TY - Closer Album Review

TY
Closer
Album Review

Here we go. Another Brit-Hop album. Expect a strong London twang and tunes about growing up on estates?? Not here, not with TY, who has been a constant breath of fresh air in the British hip-hop scene. 'Closer' is the long awaited follow up to 2003's Mercury Prize Nominated 'Upwards'. Since then TY has been touring the globe, making new friends, including guest spots De La Soul, Speech from Arrested Development and Zion-I to name but a few. Lets see how his experiences have benefited him.

'Closer' opens with the mischievous 'Don't Watch That'. A playful commentary on the rumours that have surrounded TY since his last offering. Lazy guitar stabs, a simple but effective live drum sound and smatterings of synth tones show a maturity in his production techniques, creative a much more interrelated sound. It is clear when you get to about the third track that spending a lot of time in the US has affected his sound a li'l. 'This Here Music' starts with a beat akin to that of the Neptunes, probably featuring Snoop, or Busta, or someone else who's credibility has plummeted of late. Anyway, back to TY. Lyrically, he has matured, he plays with words now more like they're his and less like he's borrowed them from a friend and has to return them in pristine condition. Unlike 'Upwards' the tempo and feel of this album is constant. It's not a stop start album like 'Upwards'.

There's a real sense that TY is trying to expand his sound, bring as much as he can to this album. There are times where you can hear Antipop Consortium, times you can hear the Neptunes, Timberland, even early Busta, but what you can also hear is TY. This is a collection of influences that have never been fused and honed together before, and he really makes them his own. This guy is catching up to Roots Manuva, but his rasp is more accessible. Big Dada know what they're doing, and throwing money at this guy is looking like a well placed investment.

Thom Holmes