Browsing Tag

grime

Jay Joe brought the best of UK hip hop with his latest release, Shaky.

Posted on 16 August 2021

London-born, Essex-based Rap artist Jay Joe dropped an instant grime classic with his latest single, Shaky. His energy, ensnaring. His lyrics, cutting, His beats, atmospheric; in usual drill hip hop fashion.

Fans of Tempa T, Tinie Tempah and Dizzee Rascal will want to make Shaky a playlist staple for its garagey beats, the adrenalizing aggression in the rap bars and Jay Joe’s ability to leave you floored with his lyrical flex. He’s already a firm fixture on the GRM Daily YouTube channel, but we highly doubt that will be the highest of accolades applied to Jay Joe’s gritty, scathing signature sound.

Shaky was released on August 15th; you can check out the official music video on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Always Worldwide: Excellent Luton emcee Crazy James impresses yet again on ‘That’s My Life Cuz’

Posted on 7 August 2021

Dropped off the brand new street-mood-lifter ‘Unsigned and Unspoilt Vol 1‘, Crazy James shows us the inner determination needed to get you to where you believe you are destined to be on ‘That’s My Life Cuz‘.

Crazy James is a supremely talented Luton, England-based hip-hop/grime artist. He creates that thoughtfully real music that is taken from his experiences of travelling all over the world, as he puts his heart on the bars of every line that he drops.

After headlining shows at the legendary Luna Lounge, Bear Club, and the O2 Academy, plus releasing his criminally underrated hard-hitting first music video ‘Cautious‘ late in 2019 – this is a top class musician that you need to know if you don’t already – as he is only getting warmed up, despite being one of the underground OG’s in this fickle game.

”This album has been 20 years in the making, through all my ups and downs, and over every challenge that was placed in front of me, out of the darkness came this masterpiece.” – Crazy James

This is the honest story about travelling around the world on tour and seeing many things that teach you life-changing lessons, as your hunger only elevates to a new ravenous level. It feels like he is only improving, never resting on his laurels and is only going to rip through the mic each time – as he shows new and old fans – that he is indeed the truth.

‘That’s My Life Cuz‘ from the highly-respected underground Luton, UK-based hardcore hip-hop/grime artist Crazy James, launches hotly like a massive missile into your curious mind, due to his intense barrage of rampaging bars that slams heavily into your unsuspecting face. This is that juggernaut type of music from a conscious man who has had a tough life – and who never took the easy temptation-riddled way out – that either leads you into those cold chains or six feet under.

This is easily one of the best songs of 2021, so turn it up real loud and embrace the understated brilliance.

Stream this fire new track on Spotify and see more on his IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Milky – a deeply personal and honest debut with ‘I Miss You Mum’

Posted on 26 June 2021

Rising Brighton-based rap artist Milky has taken a bold step with releasing such a poignant, personal, and utterly confessional track as his debut single, but what a track it is; from the beautiful opening vocal courtesy of hometown friend Amy Owens, to the opening stanzas of Milky’s storytelling lyrical poetry (‘…those doctors can go fuck themselves/Yeah, I cut myself/It fuckin’ helps…’) ‘I Miss You Mum’ is just raw, open, and honest, and beautifully put together.

Released on We Are Not Saints records, a not-for-profit label and promotions company which works with musicians in recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction; Milky is, himself, a recovering addict, a theme addressed within the lyrics alongside the narrative of the loss of his mother when he was aged just seven years old.

It’s a stunningly powerful track, truthful and honest without being maudlin or melancholic, hopeful rather than downbeat. On the basis of this, there’s a lot more to come from Milky.

Listen to ‘I Miss You Mum’ on Spotify – follow Milky on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Simulated Youth smashes the premise of the totalitarian state with his dark electro track, ‘Ghost in the Machine’.

Posted on 14 May 2021

Phoenix, Arizona-based dark electronica artist and producer Simulated Youth has switched up his sound from his previous releases, N.B.T. and Kill the Messenger by introducing a galvanising urban twist. With rap bars flowing as veraciously as his euphorically-swamped signature beats in Ghost in the Machine, fans of trance to harsh industrial electronica alike will want to pay attention.

As with all of Simulated Youth’s tracks, Ghost in the Machine is so much more than a smorgasbord of adrenalizing sound; the mix falls on the very valid anxieties of our surveillance state. We may be in the midst of an Orwellian nightmare, but at least we have apt anthems which thrash and slap in the face of dystopic oppression and totalitarian control.

