Album Review: XII by Brutal Caesar

 

XII

By

Brutal Caesar

 

Today I have an album by producer Brutal Caesar. Originally from Cardiff, Wales, he now resides in Cornwall, and the album that I have was originally released back in October of 2025 and is simply titled XII. Brutal Caesar was sent my way courtesy of a recommendation from non-other that one of my favourite emcees, Junior Disprol, who also hails from Wales himself.

Now, if you are not familiar with the name Brutal Caesar, let me drop a few facts your way which might make you wonder how this guy’s work flew under your radar for so long. He has been producing for a number of years now and has worked with the likes of The Soloist, Emskee, A-F-R-O, Reks, Recognize Ali, The Good People, and Freddie Black, to name just a few and XII is no exception, featuring a few of those named above and many more. Now, I could list all the features here but, my feeling is that would make this intro far to long, so I’ll just introduce everyone as I go.

XII is fully produced by Brutal Caesar and all cuts on the album are performed by Tone Spliff, so I’m sure that you’re already wondering what to expect, providing that you have not already heard the album!

So, for those who are unaware of this one, let’s get into it…

 

Now, this might be by design as XII has twelve tracks and clocks in at a smidge over thirty minutes in length, and it all kicks off with Dominate, which features Reks and cuts from Tone Spliff. This one has an infectious beat that is underpinned by orchestral strings that gives this one a sound that uplifts you as you listen and gets you moving. Reks drops lyrics that are all about being strong and dominating the game. Something which goes beyond music and makes you realise that in the world we live in, you have to be strong and dominate your chosen path, stand tall and be the best expression of who you truly are. A-F-R-O joins Brutal Caesar for Top Of My Game. Here the sound mixes a more pounding beat with keys and vocal samples to give us a laid-back head nod vibe that gets you moving but, also makes you wanna sit back and listen. A-F-R-O brings his instantly recognisable voice, slick wordplay and delivery to give us a blistering example of exactly why he is on top of his game right now. Next up is Never Had A Chance which sees Wordsworth stepping up to the mic. Brutal Caesar brings us a soulful sound that mixes strings, guitars and vocal samples over a proper head nod beat to get you moving. Wordsworth hits us with some deep storytelling that details the struggles so many go through. Born into lives where everything is a struggle just get by, doing what you have to do to survive means that you often never get the chances that you deserve to be you best self; the outcome of which so often leads you down the wrong path.

Daria features Dirty Needles and brings us a sound that hits proper heavy with the bass and beat seemingly vibrating throughout your entire body. Dirty Needles brings raw and gritty wordplay which also gives us look at how he sees himself. We get the feeling he has this Bruce Wayne / Batman kinda persona, which is interesting when you understand that one of the meanings of the word Daria is the ‘upholder of good’. It gives dirty this almost anti-hero air as he shows us a solid display of lyricism. Bad FX and Tone Spliff join Brutal Caesar on Ruthless Artillery. Here the sound is a heavy mix of pounding drumbeat, guitar riffs and ferocious cuts, giving this the energy to fire up your adrenaline levels. Here the title of the track perfectly describes what we get, which is ruthless display of verbal artillery from Bad FX. What more do you need! As we hit the halfway point of the album, Brutal Caesar is joined by Bobby J from Rockaway, Freddie Black and Prestigious for Braggin’ Writes. A heavy drumbeat is mixed with horns, bells, vocal samples and more to bring a sound that has this uplifting feel to it. This one gives us three emcees all giving us solid examples of lyricism that shines a new light on the idea of rap braggadocio. This one is not all about bragging about who is the best emcee but, more a display of bragging about their writing skills. Can you separate these guys, or do they all stand shoulder to shoulder? You Decide…

