REVOLUTIONARY
By
Kema Vs Kings
Revolutionary is the debut offering from the duo of
Kemastry (CMPND) and producer King Boyden.
Before I get into things, here is a quick low down, for
those who don’t know, about Kemastry and King Boyden.
Kemastry (Brighton) was a member of the pioneering Brighton
based Team Dreebs and also the VooDoo Collective. He formed CMPND in 2018
alongside Wundrop and Vitamin G, and shortly after this they were signed to
High Focus Records.
King Boyden (Oxford) is a Hip Hop producer who dropped the Suave
Es Todo mixtape back in 2013 which featured, among others, Cappo. His
production has also featured on a number of releases by Inner Peace Records in the UK.
Now you have some idea of who these guys are, lets get to
the task at hand. Revolutionary dropped back at the beginning of March
this year (2025) and comes on the back of Kemastry facing jail time for
criminal damage during a protest against Elbit Systems, the largest manufacturer
of arms for Israel. It was these sustained protests that eventually let to the
company losing its UK export licence.
The inspiration for this release comes from some deep
sources and is noted in the press release material: Drawing inspiration from
Kendrick Lamar’s Section 80, Huey Newton’s Revolutionary Suicide, the passion
and power of Fred Hampton’s teachings, the nihilistically enlightened
philosophy of Jim Carrey, conversations on apathy between Earl Sweatshirt and
his mother, and the spiritual wisdom of Kekishrew Sidhwa’s Zoroastrian beliefs,
Revolutionary is an attempt to inspire revolution and offer solutions to
both simultaneously rebel and find peace.
With such a huge focus on huge subjects such as BLM matters,
Police brutality and the drive to free the Palestinian people, alongside some
incredibly powerful philosophical and spiritual beliefs and beyond, you really
get the feeling that this album is going to be a very powerful release, and
that’s even before you actually listen to it!
Alongside the production from King Boyden there are a few
features to note from CMPND crew mate Vitamin G, Rawz and DeSide.
With all that said, its time for me take a deep dive into
Revolutionary and give you my thoughts…
The album is only six tracks long, which some might feel is
only EP length But let’s not judge here and get straight into it with Stankotic.
This one features Vitamin G and Rawz alongside Kemastry, bringing us a deep
beat that is back with some melodic piano vibes which gives this the kinda
sound that grips your focus while still letting you nod your head. This one
really seems to speak on the who so many people are just apathetic to the
struggles of others. But its not just the struggles of others, it is also how
those in a place of power conduct themselves and paint themselves as having a
valid reason for doing what they are doing, even if they are perpetrating a
genocide against an entire nation. They make themselves look to be the victim
and therefore to validated in what they are doing. These types of behaviours go
on at all levels of ruling and governing bodies throughout the world in the so
called developed world. Its time to be mindful and to drop the apathy, then we
can really see the truth of what is going on around us. Up next is Section
80 (I am Revolutionary) which has a proper head nod vibe to it with horns
in the background carrying you along and giving the sound a deeper edge.
Section 80 refers to the powers police have to stop and search you if they
suspect a crime might be, or about to be, committed. But, this track goes
beyond that at looks at society and all of the things that happen or are
perpetrated against us, that can push us to the point where we say enough is
enough, its time to stand up and make our voices know, and when you do this,
you revolutionise your thinking and you seek to revolutionise what happens in
society around you and they way you are treated, and you become revolutionary. Pantarei
switches the sound and the flow, taking on a more modern type of sound with
keys taking the forefront and a fractured beat that only pushing forward to
bring more strength to the words. This one is almost a spoken word track where
the focus looks at the flow of life and how everything appears to be collapsing
around us. Society exploits the most vulnerable and marginalised among us, with
those who have the money, keep the money and make everyone else pay, eventually
pushing many to the point of no return in many ways. One way out of this is a
way that is juxtaposed to what you hear but, is the very definition of the
title of the track. Pantarei comes from the philosophy of Heraclitus, the 6th
Century Greek philosopher, and is all about the flow of life and the fact we
are all constantly changing, and by that definition we can change for the
better just by changing our thoughts, our intentions, and focusing on a better
future, if we don’t do this, then life will continue on a downward spiral to
its ultimate end.
