Reviews: Slowthai and Arlo Parks

Slowthai - TYRON

Slowthai has always positioned himself as a social renegade. The Bajan-British rapper’s debut album disputed half of his heritage, questioning England’s eminence through depictions of poverty, class hostility and austerity. Nothing Great About Britain revelled in the precariousness of our country, but also offered a more intimate image of Thai that many die hard fans would have appreciated. It was, therefore, disappointing that his NME awards show antics undermined the endearing demeanour we knew him for. A relentless, drug-fuelled international touring schedule seemed to have got the better of him; he was caught like a rabbit in the headlights, unable to cower from the Twitter mob that formed against him. No one can justify Slowthai’s actions, and on this album, he doesn’t necessarily ask for forgiveness, but instead for us all to listen. Made predominantly in the solitude of lockdown, TYRON

Embedded in a sea of distortion, to one with more rhythm. The lyrics remain humorous, as Thai dichotomises acts of laddishness with alternative aspirationalism, like reading kinfolks with his mates. Across the opening 7 tracks, Thai hits you with a straight punch to the gut. He reminds us of the roots that have shaped him, romanticising a mosh-pit energy that we can only hope to experience as soon as possible. i tried enlists a boom bap instrumental and exposes a juxtaposition to the excitable veneer of terms addresses the terms and conditions of fame, but reminds us that he remains a boy nurtured by the streets of Northampton. push Never , who contrasts

album assures us that if everyone stops seeking perfection, they can discover the peculiarities managing to forgive himself for the mistakes that have hung over his head throughout his life.

Liam Cattermole

Arlo Parks - Collapsed in Sunbeams

It is hard to believe that Arlo Parks is only 20 years old. The wisdom and maturity that Collapsed in Sunbeams length glimpse of a young artist with an extremely promising career ahead of her. It is Parks’ lyrical prowess that really carries the album; and opening with a minute of spoken word on its titular track is the perfect way to draw attention to this fact. It’s a

Image: Bandcamp

Throughout the rest of the album, Parks continues to switch between poppy choruses and stories of relationship strains and breakdowns, the album never feels like a broken record. Parks chooses not to get bogged down by self-pity, focusing instead on healing and moving

Parks has an impressive ability to balance the seriousness of her lyrics with perfect-pop hooks that will inevitably be stuck in your head for days to come, lamenting “Wouldn’t it be lovely to feel something lovely to feel something for once/wouldn’t it be lovely standout moments of the album; where Parks narrates the breakdown of a relationship, and proves that it is not just the lyrics, but also her vocal range that are worthy of acclaim. The real strength in Park’s lyrics lies in her ability to balance relatable themes second person narratives, without ever losing the broad accessibility of her lyrics. spending time with a friend who knows just the right things to say. It’s a pretty impressive feat for a 20-year old. With a few more years of life experience behind her, Parks could soon be unstoppable.

Isabel Ralphs