Still Standing Here features ZILLA and has Brutal Caesar dropping a beat that mixes drums, keys and soulful vocal samples to good effect getting our heads nodding. ZILLA gives us a bit more of a deeper look at who he is and aspects of his life. There is still a level of rap braggadocio here but, sometimes you just have to unload and big yourself up, fire yourself up and show the world that your still here and moving forward. Heartshot sees Micwise on the mic and Tone Spliff on the cut. This has a heavy multi-layered sound that seems to hit you from multiple angles at once. The sound is heavy and the cuts, razor sharp, pummelling your mind. Micwise gives us a gritty vocal display that shows some slick wordplay which is delivered with the force of a gunshot. Tone Spliff sticks around for Step One and is joined by Akrobatik and Phantasm. Brutal Caesar brings a heavy sound that mixes heavy drum sounds with bass riffs and some angelic vocal samples that gives us this sound that sounds hard but, has an almost calming effect. The cuts slice through your awareness reminding you that this is Hip Hop right here. Akrobatik and Phantasm bring the kind of lyricism and wordplay that takes time to wrap you head around. Another cracking display.

Graff Wars features Koolsphere alongside Brutal Caesar. The sound here mixes a pounding beat alongside piano and synth vibes that gives us a sound that this big soundscape feel to it. That sense of a broader feel extends to vocals where this is about the west coast LA vibe, where crossing out someone’s name was more that just disrespectful. Putting your name up in graffiti and then having it crossed out meant a possible escalation in a gang situation, which is what Koolsphere brings to the table here. Showing another side to how graffiti has been used, beyond just creativity. We move into the penultima track Audacity and find Brutal Caesar joined by Reef The Lost Cause and Jus Daze. Organ notes back the heavy beat giving us a head nod sound that brings focus to the lyrics. This is the shortest track on the album and gives us two verses that show how rappers can have the audacity to say it how it is, to be completely open an honest on how they see things. It’s not always about conveying a message but bringing a lesson or speaking in a raw fashion about the world around them. The album ends with Magna where Lord Goat and Ill Bill take on the mic duties. Here the beat is backed by what is either a harpsichord or clavichord sound which gives this one an Italian vibe to it, making you think of the old Mafia movies. Those thoughts of mafia and cosa nostra vibes are exactly what is delivered here from Lord Goat and Ill Bill, classic in your face lyrics that are laced with the brutal nature of mob justice.

 

The first thing to note here is that this is a solid introduction to Brutal Caesar and the quality of his production. Everything here is rooted in the classic Boom Bap Hip Hop sound but, interlaced with elements from a number of different influences. This brings to mind the idea of crate digging, where producers and beat makers constantly dig through second-hand vinyl to find eclectic sounds from all genres of music that will help elevate their sampling and production. That’s not to say that live instruments are not involved either as sampling live instruments also adds a depth to any sound.

Brutal Caesar’s production on XII has a depth that shows a deep passion for the music he produces. The roots of that music are obviously the Boom Bap Hip Hop sound, but you can feel that there is that desire to bring in different elements and multiple layers to make that sound hit in just the right way, so as to create the perfect backdrop for any vocal delivery and subject matter.

What he does with this XII is to put his production values on the table by bringing in some pretty heavy hitters from both the US and UK. The emcees are mainly from the US here, but that is not something we really need to focus on as the critical thing here is the overall project and what it delivers. What we get, overall, is a quality producers’ album that showcases his talent alongside a solid line-up of emcees who deliver some top-notch bars that you can enjoy. There might not be a lot of deep messages in this one, and there is nothing wrong with that. I love delving deep into the lyrics, but sometimes it is just as much fun to be able to enjoy what I’m hearing without overthinking things, and all the artists here do a cracking job at showcasing their own talent and the quality of their own individual lyricism.

It would also be amiss of me not to mention Tone Spliff. The LA based DJ, Producer and beatmaker gives us a good look at the quality of his skills as a scratch DJ, adding the icing to the cake on a number of tracks on the album. What this does for me is just to add that extra dimension on a Hip Hop album. I always feel that, while you don’t have to have cutting and scratching to be a Hip Hop album, it does give it that extra touch of an authentic Hip Hop nature.

XII is out now and I highly suggest you check it out now, if you’ve not already heard it. If you have heard XII, do you think I got my insights right?

My humble thanks to Brutal Caesar for putting this one my way, and huge thanks to Junior Disprol for pointing him in my direction.

