by Alex Griffin
What’s great about the young and developing scene we have in London (and beyond), is the sheer diversity of it. It seems every day a new artist is coming to our attention, sounding new and innovative and original, yet still so distinctly British. Artists are getting weird and artists are getting experimental, and it’s due time we started highlighting some of these creatives that may otherwise slip under our radar. It’s not every day reload bar season, sometimes it’s good to hear something different, something that can defy genre – although the new Daily Duppy season has kicked off – and so we’ve devised this new weekly column for you: Go Left, GRM’s guide to the best alternative grime, hip-hop and R&B out there.
Remember to check out Go Left [001] right here too.
Lancey Foux – “On Me”
We interviewed Lancey Foux last year, so you may already be familiar with the enigmatic East Londoner. If you’re not accustomed to his cockney, lean-addled Young Thug-inspired raps, then you better catch up. Fresh off the back of reaching six figures on breakout track “About It“, Lancey has just dropped some newness in the form of wavy new leak “On Me”.
ROCxNOIR – “Come Alive In The Night Time”
We don’t know much about ROCxNOIR; we do know he’s from East, we do know he’s worked with some very cold up and comers like Rayf (and on this new tune, Rated Award winner Jevon) and we do know his dark brand of trap is very good. His latest track has him “Come Alive In The Night Time” (word to Drake), with an energetic and loud flow over some woozy, unorthodox production.
The Age Of L.U.N.A. – “Blow Me Away”
The Age Of L.U.N.A. are a soulful as f*ck hip-hop group from the capital, who are building a name off of golden-age inspired hip-hop with a distinctly modern twist. Their latest release “Blow Me Away” is the perfect demonstration of their flavour of rap, which has throbbing LA basslines, booming New York drums and a slick electronic twist thrown in the mix too. The raps are anchored together with lead vocallist Daniella Thomas’ Lauryn Hill-esque hook, that will put a smile on the screwiest screw face.
Neverland Clan – Patrol Ride
East London collective Neverland Clan are back on the pages of Go Left for the second week running, with brand new heater “Patrol Ride”. It’s another layered and left-field grime track, with a trippy, psychedelic instrumental laced with vocals from members Omelet and Ryan Hawaii. DanielOG is missing from this track (he has been on tour in Germany to be fair), while Omelet also handles producky.
808INK & JD. Reid – “CHUBBY”
Also returning for a second straight week, is another rap collective, 808INK. This time their joined by JD. Reid who closes the track, while all 3 MC’s add their signature on the beats dotted line. It’s the riddim that is the biggest winner of “CHUBBY”, which pops and skitters in an almost alien way: think if Timbaland made beats as crazy as he does now, but grew up in Lundun.