Of all the artists I’ve heard breaking through this year, no other artist holds as much promise, authenticity and escapism from the bleakness of our current socio-political structures as Simulated Youth.

Ghost in the Machine is now available to stream along with the rest of Simulated Youth’s 2021 EP via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Woozybeatz brought his unique style of DubWave back to the airwaves with ‘No Turning’ Back’, featuring GOLDEN G.

Posted on 27 April 2021

Since his 2017 debut, independent artist and producer Woozybeatz has continued to rack up the streams with his hazy, trippy beats. ‘No Turning Back’ is the latest dominant track to drop from the Northamptonshire, UK-based artist as Woozybeatz continues his mission to bring a unique style of DubWave to the airwaves.

No Turning back features the commanding drill hop rap bars from GOLDEN G, who brought just as much energy as Woozy brought with the beats that rattle under the bars and beneath the swathes of reverb, allowing Woozy to stay true to his moniker.

The grimy fierce track is the ultimate playlist staple for anyone who is through with apathy, staying humble and going all-in; between the grit and grind, you’ll find plenty of empowering introspection.

No Turning Back is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Go interstellar with UK rap artist Majick’s latest release ‘SpaceShip’

Posted on 18 April 2021

If you’ve never been caught up in Rap artist Majick’s lyrical flow, his latest track ‘SpaceShip’ is the perfect track to introduce his forceful, energetic and impassioned approach to Hip Hop.

If anyone can put Hull on the hip hop map, it’s Majick with his captivating cadence and gritty lyrics that exhibit his wit and playful persona. After snagging a BBC Live Session spot with their bold and contemporary sound and their palpable hunger to keep collecting accolades, it’s easy to get excited about what else he will achieve in 2021.

You can check out the official music video to SpaceShip that dropped on February 26th via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

¿ has dropped his darkly enigmatic drill track, ‘BlaK Flora’.

Posted on 1 April 2021

If you’re always on the lookout for new grimy drill tracks to add to your playlists, look no further than ¿’s latest track, ‘BlaK Flora’. It’s a confrontational aural juggernaut, combined with the up and coming artist’s enigmatic moniker; you’ll easily be drawn into the complex layers of the single that establishes ¿ as one to watch. Any artist with so much drive and unwillingness to add more of the same to the airwaves is worth paying attention to.

BlaK Flora dropped on February 27th, 2021. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jibs delivered ‘Sweet & Soothin’ vibes through their debut hip hop EP

Posted on 1 April 2021

UK grime and RnB rarely converge, but when they do, gritty realistic romance is delivered minus hallmark cliches and overused metaphors. The perfect example is ‘Sweet & Soothin’, which is the standout track from South-London artist Jibs’ debut EP.

Sweet & Soothin’ wouldn’t be out of place on Chase & Status’ iconic collaborative album ‘No More Idols’. On that basis, the future looks bright for Jibs and his unfiltered but polished tracks which make you feel as much as they make you want to move.

Sweet & Soothin’ is now available to stream along with the artist’s debut EP ‘A Night with Jibs’ via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

UK rap artist T. Fewdo shared his infectious ‘Energy’ in his latest music video

Posted on 27 March 2021

Coventry, UK-based rap artist, T. Fewdo, has followed on from the success of their debut album ‘Out of the Ordinary’ with their electrifying release ‘Energy’; the animated track is everything that it says it is on the tin.

Through a mix of grime, UK garage, and drill, T. Fewdo created a galvanising platform for the witty, intricate rap bars he’s quickly becoming renowned for. The lyricism in Energy is so much more than just a series of clever one-liners. The galvanising message behind Energy was hammered home with bruisingly genius blows.

The official video premiered on February 25th, you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Junior shows us his hand in the high-vibe EDM hip hop track ‘The Cards I Was Dealt’

Posted on 5 March 2021

Rap artist and producer, Junior, has hit the airwaves once again with their galvanizingly dominant single ‘The Cards I Was Dealt’.

With a nod to UK grime in their melodic rap bars, 90s RnB-style charisma and electrifying EDM beats which pay ode to Slim Shady, The Cards I Was Dealt is an infectiously high-vibe hit. Any fans of Pharrell and Dizzee Rascal will definitely want to pay attention.

You can check out The Cards I Was Dealt via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast