all breath-taking. In addition, both the amateur and pro skaters tore up the park and vert. Moonshine Skateboards’ Jesse Thomas took the cup in the skate pro vert final with incredible runs and a lot of hair. Most impressive however was the run made by the six year old son of Mr Moonshine who endeavoured to drop in on the ramp seven times his height without bailing.

Ultimately, Nass was pretty gnarly. I’m unsure as to whether there was more dizzle or drizzle during the weekend but both the music and action sports were mad.

BBC Radio One’s Big Weekend: An Interview with Annie Mac

Annie Mac has been a staple of Radio 1 since 2006. The successor to Zane Lowe and John Peel, the Irish DJ has been the trend-setter for dance music for a decade now, delivering her Friday night show to over a million listeners. Throughout BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, Annie performed sets before artists like Stormzy, The Last Shadow Puppets, and Sigma, catering to a whole range of musical tastes. Sitting down to talk with someone so talented, so prolific and so knowledgeable is a daunting prospect to anyone, however, as soon as I step inside the press tent, Annie is warm and engaging. We chat a little before the interview as the camera is being set up, and I tell her “I hope I’ve done my fact-checking correctly” to which she responds by saying, “Listen, if you haven’t don’t worry. I’ll correct you in a nice way”, and to be honest, that put me at complete ease.

Once set up I stumble through my introductions, I bundle into my first question, ‘Please correct me if I’m wrong, but your first live performance with Radio 1 was at the Dundee Big Weekend in 2006, is that correct?”

“That sounds about correct yes, I got my job and my regular show in 2006 so that would be right, yeah.”

“So ten years later, you’re here as a staple Radio 1 legend, how does it feel to be taking that on?”

“Um, its kind of weird because I don’t feel like any of those things! I still feel like its my first year, it just feels like family, it feels comfortable now I guess, as anything does when you do it a few times. But it still feels as exciting, and as fun, as exhilarating as it ever did.” Her response is full of energy and modest for someone of her calibre.

You don’t get trees this big in London

I ask her, “how does the Exeter Big Weekend compare to others in the past?”

“It’s way better! The weather has just been obviously incredible and that does make such a difference to your normal kind of experience of a festival. I’m really, really impressed with the line up – there is always someone that I want to see. And the way it’s being run, it’s just been impeccable, the people seem really up for it, and it’s just great. It all feels much bigger as well, maybe it isn’t, but it feels really big this year. And the trees! We’ve gotta talk about the trees, I’m obsessed with the trees! You don’t get trees this big in London, put it that way. There’s a tree by the In New Music We Trust stage that’s like a sort of fairy tale tree, and I keep bringing everyone there, we had a band shot there yesterday, Me and Grimmy and Daniel P. Carter.” The In New Music We Trust Stage was host to the likes of Tame Impala, Skepta, The Last Shadow Puppets and Craig David.

In response to her excitement about the trees, I also get a bit excited and tell her that if she likes the trees she should go into Exeter, and that our campus has a botanical garden. I should’ve told her that there is one tree for each student, but my nerves got the better of me. We can hope that she’ll come to campus, right?

I move on, “I saw you warm up yesterday for Stormzy, and you got everyone really, really pumped for it. How do you tailor your sets for different festivals, different places, different people?

“Well it’s quite interesting, it’s good for me doing this because later on I’ll DJ before The Last Shadow Puppets and I’m not gonna play all of the dance music and rave hits then, which is normally what I play. It’s really good for me to get out of the box and play bands and indie and rock music, but in a DJ context. Obviously I play them on the Radio, but its different when you’re playing them to people dancing.

Stormzy: image - wikipedia
Stormzy: image – wikipedia

So, yeah it’s good, to put your research in I guess and just make sure that you’ve got the music that will feel right before every act. Stormzy was easy: you just play grime, because that’s what everyone wants to hear. Yesterday I played on the main stage before Sigma, and that was fun as well. So it’s interesting, and keeps you interested, and keeps you challenged as well to play the right stuff.”

It’s really good for me to get out of the box and play indie and rock music in a DJ context

I try to move through my questions quickly as I’m aware that we’ve only got a short about of time, so I move onto a different, slightly heavier topic. “In what seems like a fairly male dominated industry, you paved your way through to become a dominating presence. Is there was a piece of advice that you’d give to young women, and all young people trying to get into the industry, what would it be?”

Her response is pretty perfect, answering with an understated positivity that fits her whole vibe, “I guess just that gender shouldn’t be any reason for you not to do anything, you know? Especially when it comes to media, being a woman does not make you better or worse DJ. And I guess that I was lucky enough in the way that I was brought up by my parents. Like I was always a tomboy, I always chose football over Irish dancing when I was at primary school in Dublin, and always had a certain way that my parents just let me do. So it’s kind of like feeling like you are completely valid and allowed to do anything just as much as anyone else. I also always had friends who were boys, so I never felt weird around boys, or never felt weird being the only girl. I just got on with it, and I’ve never really suffered, to my face anyway, any blatant sexism, and its all been okay. And I think so much of it is about having people doing it. So for me getting into radio it was about hearing Mary Anne Hobbs on the radio and thinking ‘God I wanna do that!’ and I hope that with my being a club DJ, playing at festivals where it might only be 5 girls on the line up, less on some of the festivals I’m playing this summer, just having a woman doing it is imprint. So that if you’re a young woman in the crowd, you’re like ‘OK there are women doing this. This is something I could do’. Sometimes you just need to see someone doing it. So yeah hopefully for that reason alone it’s good that I’m able to do it.”

