Written by Tom Bedding
The rapper known as slowthai, has become a crucial part to what has made UK music so enthralling and passionate again in recent years. From his fiery personality to the hit songs, here is an artist that knows to deliver messages, and anger towards a society that are failing so many.
Naturally, the bad boy act has led the artist down some difficult and inexcusable situations but has rightly, overcome and learnt from such mistakes. It was interesting to see what slowthai would deliver on this second album, especially with ‘TYRON’ being seen as a more self reflective body of work. The question is though, can the artist still deliver significant lyrics, that are not about the crappy government?
credit: slowthai
The wakeup call of ’45 SMOKE’ does start the LP strongly, it hits you in a way that feels so true to the rapper. Here we have the artist swinging everything at us, showing off some classic UK rap sounds, with the intensity that is a perfect way to start the record. You are left to wonder, how epic will this record end up being…can it?
Sadly the song that should be a great take on the inconstancy and mob attitude of cancel culture, falls extremely flat. On ‘CANCELLED’, slowthai and Skepta tackle the behaviour that led him to be kicked out of the NME Awards in 2020. This naturally left the rapper to be be put in front of the cancel council, on Twitter, for either execution or redemption.
Redemption was the sentence but the overall result of two successful men on this single, is nothing insightful and it comes across as a tad crass. ’20 awards on the mantelpiece, Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury’ is repeated a lot by Skepta and is that really an interesting and true reason why the cancelling of the man from Northampton, did not take place? No.
For many, I can imagine it coming across with no sincerity, some will even question for a new hearing with regards to Mr.slowthai's cancelation. It’s a real shame, we could have had a great song that tackles (correctly and coherently), cancel culture and the obsession that nobodies have about everyone.
One of the standout songs of 2021 so far, has been the collaboration between slowthai and A$AP Rocky, on ‘MAZZA’. The two sound on top form and the beat is fantastic!! The featured artist looks back on pre-fame, while the main man himself is showing off the first signs of sincere, reflection that makes this record what it is. Focusing on drug habits and also his ADHD diagnosis, over a slight retro-game synth sound, slowthai delivers honesty and self discovery in an impressive manner. As said it is standout this year, a moment on the album that indicates what a force the Northampton rapper is.
Kwes Darko has created a piercing and speaker busting instrumental on ‘VETZ’, a song that is a take down on the craving of validation found on social media. Here we have a better take on things, in a way that makes it worth saying, this time around.
Again, the instrumentation and beat on here is mad, it backs up the manic delivery slowthai loves to do. Then on the short number, ‘WOT’, it’s pleading for a mosh to happen…SO BADLY AND EPICALLY!
Following on, we have ‘DEAD’ and this is where the artist comments on how he has not changed because of money, it is in fact the privilege of success, allowing him to be in an environment to grow. The lyrics themselves may fall flat but you can hear how much slowthai wants to put across that he is working on himself.
There are some impressive and engaging instrumentals on ‘PLAYING WITH FIRE’ and the quality on this track is much appreciated, it creates the perfect scene. Here we have the artist expressing signs of venerability amongst the busy and shot fiery instrumentals on the cut. The charm of the artists wordplay comes across a lot better too, it acts like a slight tease for the stripped back second half of the album.
‘TYRON’ has two halves to it, one being the mosh pit worthy side and the next, being a more reflective nature. ‘Stuck in Sunday League but I’m on levels with Ronaldo’ greets us in 'i tried', the opener of the minimalistic side of the LP. It has a slight gospel nature to the mix giving us the warmth and delight, it feels so lovely and reminds me of last years return of ‘Blu & Exile”.
On ‘focus’, the angst style of the artist is more focused by this point, commenting on people needing to get out of the bad cycles they are stuck in (by focusing on ‘other shit’). The sentiment portrayed here is highly impressive, contrasting it to the first half of the LP, it definitely leaves you impressed.
It seems like we are given those amazing moments that we know slowthai has in him but we are also given tracks like ‘terms’. It does not really offer much, the softness of the hook does not come across as reflective this time, it falls very flat. Though, the lullaby nature of ‘push’ brings things back, blending sincerity and gentle tones to ensure we are back to feeling reflective, wanting to listen to the rapper once more.
The appreciation felt in the single ‘nhs’, is outstanding and the off the cuff delivery by slowthai, makes this song feel so gripping and pure. This great song is for the National Health Service, which Im sure anyone associated to the institution will greatly appreciate.
The beat and beautiful production is so beautiful, fitting with the tone of the song so so well, while the simple piano is so powerful. Commenting on the act of ‘clap for the NHS’ and other things, you feel like slowthai reaches heights of previous lyrics, which honestly are harder to find on this second album.
Again with such a high and then such a low, even if ‘feel away’ is beefed up with some mega features..one being James Blake, its just meh. The whole thing feels numb, it does not consist of anything engaging with its instrumentation and slowthai seems to disappear on this collaborative effort.
The album as a whole is looking at how the rapper is dealing with his life, in particular dealing with the success that has arrived, in the last two years. But the closing song, ‘adhd’, goes back to an original struggle of his and that being his ADHD diagnosis. Being brought up in an environment where the disorder was not dealt with properly as a kid, it really shows off how bare and open he wants to be on this latest release. ‘TYRON’ may have flaws but that is what slowthai second record is all about.