.png){kind=small}
It’s no surprise that Pop music culture here in the US is greatly influenced, and arguably led by what’s made in the United Kingdom. Naming Queen, The Beatles to the now Sam Smith and Harry Styles doesn’t allude justice for the countless legends with roots out there. There’s a new arrival as of late, slowthai, who’s continuously been proving he belongs amongst these greats although early in his career.
Northhampton’s slowthai has been creating some of the most influential and unheard of sounds in the game currently. Just this year, slowthai released his best body of work to date, and you get to be amongst some of the first (millions) to hear it. There are a few key monumental songs from the album “TYRON”, which features huge appearances such as Skepta, A$AP Rocky, Dominic Fike, Denzel Curry, James Blake, Deb Never and Mount Kimbie - all definite ‘must play’s’.
“feel away”, the biggest track with just over twenty million streams on Spotify, is a beautiful piece that gives a bizarre “feel” to its listeners. This is because the tracks leans “away” from the rest of the album, in other words, it’s much more emotionally charged, even slower and quieter in a sense. slowthai explains how him and his girl “went separate ways”, reminiscing on when “she said she feels trapped stuck up in this fucking mess”. The thought of putting “a baby in” her “stomach if that’s what you desire” which leads to a smooth transition with fading repetitive “desire, desire, desire”. This is where slowthai sings the hook about being “suddenly not half the man” he “used to be”, explaining that “it’s not you so it must be” him. James Blake then hops on the track to enhance vocals, emotion and absolutely dominate the feature.
For those who like to rage, there’s a song for that as well. MAZZA, featuring A$AP Rocky, was used as promo and dropped a bit early for us. The track has slowthai is referring to madness, as he raps about “mazzalean”. The madness that goes on when he “make mills”, slowthai becomes a “Money fean”, going on to talk ask “suicidal tendencies what’s up mane” “cannot trust” him cause “no one ever fucking want” him. Overall, a hype song bodied by both slowthai and Rocky that showcases slowthai’s unbelievable diversity. Putting this track into a drill category wouldn’t even be fitting, although most people would say lots of drill music sounds the same - slowthai wins again.
The most exciting collaboration from “TYRON”, has to be Dominic Fike. Once you listen, you can almost feel the chemistry these two seem to have together on a track. Dominic Fike sings of how he “woke up and came to terms with it”, it seems that “no matter what they get my words twisted” but “whatever works it could be worse, shit could be worse”. This is where slowthai hops on spitting verses with insane word play. The first lyrics being, “The more the merry, celebrate, confetti, Kill an adversary over somethin' petty, Mind the debris, couldn't get a degree”. He explains how the “people relying on” are only required to give “minimal effort” to him, which leaves listeners assuming the people he helps don’t help him, or perhaps he doesn’t need the help. This track can leave you puzzled with all the personification and lack of explanation from slowthai.
Go follow @slowthai on Instagram and us over at @engmtcent for more content!