Slowthai
Ugly

"You know, I wanted to emulate the brotherhood ethic that bands have..."

First of all, introductions: Tyron Kaymone Frampton, known as Slowthai, born in 94, is a British rapper who rose to fame with two albums, both acclaimed by critics and the public, namely the noisy and contaminated grime revival "Nothing Great About Britain", and the more contained and introspective "Tyron". The first is more muddy and vulgar, literally a Pirandellian bomb, while the second is more indulgent and tender in its dark existentialism. Musically, the differences are significant, between the garage festival that characterizes the first chapter, and the trap/soul dichotomy that is an integral part of the second chapter.

A necessary premise in order to identify what is a tortuous path of an eclectic artist, in constant evolution: "UGLY" ("U Gotta Love Yourself"), the third installment of this small discography, partly reprises the occasional flirtations with the punk scene that appeared in some episodes of his debut, extending the discussion.

Released last March 3rd, despite its shy running time, the laconic tracklist, and the absence of true pop appeal, the album boasts a pachydermic grandeur, thanks to a large number of collaborators (among others, Fontaines D.C. also feature) and a well-executed blending of genres. Summarizing the synergy of a punk band in a rap key, concentrating the work of a whole band into a single individual.

A personal reflection by the rapper on the fragmented and fiery English post-punk scene, which in recent years has given birth to a substantial number of valid artists, interpreting in his own way a part of the contemporary.

The album thus presents itself as a gargantuan sonic manifestation, noisy, thunderous, yet strangely orderly: it bounces with extreme fluidity from one genre to another, whether it be the more chaotic Ska bursts or the more subdued blues, passing through references to a certain type of late 90s alt-rock, without ever losing the thread of the discussion and maintaining an enviable homogeneity and above all a masterful balance.

What is disordered, however, is the lively and colorful rap of the host: a truly intriguing verbal jungle that, precisely in its uncontrollable nature, finds its raison d'être. All filtered through abrasive writing, rich in neologisms and code-switching, perhaps the only true pop concession of the work, which obsessively rejects easy chart-topping appeals.

An openly hybrid product, which nevertheless should not deceive and be framed as a banal and confused transitional passage: Slowthai's musical proposal has never been as clear and concise as it is now, and this "UGLY" deserves to be evaluated for what it is, namely yet another milestone of a great artist.

Unmissable.