 

I’ll see ya next time.

 

Steve.

LINKS

Here is One link for all things Brutal Caesar:

https://linktr.ee/BrutalCaesar

VIDEOS

Dominate ft Reks (Cuts by Tone Spliff)

 

 

Album Review: Under The Radar & Over Their Heads by Remark & Murmur

 

Under The Radar & Over Their Heads

By

Remark & Murmur

 

There are times in life when finding a way forward leaves you not able to see the wood for the trees, and at these times we often turn to music as a way to help us find our path again. That is a situation that I kind of find myself in and so, have sought to focus on this review to help get back on my own path, once more. Now, this is not the way that I would ordinarily start a review but, it’s always good to mix things up a bit.

Following how much I enjoyed the debut release of Remark & Murmur, Introspection (2025), there is this deep feeling inside that Remarks deep alternative lyrical content and Murmur’s LoFi Hip Hop sound is likely to bring some clarity and ease some of the weight that comes with living in our society right now.

Remark & Murmur’s sophomore release is Under The Radar & Over Their Heads and album which they describe as a more authentic, mature, and deeply moving soul journey, woven through dusty breakbeats, lush downtempo hip hop vibes, and cinematic string arrangements that elevate the underground ethos to new heights.

Remark says of the album "This album’s about depth over trends. We've poured everything into creating something that feels lived-in and real—dusty breaks for the heads, orchestral soul for the heart, with lyrics that mean something, hopefully to the listener. It’s under the radar, because that's where indie art lives, and over their heads because of its depth”.

Murmur goes on to explain "Production-wise, we wanted to build worlds—slow-burning downtempo grooves layered with live-feeling orchestration. I was aiming for a cinematic & emotional sound to provide a landscape for Remarks lyrics.’

With all that said, there is a lot there, in those few words that give us pause for thought and to consider what the album is going sound like and what it might actually say to the depths of our being as we listen.

I think it is now time to stop the thoughts and expectations and to let Remark & Murmur takes us wherever the music will take us. I hope that you will join for the ride…

 

The album begins with the Intro, where the LoFi electronic sounds and the occasional drumbeats, create this almost meditative sound that seems to lower the brainwaves allowing the vocal sample to penetrate that much deeper into your awareness, and as you listen you realise that there is a lor more being said. Now I’m not going to say that I know where this comes from but, listening gives you a lot more pause for thought and sets up the tone of the album. There are many texts and even musical frequencies that have kept from us or even stopped from us reading or experimenting with, for the sole fact that the truths within them would change our view or everything we think we know about history, healing and more. Perhaps, right here I should suggest you not listen to this album because then it would make you want to listen all the more because of what the content might say…

Always Onwards begins our journey, now that we have had the scene set for what is to come. The sound is heavy with piano vibes alongside the kind of beat that gets your head nodding. But here the combination creates a sound that has your head nodding with closed eyes in anticipation of what lyrics may bring. Remark brings us some rousing lyrical content with deep spiritual connotations that ask you to look beyond the often-dark times we live in. In doing this we realise that we are all part of a cosmic oneness where true seeing and speak comes from the heart and not the head. When we get out of our head and into our hearts, we understand that there are times we need to look back, but we do that only to learn from the past and never to let it hold us back, always moving onwards and evolving the soul as we do so. The thoughts arising already give us much to think about and Moment Of Reflection gives us a moment to reflect while moving forward. The sound is a mix of bass notes with acoustic guitar notes, and another drum beat that makes your head want to move as vibe brings life to those reflective thoughts. Once more there is more to this one than meets the eye as Remark invites us to move past the ego and past the fear that keeps us rooted in a place where we can be controlled. As we move beyond these things we put ourselves in a place where we can connect with nature and move ourselves to a place where we can remember who we truly are and our relationship with everything around us. Once we remember this and understand it, there is nothing that can hold us back from understanding the true nature of all things. Next up is Trye Eyed Soul, where Murmur brings us a sound where guitar notes and a sparce beat combine to bring a vibe that has this uplifting feel in a way that puts you in mind of the sunshine breaking through the rain clouds. Here Remark mixes rap and sung lyrics which look at the perceived duality of two worlds, one inside and one outside, The 3-D world and the dream world. The message here is to bring yourself to a place where you can view everything from your true self; doing that allows you to come to a place where you see both worlds as one, neither being indistinguishable from the other and both being interconnected in the grand scheme of things.

