Sometimes (Huw Stephens BBC Radio One session) Paris Suit Yourself
Speech Debelle - 'I'm With It' (Official Video)
Tuesday 24 Jan
The official video for Speech Debelle's new single I'm With It is out now on Speech's Vevo page, watch below or click here to view.
Freedom Of Speech is released 13 February (21 February in N.America) on LP, CD and download, and can be pre-ordered now from the Ninjashop and iTunes. I'm With It will follow on 20 February.
Speech kicks off a European tour supporting her new album Freedom Of Speech with a headline gig and launch at London's Jazz Cafe on 23 February 2012. Tickets are available here, with a full list of European tour dates available here.
Wiley - Nineteen Reasons to Buy 'Evolve Or Be Extinct' Today...
Thursday 19 Jan
Hello good people. 'Evolve Or Be Extinct' by the mighty Wiley is
released today, Thursday January 19th, and here are nineteen reasons why
you should buy it...
1. Today just happens to be Wiley's birthday. Have you ever bought the Godfather of Grime a birthday present? No? Hmm, shame on you. Make good on that now.
2. Nobody releases records on a Thursday. It's hard to do. It's odd. It annoys retailers. It messes up your chart place. You should buy it today to be part of a brave new world of random release dates.
3. A lot of journos think the album is great. Joe Muggs, who despite his name is no mug, said in Mixmag that: "Wiley's finally made the album his talent warrants...the best British rap album since his old partner Dizzee's 'Boy In Da Corner'... Brilliant insanity." They gave it 5 big ones out of a possible 5 big ones.
4. As if to prove that point, it's currently riding high on the Any Decent Music chart (of aggregated review scores) and they haven't even added the 5/5 from Mixmag yet! That's like Usain Bolt finishing in the medals in the 100 metre sprint final ON ONE LEG.
5. The album is BIG. It's HUGE. We only sent out thirteen tracks to the press and the album is actually twenty one tracks long. Bonuses include such heartwarming moments as "Cheer Up It's Christmas" and such house-warming moments as "Fire". We've manufactured it on two separate cds, that's how big it is. Buy it if you think nu-maximalism is the new minimalism or if you think minimalism is maxed
out.
6. Following on from 5, the journalists haven't even heard the second disc, so listening to it is like walking out into fresh snow. You haven't had to spend two months seeing people tweet about how good "Highs And Lows" is. This effect only lasts for three or four days, so get it now. Then you can do those tweets and irritate other folk.
7. Mark Pritchard did two of the beats. It has taken a lot of time and trouble for him to get them released. When Warp rang up Wiley and asked if they could put them out he told them to fuck off and put the phone down. So buy them for Mark.
8. Wiley is growing and learning as a human being. When he did the shoot for "Boom Blast" he said he had finally cracked this video shoot business: just don't smoke weed before you start. Wisdom like that is hard won. We need the sales for more video shoots. We promise they will never again feature invisible gym equipment or any form of work-out. We all make mistakes.
9. If, like me, you eat porridge and read The Guardian, "Can I Have A Taxi Please?" actually features you! It actually does! Except you can rap now! Which is a first and will make you feel a little better about yourself.
10. The art is very deep and dark and, well, dark. It will not look out of place with your black polo neck, your copy of Slavoj Zizeck, or your copy of The Guardian and your bowl of porridge, for that matter. It will even look good on your iPod or related device. As long as the iPod or related device is black. Or at least very dark.
11. Wiley has already recorded half of his next album. If you don't buy this one now, within a few months you will be confused about which one to get: this one or the next one, or the last one or the one before or after that, or the last one before the one after the next one. (While we're on this subject, you should probably get 100% Publishing, too).
12. This is the first time Wiley has done three albums with one label. It may even be the first time he's done two albums with one label. So think of us, too.
13. Buy it because the guy at FACT magazine really didn't get it and your purchase will show just what an asshole you think he is (or alternatively, go and tell him here). I mean, frankly, they hate everything except hypnagogic post-dubstep so go figure, but we like to think that by buying this record you are delivering a spiritual pistol-whipping to this poor deluded, tin-eared foo-foo.
14. Buy it because when even most of the so-called grime stars are so
groomed and polished they could've come through X Factor bootcamp, we still need the mavericks and the nutters to remind us we're alive.
15. Buy it because it will make Wiley happy and a happy Wiley is a truly wonderful thing.
16. Buy it because my mum told you to.
17. Buy it because David Cameron has never said he's "really feeling it."
18. Buy it because it's January and spending money helps you forget the deep spiritual void which is your so-called life. Oh, and your failed diet. And the month you said you'd take off drinking. And your girlfriend/boyfriend leaving you. Etc...
19. Buy it because Wiley will probably leak it soon and you'll download that and the tracks'll all be in the wrong order and some of them won't be mastered and you'll have no artwork and you'll kind of regret not having the proper thing but you'll never get round to replacing it. You see? We're only selling it to help you....
Wiley's new album Evolve Or Be Extinct is out today - his birthday.
Evolve Or Be Extinct is the best album (so far!) of this unique
artist’s career. Dark, funny, wild and exhilarating, this is a record
which shows just what Wiley is capable of when he forgets the minutiae
of recording contracts and concentrates on the many weird and wonderful
facets of his life.
Wiley has never made a record which reveals so much of his character,
his contradictions and inner workings, his humour as well as his anger. A
short, sharp, brilliant album, it shows Wiley as more than Godfather to
a scene and penner of occasional hits, but as an artist who continues
to develop, refine and improve his vision even after ten turbulent years
in the game. The evolution continues…
Evolve Or Be Extinct is available now on 3LP, 2CD and download at the Ninjashop, Amazon and iTunes. You can watch the video for Wiley's latest single "Boom Blast" on YouTube, and check all dates for his upcoming UK tour here.
Speech Debelle - Interview at The Quietus
Thursday 19 Jan
Speech Debelle recently spoke at length to The Quietus website, discussing her Mercury Prize win for debut album Speech Therapy, the creation of her upcoming follow-up Freedom Of Speech, and everything in between. Head over to The Quietus website now to read the interview!
Freedom Of Speech is released 13 February (21 Feb in NA) on Big Dada, and can be pre-ordered on 2LP, CD and download now from the Ninjashop and iTunes.
You can grab a free download of "Blaze Up A Fire" featuring Roots Manuva and Realismhere, and first single "Studio Backpack Rap" here. You can also watch the video for "Studio Backpack Rap" below or on YouTube.
