Slowthai

★★★★ Tyron METHOD. CD/DL/LP

Embattled Northampton rapper proves skills on emotive second album.

“Tyron for PM!” boasted 2019’s establishmentwrecking debut Nothing Great About

Britain, before events took an unexpected turn. Publicly shamed for ill-advised banter with comedian Katherine Ryan at the NME Awards,

TYRON is Slowthai’s rounded, unrepentant response. Frontloaded with gut-punching, maniacal rap strikes like 45 SMOKE, WOT and VEX whose tense, slashy strings and grime-flecked beats refuse to kowtow to the doubters and accentuate his fluid, trebly delivery – equal parts Dizzee Rascal and attackmode Danny Brown. While the provocative first half plays to known strengths, the second is introspective and intricately layered, Slowthai showing his vulnerability on Push, a fingerpicked duet with singer Deb Never that’s surely his Stan, and Feel Away, amid Mount Kimbie’s spectral electronics and James Blake’s tremulous ache. Clearly heartfelt, TYRON unpacks its creator’s complex character, flaws bravely to the fore.