Persistent Turmoil brings a more electronic vibe with bass notes and a more relaxed beat twined with synth notes that give this one a sound that has an emotive edge in a way that is not easy to describe, it is just there. But you begin to understand that emotive edge as you listen to the vocals. Each word seeps into your awareness, touching you deeply as you realise that Remark is perfectly describing our current world view and the effect it has on us. Wars are raging for the sole purpose of greed while all around us, everyday we see injustice and people left by the wayside, by a system that is ill equipped to truly help them. This might be tales from the Remark-side but, they could so easily be tales from the side of each and every one of us. With those emotionally charged thoughts still at the forefront of our awareness, Nagging Doubt brings a sound that mixes guitar notes and synth vibes, over a beat that unconsciously has you moving, giving this one a sound that seems take hold of your focus and shifting it within. I don’t know if it was the intention here, but this one makes you think of how your own thoughts speak to you, raising doubts about your own journey as the outside world pressurises you into thinking that way. The key here is not to hold onto those doubts, but release them, acknowledge and thank them for what they have to teach you, then let them go and allow the universe to change that energy from one of a negative impact, to one that is more positive. We cannot allow our doubts to consume us.

The Beautiful Design brings a far more energetic sound from Murmur, with a heavy drumbeat and a rousing rock and bass guitar notes that fuels a different kind of fire within. There is also synth sound that carry us and focus our thoughts in a far more positive direction. Remarks vocals mix rap vocals with sung elements that create an interesting balance as you listen. It speaks deeply to you as you understand that with all the changing feelings and emotions we experience, as we move along the path of life, we are in a far better place when we a dream to hold on to and when we feel that we actually belong to something, with people who understand who we are and how we feel, people that can support us and lift us up when we feel at our most vulnerable. As that realisation hangs tantalisingly at the forefront of our thoughts, Time Heals drops with a title that says so much before the music even kicks in. The drumbeat, mixed with the keys brings a sound that continues the uplifting feeling that began on the previous track. There is a simple message here and the title says it all really but, there is a deeper aspect to it. We all walk through life experiencing much with each step, each passing moment. Life can raise us up or drag us down, and through all this, each experience builds up so much within us, so easily pushing us to a point where it all seems too much and we have to let it go, somehow. What we have to remember is that we have a heart and if we can truly connect with what the heart desires, then we will understand that we can heal from anything, scars might remain to remind us of what we have overcome but, if we desire it enough and give it a little time, we can heal.

Samhain is the pagan festival that celebrates a time of the year when the vail between worlds is at its thinnest. It encompasses what we now call Halloween and a time of the year when we shift into the darkest time of the year, and the opening of the track gives you some background. Murmur brings a sound that has a more electronic LoFi feel mixing a sparce beat with a plethora of electronic vibes giving this a sound that carries your awareness to place where it can sit between worlds and lives. Remark looks at many aspects of light and darkness, life and death, and the fact that you can not have one without the other. But the deeper aspect of this is facing the darkness within or your shadow side, work with this to face what you lease wish to see within, the more you do this, the more you reclaim your true self and awaken you true power. Dreamy Narcosis seeps into our awareness with a sound that mixes guitar notes with a laid-back beat to give us a vibe that this alternative meditative feel to it, opening our minds up to other possibilities. Here it is all about looking within for what really matters, because the world around us just creates noise that distracts us from the truth of who we really are. Going within allows us to find a new kind of strength that comes from the heart, a strength of pure love. The powers that be don’t want us to look within, because when we truly go within, all their lies and control fall apart, and we are able to see the truth behind everything. We come to the penultimate track of the album, Self-Titled, where Murmur brings a sound that has a more Hip Hop vibe to it, getting your head nodding as the energy continues to raise you up to a place where a new perspective helps you see far more. The spiritual aspect is not lost here though as Remark sums up the album by bringing personal insights to bear. Elevation plays a huge part here too, be it the elevation of the soul or the elevation in music by elevating the underground movement to sound that speaks in a different way, directly to your soul, while keeping the soul of the music rooted in that real Hip Hop sound. This is one of those tracks that will speak to each of us differently, so have a listen and vibe with it… 

