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STORMZY

Stormzy rolls out his second full-length record and if you've caught the news this week, you'll know the rapper has 'stormed' (ahem) the Brit Awards. Picking up Best Male, and with a triumphant headline slot on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage behind him, his mind is firmly fixed on playing Wembley and with "Heavy Is The Head" under his belt, worldwide stardom beckons.

The 25-year old’s rare blend of swagger, soulfulness and storytelling - reminiscent in several ways of Jay-Z - have him set for even greater international success, and he can already count Coldplay’s Chris Martin and close friends Ed Sheeran and Adele among his many admirers.

Following the release of "Gang Signs" and "Prayer", his award-winning, platinum-selling debut album, Stormzy may no longer be stepping between the street and the sermon, but he’s still walking between two worlds: that of the celebrity and of the Everyman. His desire to stay grounded is evident; as his career continues to soar, he seems more and more determined to help others reach new heights of their own.

From his arrival on the mic, Stormzy has always seemed more than a mere MC; it’s therefore fitting that, these days, he’s also a publisher, philanthropist and budding cultural icon. In 2019, he has become a cover star for both ELLE Magazine - for which cover he also curated a photoshoot of young British stars in the fields of art, sport and fashion - and TIME Magazine, who profiled him as one of its 'next generation leaders'. He has founded Stormzy Scholarship, which funds the study of four black students at Cambridge University, and which is now in its second year of grantmaking. On a similar tack, he has collaborated with Penguin Random House UK to create Merky Books, an imprint which champions the work of black writers, and whose Writers’ Prize looks for the best authors of the next generation. Merky Books has just announced its latest round of titles, a blend of established stars such as Malorie Blackman and exciting newcomers like Derek Owusu.

With no limit to where his career on or off stage can go next, there’s one theme to which Stormzy keeps returning: that of authenticity, the guiding theme of his new album. 'If you’re scared of your truth', he explains, 'that’s when people don’t know where you’re coming from. And I’m not scared of my truth, at all.'


STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: The next generation's grime mega-star. Stormzy continues his ascension to godlike rap messiah with this prize-winning album.

TRACK LISTING

Big Michael
Audacity
Crown
Rainfall
Rachel's Little Brother
Do Better
Don't Forget To Breathe
One Second
Pop Boy
Own It
Wiley Flow
Bronze
Super Heroes
Lessons
Vossi Bop

Stormzy

This Is What I Mean

    With his newest outing 'This Is What I Mean', it's clear Sormzy has significantly developed from platinum debut 'Gang Signs & Prayer' and even ascended his follow-up 'Heavy Is The Head' in both incendiary prose and dynamic drive. While there are elements of classic british grime in the mix (and at some points it's more classic than others), there is an orchestral intensity and untethered creativity that could only have come from the man himself, effortlessly spanning soul and funk, with more than a toe in moern R&B. 'Hide & Seek' in particular flips the script a little, featuring some of his most melodic work to date with lounge keys and infrequent electronic percussion propping up the undeniably talented vocal performances and falling somewhere between the familiar lounging groove of his less scathing pieces and the fiery grime beats of olde. 

    Stormzy's strength has always been centred around his ability to inject a conversational familiarity into the most note-perfect performance, coming across as both intensely honest and self-effacingly funny while remaining unfalteringly skilled and in-the-moment. This is possibly the most noticeable on 'This Is What I Mean', surpassing his previous outings in cinematic scope, and conceptual intensity. An important release, undoubtedly but most of all a *really* great listen. 'There's a Lot To The Vibe' he sings, hitting the nail on the head once again and cementing his place in music history. 

    STAFF COMMENTS

    Barry says: A perfectly balanced mixture of terse political grime pieces and swooning soulful R&B numbers, perfectly produced and as scathing as ever. Stormzy hasn't been shy of steering away from his musical roots, but on 'This Is What I Mean' possibly presents his most expansive and genre-spanning LP to date.

    TRACK LISTING

    CD Track List
    1. Fire + Water
    2. This Is What I Mean
    3. Firebabe
    4. Please
    5. Need You
    6. Hide & Seek
    7. My Presidents Are Black
    8. Sampha’s Plea
    9. Holy Spirit
    10. Bad Blood
    11. I Got My Smile Back
    Give It To The Water

    LP Track List
    Disc 1
    Side A
    Fire & Water
    This Is What I Mean
    Firebabe
    Side B
    Please
    Need You
    Hide & Seek

    Disc 2
    Side A
    My Presidents Are Black
    Sampha’s Plea
    Holy Spirit
    Side B
    Bad Blood
    I Got My Smile Back
    Give It To The Water


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