Grime is still a burgeoning genre and, if releases like Kano’s upcoming London Town are any indication, the possibilities for mutation are endless. For real, while Kano’s latest begins by featuring the double time rapping typical of the genre, as the album progresses, the style diverges - into soul, r&b, 80’s cheese…
And, see, this is where my opinion of the album gets awkward. I love Kano’s flow, I love his words and this is more than apparent on the more traditional grime tracks. But, when he starts pulling out the guest spots (of which there are many), the tracks begin to lose focus. For example, Kano brings out English R&B singer Craig David on “This is the Girl”, a track which already suffers from unbelievably bad 80’s synth noises. When Craig shows up, it is easily comparable to some New Kids on the Block type shit. It is almost embarrassing. And the same could be said about the piano ballad, “Sleep Tight”.
Fortunately, there are more hits (and of those, a few completely untouchables) than misses on the release. The Clash citin’ “Fightin’ the Nation”, “Feel Free” (featuring lalalas courtesy of Damon Albarn), “Buss it Up”, the title track… The majority of the album is bangin’. Even the Lily Allen mimicking Kate Nash’s appearance on “Me & My Microphone” is welcome.
So, while London Town has some missteps… it comes out a contender. Kano is still young (remember, the kid is barely 22 years old) and, if the focus of his style and the majority of the LP is any indication, we can depend on quality from him for years to come.
This is London Town…
01. The Production of My Environment
02. London Town
03. Buss It Up (ft. Vybz Kartel)
04. Bad Boy
05. Fightin’ The Nation (ft. Leo the Lion)
06. Feel Free (ft. Damon Albarn)
07. Sleep Tight
08. This Is The Girl (ft. Craig David)
09. Me & My Microphone (ft. Kate Nash)
10. Over & Over
11. This Is My Life
and this is how London Town rolls:
Kano - Buss It Up.
Kano - Fightin’ the Nation.
Kano - Feel Free.
London Town drops early September from 679 Recordings. In the meantime, feel free to check Kano’s official site and his myspace.
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