The album rounds off with the Outro. Here Murmur underpins Alan Watts describing Inception, with a LoFi Hip Hop sound that merges with the vocals in such a way that the sound carries the vocals into your awareness, giving you pause for thought and to allow every word to speak to you directly. There is a lot here that may speak to you differently than it does me, but the nature of dreams, perception and god, there is a lot packed into just couple of minutes, a couple of minutes that leave your mind open to all possibilities, something that this entire album seems to have been set up to do, raise your awareness and open your mind…

 

Let’s not beat around the bush here, because there is no need to do so. Remark and Murmur have done it again and created something that takes the seed of true Hip Hop music, knowledge and wisdom, planted them and cultivated them and nurtured them. Growing a sound that elevates all those things into a place where it is easily accessible by everyone, and in doing that they have given us something that gives us another tool to look within and to elevate our own consciousness.

We all have the capability to raise our consciousness but, sometimes to help us see that, we need direction from a source that we can easily associate with, and that is what Under The Radar and Over Their Heads is all about. Remark and Murmur have taken music that so many of us enjoy, and they have then used that to deliver messages and invitations for the listener to take onboard, that will have them thinking and musing well after the last beat has passed. That happens because the energy the music creates does not die or end, it simply changes form; that form changes into the form of thought energy, allowing the music and the message to live on infinitely within.

 

There is little more you can say here but, Remark and Murmur obviously have this synergy in working together because what they create suggests that they are both on the same page, with Murmur creating the perfect soundscapes that work in harmony with Remarks lyrics. They compliment each other in way that goes beyond a producer and emcee working together. This seems to be two souls coming together to bring something special to a world that needs its inhabitants to awaken their minds and connect with their souls, and the music these two bring does just that, if you just allow it in to truly speak to you.

I think I will leave it there now, because its now up to you to experience Under The Radar & Over Their Heads, letting it speak to you because the only way we can truly elevate ourselves is to go under the radar of the powers that be, while at the same time, flying over their heads and becoming who we were truly meant to be.

Make sure you also keep watch for the upcoming HQ music videos that will accompany the album. The video for Moment of Reflection is out now and features a little bit of camera work from my good self, so check that out below.

Also keep watch for some limited physical copies coming very soon too. 

Under The Radar & Over Their Heads is out today.

Huge thanks to my good friend Remark for the chance to work with him and to be able to bring you my take on this inspiring album.

I’ll see you next time.

Steve.

Oh Yeah, I almost forgot one thing. At the beginning of the review I stated that I was using the focus of this review to help me to get back on my own path. The question is, did it help me do that? Well, sometimes it takes a little more than music but, I have to say that, without a shadow of doubt, focusing on this album did help me to look at things differently and that might well be a huge part of what comes next and this album, and it's predecessor will not be far from my ears as I walk my path. just going to show that content of this type, you are never alone on your journey...

LINKS

Get your copy of the album here:

https://remarkmurmur.bandcamp.com/album/under-the-radar-over-their-heads

Remark Socials:

https://www.facebook.com/RemarkMcLennan

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005925346438

https://www.instagram.com/remarkmclennan/

https://www.youtube.com/@RemarkMcLennan/featured

Murmur on Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/murmur8000/

VIDEOs

Moment of Reflection

 

 

 

 

 

Album Review: Better Late Than Never by Danny Riggs

 

Better Late Than Never

By

Danny Riggs

 

It has been a while since I last had the Nottingham based emcee, singer, song writer and drummer, Danny on the blog. In fact, I was introduced to him via Pandamonium when they collaborated on the EP TimesChange, which I reviewed back in December of 2024.

