The sound of Ghostpoet is a very intriguing one, and though he may have not long relocated from Coventry to London, he seems to have picked up the vibe of the capital city in little to no time. He is a curious vocalist, one who manages to sound on his debut album as if he has been around for years. This is probably due to a slower rapping style that brings to mind the influence of Gil Scott Heron, and which slows to a crawl in the evocative 5, where he talks of slow bus drivers and noisy neighbours, “sorting out the worries in my way”. The album’s most distinctive calling card is 8, with a catchy chorus over its broken beats, while the thoughtful 2 paints the rapper in a more ruminative, thoughtful light. Some of the speech is surprisingly world weary for one so early in his career, but to his enormous credit Ghostpoet refuses to pin himself down to a style that can be named. That means there are elements of hip hop, dubstep, soul and even funk, but none of them fully impose themselves on the overall sound, creating an unusual tension. The album may not be an unqualified success, but it marks Ghostpoet out as a new speech talent to keep a close eye on.
4 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
