TYRON review: Slowthai brings explosive energy and introspection to second studio album

The U.K rapper's efforts have never been more focused than this outing, crafting a thoroughly entertaining ride as we take a deep dive into his psyche.

Edwardx, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Com

“TYRON”, Slowthai’s second studio album, has a lot to live up to. Nothing Great About Britain was a brilliant, witty and provocative piece of work, with the fusion of musical elements from grime, old-school hip-hop and even punk blending perfectly to complement the rapper’s distinct delivery. Slowthai burst onto the U.K scene and found instant success. But could he do it again?

TYRON, in my opinion, is outstanding at showcasing two distinct shades of Slowthai. The opener is a hard-hitting, 808-ridden beat by Kwes Darko and sets the tone for side A of the album. Solid features from Skepta on CANCELLED, an infectious critique of cancel culture, and A$AP Rocky on MAZZA, a synth melody filled track about drug use, are memorable but never overshadow the main act. Slowthai charismatic personality and raspy delivery seems to perfectly fit the almost trap-oriented side A, which is filled to the brim with bangers. PLAY WITH FIRE is another standout track, closing out the first half with a much more mellow beat and softer tone, transitioning well into the second half of the album.

Side B has a much more introspective tone, with softer beats and vulnerable verses from a Slowthai dealing with the effects of rapidly acquired fame. While his relationship with fame, success, money and drugs make up most of the album, the swagger and cockiness of the first half is ditched when the rapper begins looking inwards and examining himself. If nothing else, the features on side B indicate a shift in tone. Dominic Fike chimes in with an excellent chorus on ‘terms’, a track co-produced by Kenny Beats about the ways in which fame can be a curse, probably referring to the NME incident, after which Slowthai received major backlash (National treasure, tried burying me). The James Blake assisted ‘feel away’ is a standout as well, with production from Mount Kimbie for a heart-wrenching dedication to Slowthai’s brother Michael John, who passed when he was a child.

Overall, the album displays Slowthai’s duality brilliantly. The project is, sonically, much more consistent than Nothing Great About Britain. The punk/grunge feel of a track like ‘Doorman’ from his studio debut is markedly absent, but with good reason. There’s a clear musical theme present throughout, with less experimentation than the rapper’s previous efforts. An entertaining first half leads to a soul-searching second, where Slowthai deals with major issues relating to his rise in status and celebrity, and the downsides that come with that.