Danny is now back with his debut album release which he has been writing since 2022. When I wrote the review back in 2024, I felt then that Danny was one of those to watch on the UK scene, so to have him back with a full album, it will be interesting to see how far he has come in the last year or so.

Better Late Than Naver is a big fifteen track album and see’s Danny flying solo on most of this one. The features come from 1^st Blood, Kenny Cadence and the legendary Scorzayzee, plus Angelface. There is also big line up of producers providing the beats, and these include Danny himself alongside NEO Hannan, XavrPryme, Tom Hodson, KPrymetheJaegar, Wigz, MaugzMade, and Zar!

With that said, let’s not hang around and get straight into it…

The album kicks off with JD’s Intro coming from my good friend John Dugan aka JD Hip Hop Reviews (Who also gave me the heads up on this album the same day as Danny), here we find JD hitting up Danny about the album and bringing a focus to the appearance of one Angelface, do we have a biter here or something else?

Step By Step is produced by NEO Hannan and brings a trap style beat with a sparce beat, synth sound and that high paced cymbal sound that gives this one a vibe that does get you focused. Here we have Danny giving us the lowdown on who he is and how he approaches life, giving us a step-by-step guide to how he got where he is now and how it is going to take him further. Now we have a bit more of an insight into Danny as an artist, Movin’ sees XavrPryme take on production duties with a more head nod beat that is backed with guitar vibes that give this an upbeat feel. This on has a far more personal feel to it as Danny details the hurdles he has faces and overcome as he has walked the path of life. This gives us more of a look at who he is behind the mic and the foundations he builds on as an artist focusing on his dreams.

No Extinguisher features 1^st Blood and is produced by Tom Hodson. The heavy beat and keys give this one a fresh sound that seems to tweak at your nerves with each keynote while also tempting you to bounce to the beat. This one is two emcees giving you a demonstration of their lyrical prowess and wordplay, one of those you just need to sit back and enjoy. KPrymetheJaegar brings production on Sunshine with a sound that has a laid-back, but heavy sound that will get you moving to this one and definitely puts you in mind of the fresh summer days to come. There is an uplifting air about this one that seems to fit with being sat alone ruminating over things as you watch the sun go down. Just thinking over things and how the music has helped you through the bad times. Rhythm & The Rhyme is produced by Wigz and brings us a sound that has synth notes as the main sound mixed with bass and laid-back percussion, giving this one a sound that has a strangely infectious sound. There is also a comedic use of a zipper to bring a scratch sound. Here we get the sense that Danny encompassing many aspects of his life, from his relationship with music and his family to looking at the world and society around him. Fitting so much into just over four minutes is a tall order but, he does it perfectly here. Far From Friends is produced by Tom Hodson and has a head nod beat backed by horns that has a heavier sound overall that gives you the sense this one has a stronger more emotive edge. This one has an edge that seems to hint at mental health and those times you wrestle with your own thoughts about what is really most important, who is a friend and who is a foe, and much more. There is also a bit of a comedic edge to this one two which allows Danny to speak on this without getting too deep and making too emotive.    

Next up is the Angelface Interlude, a little skit that seems to hint at an alter ego for Danny? Angelface features on The Beast Within, produced by KPrymetheJaegar, this one has a solid head nod sound that will get you bouncing from the get-go. This one has a light-hearted vibe to it as Angelface makes his debut, as the alter-ego of Danny Riggs. These guys show the yin and yang of one man’s character but done in a way that has that tongue-in-cheek aspect that you can just enjoy with a smile, especially that comedic scratch sound.

