Coming at you like a great, obnoxious storm cloud of fast-paced, moronic drivel, Tinie Tempah unleashes his brand of electrocore hip hop at an astounding rate. From the get-go, it becomes clear this lad is not going to let up, which really is a shame.
Chock full of over-simplified, Casio keyboard computer beeps, thoroughly irritating chipmunk harmonies and some of the shallowest lyrics put to paper this year, London boy Tinie Tempah’s Disc-Overy serves as an assault on all senses. Tempah succeeds in filling every box and adhering to the uninformed stereotype of hip hop today: sex, money, fast cars, faster women, how much better said artist is than anyone else, soulless concepts… Tempah manages to achieve all this while splicing a cringe-worthy, sped-up, dancecore beat into the background.
The album does hold a few points where your ears might perk up. Third track 'Pass Out' kicks off with some enjoyable Nintendocore melodies and gang chants only to eventually fall into disrepair with Tempah’s bracing, yet mediocre, grimecore. Fifth number 'Just A Little' initially harks back to old Tupac records before sliding once again into radio-friendly numbness, while 'Snap' offers just enough jazz and funky beats to hold it all together before mindless pop track 'Written In The Stars' does its best to suffocate the lot.
Not since Enter Shikari’s 2007 release 'Take To The Skies' has a record inspired more musings as to how it ever got so popular in the first place. This year’s BT Digital Music Awards (BDMAs) are looming and Tinie Tempah has already received multiple nominations, including Best Male Artist, Best Song and Best Newcomer. The BDMAs are voted for, in part, by the downloading public. Judging by the calibre of talent amassing the rest of the award nominees – Cheryl Cole, Leona Lewis and N-Dubz to name but a few – newcomer Tinie Tempah may receive more votes than the few his work actually deserves.
A record that aims to have us get up and dance, Tinie Tempah’s 'Disc-Overy' is far more likely to have us get up and turn it off.
Stereoboard Rating: 2/10
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The album does hold a few points where your ears might perk up. Third track 'Pass Out' kicks off with some enjoyable Nintendocore melodies and gang chants only to eventually fall into disrepair with Tempah’s bracing, yet mediocre, grimecore. Fifth number 'Just A Little' initially harks back to old Tupac records before sliding once again into radio-friendly numbness, while 'Snap' offers just enough jazz and funky beats to hold it all together before mindless pop track 'Written In The Stars' does its best to suffocate the lot.
