Compared to his politically focused debut album, U.K. rapper
slowthai
's chart-topping second full-length
TYRON
was a far more personal effort, reflecting on his complex personality by dividing the track listing into more aggressive tracks with capitalized titles, then saving more vulnerable, confessional material for the lower-case second half.
UGLY
, his third album, is even rawer and more cathartic than his previous work, with the bracing first song "Yum" essentially functioning as a primal scream therapy session set to pummeling industrial techno beats. Aside from "Yum,"
mainly consists of guitar-driven tracks with live drums, sounding far more influenced by punk and alternative rock than rap, and having almost nothing to do with grime or drill. The album was produced by
Speedy Wunderground
founder
Dan Carey
and its cast of musicians includes
Kwes Darko
(
Blue Daisy
),
Taylor Skye
Jockstrap
), and guitarist
Jacob Bugden
Beabadoobee
). Tense, paranoid songs like "Selfish" and the brief but brutal "Fuck It Puppet" find
at war with himself, facing voices in his head that discourage him and push him down the path to self-destruction. "Sooner" has a rousing rhythm influenced by mod and Northern soul, and a chorus by indie singer/songwriter
Ethan P. Flynn
. This and the following "Feel Good" are the album's giddiest moments, celebrating life despite all the forces that can bring one down.
Fontaines D.C.
back
for the surprisingly shoegazey "UGLY" (an acronym for "U Gotta Love Yourself"), a whirlwind of hazy guitars and rushing thoughts which climaxes with the words "You are not in control the moment the world stands still." "Wotz funny" returns to the more narrative-driven style of previous
punk songs like "Doorman," while "Tourniquet" contrasts soft, brooding pianos with harsh shouting.
is less of a major stylistic shift than it might seem, as
harnesses his punkish energy in a way that seems natural and fitting. It's clearly a challenging, confrontational album, but it also feels like the artist's purest expression yet. ~ Paul Simpson