slowthai - TYRON

The last couple of years have been quite something in the world of Slowthai.

From much-hyped newcomer to an award-nominated genius with a triumphant debut album, for the longest time it felt like nothing could halt his glorious ascent. Then, in one night in Brixton, things got muddy. An awards show incident, not the quality of his musical output, stuck a speed bump in the road. Forgiveness is one thing, but a sense of unease is hard to forget. Where once it would have felt like a victory lap, there’s something to prove with second album ‘TYRON’.

One thing is for certain; he does not intend to back down quietly. Second track ‘CANCELLED’ is described in associated press material as addressing “the overzealous practice of tearing people down in the name of ‘progress’”. Insert thinking face emoji here. Beyond the personal drama, though, Slowthai still has that unique special something that pulls him ahead of the pack. A record of two halves - intended to show how there’s more than one side to every story - the front half of ‘TYRON’ goes in big. Titles in all caps, it’s in your face, full of attitude and swagger. With rough edges and a powerful personality, it sets its stall out larger than life.

It’s the second side where things get interesting though. More complex and honest, it’s a lowercase musing on the man behind the mask of fame. Struggling with self-acceptance and standing on your own two feet in a world that often seems determined to twist everything to its own agenda, it’s proof that sometimes the quieter moments echo the loudest of all. There’s more than one side to every story. Slowthai’s second chapter is at the very least a page-turner.