Happily brings an upbeat vibe from a solid head nod
beat and a background of xylophone notes bringing a chilled element. That
upbeat vibe from the beat is mirrored across the lyrics, as Kemastry delivers a
couple of verses that speak to you on a higher level, asking you to look past
all that negativity that invades your life every day; and to really live you
live in the best way possible, being the greatest expression of your true self.
Let go of the apathy and the agony and find that spiritual expression of who
you truly are and let that be your guide on the path of life. The positivity
continues with New Dawn, where DeSide joins the journey with us. Here
the chilled beat, keys and guitars all combine to bring a sound that reflects
the fact that the sun has broken through the dark clouds and in now shining
upon us with a loving warmth. This one has a reflective vibe to it, looking
back at all the struggles and the hurdles that life places in front of us, and
speaking on how we overcome those that truly show who we are as a person and
the strength and resolve we carry to express our true selves. Beyond that is
shows who we as a part of the one true people, the one true tribe that live on
this earth. It is a selfish lust for power that has created divide and separation
but, when you truly consider everything, we are all one. Rebel (Ms Hills
Outro) is the final track of the album and brings a chilled kind of sound
where the keys and faint sound of horns lift you up before the soulful vocal
sample carries you to a place where you listen intently to what is being said.
Here we are treated to the words that define what it is to Rebel while
simultaneously finding peace. This may seem like a strange concept to
understand but, speaking out and standing up for what you truly believe, does
not always mean fuelling the fire of rage and taking a violent stance to make
your point; you can still Rebel from a place of inner peace, because then you
will be able to find the most powerful way to make you point heard without harming
anyone, and this will make a point that can be felt the world over, in all the
hearts of those who can feel…
Now, normally in summing up I would begin by talking about
the impact the music and words had on me but, I just want to take a slight
detour here. There has been a lot of talk, recently, about albums being
released that have a short overall runtime with multiple short tracks; and I am
sure that some might say that about Revolutionary. However, whether you
consider this to be an album or EP length, one thing that is without doubt here
is that Revolutionary packs more into its six tracks and twenty one
minute runtime, than many full length albums do. Kemastry packs so much into
this album you forget the timings because it is speaking to you on a higher
level, one that stays with you long after the last bar has been laid down.
There is an impact here that will not fail to touch you, the
depth of the words and the emotive nature of the beats, will have you returning
to this one time and again. Revolutionary is infused with a passion and a
strength that you can literally feel in the depth of your being. It will get
you thinking about the world around you and those who are the victims and those
who are the perpetrators. It will have you thinking of how you can best take a
stand while still feeling and promoting a supreme level of peace, and it will
also make you realise that there is a time for taking action, which is not
always with a show of force, but that’s not to say that the use of force does
not have its place for the revolutionary who is seeking to make a point.
Kemastry brings some deeply emotive story telling with
intelligent wordplay that entertains as much as it instructs and supports. The realism
here that comes from personal experience, something that is invaluable when you
are speaking to people about the subjects that the album touches on; that authentic
energy helps you feel how much this one comes from a place deep inside and is
delivered with a desire to help people as much as it does to serve as an open
book on how to find peace but still be a revolutionary.
The words are the backbone and the brain of this album, but
the body is the solid production from King Boyden, who brings classic Hip Hop
production tinged with elements of modern vibes and many other influences which
all combine with Kemastry to give us a spiritual revolutionary figure, infused
with everything that is needed to be a true wise man in the world. That wise
spiritual creation brings together those other elements, who guest on the
album, who each bring a depth of storytelling that further strengthens and
deepens what this album achieves.
Revolutionary is one you do not want to miss. It is
an album that opens you up to knowledge and a new way to stand up and speak up
on the injustices that you see around you.
There is also a zine that is available alongside the album.
It features artwork from China Rose Jordan (who also did the album artwork) and
inspirational quotes and insights from Kemastry. It comes with a digital copy
of the album too. So, be sure to check that out too if you can.
Revolutionary is out now and is waiting for you to
listen in.
My humble thanks to Kemastry for giving me the chance to
bring this one to you.
I’ll see you next time.
Peace out.
Steve.
Kemastry Linktree:
Kemastry on Insta:
https://www.instagram.com/donald_surfaces/
https://www.facebook.com/KingBoydenBeats
VIDEOS
Rebel (Ms Hills Outro)
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