Crazy Daily is produced by Wigz alongside Danny Riggs and brings a sound that has this big bass and drum sound with a background vibe that has this electronic sampled vibe. Altogether the sound might appear to be too much but, it gets you nodding for sure. On the face of it this one might just appear to be one of those rap braggadocio tracks but, while there is some of that mixed in with some jus for fun wordplay, there are also more that a few references to more of those hurdles he has overcome in life. So, this one gives a great overall look at Danny and where he sees himself going and the energy, he has inside to get there. MaugzMade brings production on Pleasure 2 The Max with a sound that has this mix of heavy drum beat mixed with electronic elements and a guitar sound that gives you this wicked sound you can’t help but move to. Here Danny gives us his own version of track that is dedicated to that special someone in his life. Not a love song but, more of tale of how two people’s energies can work in tandem. MaugzMade continues with production on What’s Up, where the sound has a different guitar vibe alongside a heavy beat, giving this one a deeper sound with a reflective edge. The message here is one of making a change in the world; a world that is full of darkness, power struggles, control and death. The people in power are the ones doing this to the world and its peoples, and the key is to keep yourself safe and not listen to the fake news and lies being perpetrated by those in power.

The penultimate full track of the album is Roads, which features Kenny Cadence and is produced by Tom Hodson. This one has cuts and wicked funky beat that will have you moving while this electronic siren type sound will grip your awareness, even though I feel the track would still work without it. There is a depth to the words within this one as main message seems to focus on the fact that you should not get too far ahead of yourself in this industry, but pace yourself and take you time getting where you need to go, because the more time you take, will help you progress at the pace which is right for you and allow to mature, and not burn out before your time. The final full track of the album is Back 2 Back which features the legendary Scorzayzee and production from ZAR! (Who also featured on the Times Change EP). This one takes the sound back to a more grime sound; one that has a heavy beat and electronic vibes that scratch at your nerves alongside that rapid ticking sound. This one is all about two emcees bouncing off each other with the kind of bars that would not be out of place on any stage.

The album is rounded off with Danny’s Outro. Where Danny Riggs just gives us a quick personal message. He also touches on the appearance on Angelface, perhaps hinting at the fact we have not heard the last of that name…

 

Overall, I found Better Late Than Never to be a highly enjoyable listen and one which was surprisingly easy to write to, which is something that I noted when reviewing the Times Change EP too. I think this comes down to the fact of how Danny writes his lyrics. He is very down to earth and does not write in a way that makes what he says too complex in the wordplay. That does not make his lyricism too basic either. It says that he has taken time to write an album that says what he wants it to say, in a way that anyone can understand. It is still cleaver in its construction and delivered in a way that shows he is constantly leaning and developing his craft. I can see that the future for Danny will show him to keep developing and honing his craft, and with a lot more to give to the UK scene as he works towards his dreams. There is also that little view of his alter ego, Angelface, who could serve Danny Well and give him another avenue to express his craft in a slightly different way.

 When I heard the first track, it took me buy surprise a little. I am not a huge fan of trap style music and especially the high paced ticking sound, for me that takes the focus from the vocals and overshadows the track somewhat. However, that said, it is good to mix things up a bit and the album is book ended by those two tracks that have a vastly different sound from the rest of the album. Better Late Than Never is predominantly an album rooted in boom bap Hip Hop, but using those elements of trap and grime, show that Danny is prepared to step outside the box and into other genre’s, and there is nothing wrong in spreading your wings and showing that you have what it takes to be a cross genre artist.

The production on this one is all top notch and gives Danny the perfect platform to bring his long-awaited album into the limelight. I was not familiar with many of these producers prior to the album but, have to say that following this review, I am really impressed with what I have heard from all involved and will be looking out for them in the future.

It was also refreshing to see Danny taking the forefront on this album and filling it with too many features. Those that do feature fit perfectly on the album and do not take anything away from or overshadow Danny in any way; and only serve to compliment him on the album.

For me, as a debut album, this one ticks so many boxes. Danny has taken the time to deliver an album that perfectly showcases him as an emcee and also gives us a glimpse at his production. It shows that he has a lot more to give us as time goes on. It also shows us he has many strings to his bow and has many avenues to explore, especially where Angelface is concerned and in production too.

Better Late Than Never is out today. So, give it a listen and see what you think.

Huge thanks to both Danny Riggs and John Dugen (JD Hip Hop Reviews) for helping me bring this one to you.

 

Be seeing you,

Steve.  

LINKS

Here is the one link you need:

https://linktr.ee/dannyriggsuk

VIDEOs

Step By Step

Back 2 Back ft Scorzayzee