Emerging from a small, niche scene and building an international reputation for innovation has some pitfalls: the wrath of those you've left behind and the pressure to keep up with expectations. Dizzee Rascal leapt out of the grime scene with a Mercury Prize-winning debut, Boy In The Corner, in 2003. His second album, Showtime, was released the next year, but failed to match the verve of his first offering. Three years later he's returned, sporting a renewed passion for making unmistakable music. The result is his new album, Maths + English.
For the US release, Dizzee connected with El-P's Def Jux label. There is a connection between the two: both men grew from a tight local scene and push the bounds of traditional boom bap in their production styles. Dizzee hits that '80s feel most directly on "Sirens." Displaying his able storytelling ability, "Sirens" finds Dizzee crafting a tale of crime and police chases to heavy guitar rifts that cover big drums, giving it an "ol' school" vibe. Dizzee doesn't try to hide that aspect at all, using the term "ol' school" to full effect in the song.
"Sirens" is followed by "Where Da G's," featuring UGK. This is not only one of the best tracks on the album, but also one of the best features that Bun and Pimp C did last year. Pimp C is especially fierce. His final verse is a reminder of the often-overlooked brilliance of his twang-heavy delivery. Bun remains vicious, and Dizzee makes it sound like the three have been bouncing ideas off each other for years, while El-P provides an oscillating stripped down RMX. The only new track on the US version from the original UK release. The remix doesn't quite mesh with the vocals and could have benefited from having the verses rerecorded to a new production. However, it does peak interest in the proposed El-P and Bun B collaborations.
Dizzee bounces happily from more strictly hip-hop inspired songs to elements of pure garage. "Flex" has a nice two-step base that Dizzee rides perfectly. It is a great example of his range, moving without issue from heavily theme-driven lyrics, to light dance floor tunes.
On "Excuse Me," Dizzee reminds fans that he's been musically beyond his years since day one. He displays a rather impressive ability to distill worldly problems and issues into accessible and well-understood thoughts. He questions the ethics of police "protection" and wonders, "Is it just me?" Rather than the typical conspiracy-driven political song, he's got a clear and fresh take, balancing youthful observation with that previously mentioned wisdom. It's one of the most endearing tracks on the record.
Pit against his "competitors" of the grime scene, Dizzee clearly lands on top. Perhaps not in pure rhyme venom, or even in banging production; the fact that he dances to his own beat is what separates him from his peers. He does his own thing, and it is undoubtedly, Dizzee's thing. Throughout his career he has set personal standards for his sound. While few people in any breakbeat genre reach that point, he's got it locked.
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