BEING A WOMAN DOES NOT MAKE YOU BETTER OR WORSE DJ

Again I move the conversation forward to try to get in as much as I can in such a small space of time, “Artists like Disclosure and Clean Bandit, they have become huge after you’ve shouted them out and introduced them on Radio, so who’s next for you? Who do you think is next to become really big?”

Disclosure: image - youtube
Disclosure: image – youtube

Here is where she reveals her knowledge, clearly having such a clear grasp on what’s going on in the industry and listing artists who no doubt are cool, but I’ve never heard of. “Um, it’s weird in dance music, about three or four years ago there was this wave of people like Duke Dumont, Disclosure, Rudimental, real kind of ‘acts with faces’, proper big, marketable acts, and now dance music feels like its gone a bit more faceless. There’s not as many pop stars as such coming out of dance music. It’s all kind of one off records coming from people in their bedrooms, and you don’t know who they are. So I feel like dance music is going a certain way. It might be going back underground, which is quite exciting for me! In terms of grime and hip-hop, there is a guy called Yungen who’s really exciting, Elf-Kid as well, who’s from south London and Nadia Rose who’s from Croydon. Basically there’s this place in South London called Croydon, that is breeding the most incredible grime MCs, who all seem to be coming out of there. And then in terms of bands, there’s a band called Bad Sounds that I really like, and also Strange Bones. There is loads of really exciting young bands coming up through the UK at the moment that I feel have got massive potential.”

I finally ask her “What do you think of Exeter, and will you be returning?”

“Yes, I think I definitely will. We’ve seen Exeter at its finest this weekend weather wise, the views, the rolling hills, the trees, the people, it’s just so beautiful and I think I might spend a holiday here, it would be gorgeous!”

So she might come to campus after all, maybe for a set? Or am I being too ambitious?

For more great coverage of Exeter’s Big Weekend go to XTV, Xpression and Pearshaped.

Music Genre of the Week: Grime

GRIME

 

Background and Info

With its origins in London’s pirate radio shows Grime is a genre that sticks its hands in a lot of musical cookie jars. Jungle, Drum & Bass, Garage, Reggae and Dancehall to name a few. It has also been labelled as ‘gritty’ hip hop and ‘deep’ rap. It’s certainly a genre that’s hard to pin down but perhaps that’s what has made it take off in both the UK and States. Though it was helped along by Kanye bringing 40 grime artists on stage at the 2015 Brits and Skepta and Drake becoming BFFS. Also pushing Grime further up the charts and into the public eye is Boy Better Know. Godfathers of rap JME and Skepta’s record company originally selling t-shirts, then briefly a 3G network and now releasing grime albums. BBK has the independence usually associated with the indie/alternative genres but with the same slick production of mainstream rap. Perhaps this is why Drake recently signed to BBK, or it might be because he got a BBK tattoo. Basically, if you like a stonking electronic bass and some brilliant rap then this is the genre for you.

 

Song to ease you in

Stormzy – Know Me From

Only 22 years old but making a strong name for himself in the Grime scene, Stormzy’s Know Me From is a great way to get you in to the genre. You may also remember him from this years end of Freshers’ gig at Northernhay Gardens. There are actually two versions of this music video. But the original was too high production for him so he re-shot this handheld version that has the same style and humour as his famous Snapchat stories (His username is Stormzy1 for those curious). Despite not being signed to BBK this track has that same feel of independence from mainstream rap, whilst still being brilliantly slick. #merky #problem

 

Song you will love

JME ft. Giggs – Man Don’t Care

The tee-total vegan Jamie Adenuga is one of the kings of the grime scene, not just because of BBK. He is famous for his inventive rap about things other than the generic girls and booze. Man Don’t Care is a great example of this, from commenting on education and the origins of grime “How could a man with a uni degree/Be bussing up mic and chatting his grease/Cause the music originated/And will always remain in the streets”, to Harry Potters favourite disarming spell “Expelliarmus couldn’t stop me”.

 

Song for the fan

Skepta – Nasty

JME’s brother Skepta and fellow head of BBK released this track as a reaction to his famous rivalry with fellow grime artist Devilman. Grittier but simpler than his other more popular songs like Shutdown it’s my favourite of the three tracks. However, I also recommend listening to Skepta and Devilman’s 2006 clash on SoundCloud to get some inspiration for your own rap battles. For example the line, “And I make his belly look like a bowl of spaghetti” and my favourite “And you’re not even a good producer, And your girl looks like medusa”. Jokes aside clashes lay the foundations of many grime tracks, just like Nasty.