slowthai - TYRON
I am starting off this album review by owning up to my bias… I find rap in a British accent to be undeniably sexy. Now that that’s covered, on with the review.
Northampton rapper, slowthai, releases his first project since his 2020 controversy at the UK NME awards; where his inappropriate comments to the show’s host labeled him a misogynist. Tyron, self-titled after his real name, addresses some of the controversy of last year. This latest project was released exactly one year post incident, February 12, 2021.
The project is split into two parts, each composed of seven songs. The titles in the first half are all in caps, which is fitting for their harsher style of yelling his rap. While the second half is in all lower case, perfect for the softer moments of the project.
Part One Takeaways
The second track on part one calls to cancel culture directly. “CANCELLED” featuring Skepta, states “How you gonna cancel me? / Twenty awards on the mantelpiece / Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury.” Even though the track is one of my least favorite, we get a sense of the anger slowthai has internalized about the people that tried to write him off.
I had high expectations for “MAZZA” featuring A$AP Rocky, the third track. However, the bars fell short. As slowthai’s name becomes more recognizable, it's no surprise he’s landing A-list features like A$AP. While the rapper usually has a masterful manipulation of verses, he does not deliver his signature bob and weave around the beat with “MAZZA”.
Things start looking up on the next three tracks. “VEX” breaks early with a muted rap that he interacts with, yelling back at his own hushed voice and creating a mischievous vibe.
He quickly transitions into “WOT” almost seamlessly. Although the shortest song of the project, I think its purpose is to connect the two strongest songs of the first half. By doing this, slowthai is inviting a well thought out listening experience when playing the tracks in order.
“DEAD” includes the most interesting start of any track thus far, and offers a more modest representation of his punk-rap style. The chorus chants a mantra “take away my flesh / but they'll never take my mind / I am dead, I am God, I am here for the end of time,” and slowthai breaks down the track’s deeper meaning in his verses which reveal how he coped with the last year.. “DEAD” is this the most introspective track of part one (and also the peak of his sexy british rap accent).
The last track “PLAY WITH FIRE” serves as the perfect balance between the hardness of part 1 and the more melodic styles of part 2. It's groovy, but the vocals remain strong.
Part Two Takeaways
Onto, in my opinion, the better half of the record.
Right away, “i tried” is an instant replay. The jazz band and soft backup vocals compliment his slow bars in a hypnotically good way. “focus” has a casual freestyle control of lyrics; he delivers each bar with a fuck-you attitude that works well for slowthai.
“terms” finally delivers a good feature, bringing on Dominic Fike and Denzel Curry. The bones of the song follow the designs of a radio hit, and one of the few from the project that could place him on the top of charts across genres.
“Push” featuring Deb Never, is a stand alone from the album. Never delivers an angelic vocal performance while soft acoustics complement the down tempo bassline. The outro reveals another introspective moment, reflecting inner feelings of a dark time in his life.
“Sit back and watch the rain /Breathe out before tomorrow / Slow down before you break / And you're cast aside.” The verse offers a glimpse into how the rapper may have been coping following his lewd comments at the 2020 award show.
In a statement, the rapper explains how “nhs” pays homage to the national health service. Stating to Apple Music, “it’s all about appreciation. The NHS – something that’s been doing work for generations, to save people – it’s been so taken for granted. It’s a place where everyone’s equal and everyone’s treated the same. It takes this [pandemic] for us to applaud people who have been giving their lives to help others. They should have constant applause at the end of every shift.”
He continues, “We’re out here complaining and always wanting more. I don’t know if it’s a human defect or just consumerism, but you get one thing and then you always want the next best thing. I do it a lot. And there’s never a best one, because there’s always another one. Just be happy with what you’ve got. You’ll end up having an aneurysm.”
Second to last we have the first released single from the album, “feel away” featuring James Blake and Mount Kimbie. This track has been a favorite of mine (and was featured on Chop N Drop’s Top 100 of 2020). It truly ignited the hype leading up to the project.
Closing off with “adhd,” the essence of TYRON comes through. “Living and I’m dead/Caught in Charlotte’s Web/I can’t feel myself/Mind complexity/Be the death of me.” The listener understands the inner conflict the rapper has undergone in a year to the exact day of his public prosecution.
TYRON : 8/10
