In a culture that’s teeming with wide eyed bedroom producers making it big purely off singles and free mix-tapes, it might be naive to assume that this notion of a “full length studio album” retains much significance. But if this is assumed correctly, then it’s at Benga’s loss that only now, five years since his breakthrough effort ‘Diary Of An Afro Warrior’ that he’s pitched his flag in pop’s battle field with this third release.
It’s not like he disappeared from the spotlight though. He shared the spoils during Magnetic Man, his union with childhood friends and fellow Croydon kick starters Skream and Artwork while they ruled the sub base waves. But his string of EPs never punched through the roof and considering he once stood on the brink of superstardom, you wonder now where else he can go.
At least he’s made a decent effort of 'Chapter II', which by most accounts is a passable release. It’s ultrapolished, ultra clean, muscular and could bruise arena walls. First serving ‘Yellow’ in no time builds to a chugging juggernaut with two simple synth melodies that tag in and out. It’s the sound track to grunting bench presses at the gym. You’d think a parody of this type of music would just go and include a vocal sample of “everybody lifts”.
Single ‘Forefather’ is undeniably catchy, blaring electronic riffs of turbulent wobbles and ripples are captivating enough but you’re distracted by a tepid guest feature from grime veteran Kano. Kano has had his moments in the past but here his references to Jesse J’s “do it like a mandem” and self-comparisons to Kanye, The Prodigy, Tupac, Nas and Hugh Heffner will make you roll your eyes. Sure there’s cheeky boasting, but there’s also self-buggery of one’s ego.
Meanwhile album highlight ‘I Will Never Change’ is begging for vocals to fill its bars, but its drops and chops of piano melodies are timed to perfection; Benga at his best.
‘There’s No Soul’ shows off Benga’s ambition to tiptoe outside the genre’s box. Bubbling with tension and paradoxically blending a deep house timbre to reflect the trends of the last 12 months.
Among the attempts at more faux soul/pop, like ‘Smile’ (ft. Charlie XCX) and ‘Higher’, album closer ‘Waiting’ comes out most convincingly in a genuinely somber, melancholy vibe. Strings meet the stomp until Rudie Edward’s vocals “been waiting for you so long” give out as if to say she’s waited long enough. It’s an inspired end to the record.
The singular disappointment of this album is the lack of anything we haven’t heard before. Perhaps apart from on ‘Click and Trap’ which to no particular ends, coasts along with the clicky drum machine percussion that litters modern hip hop.
Though ‘Chapter II’ kicks the dub step can down the road, it’s solid. Benga is combating self-righteous dub step vets telling him he’s sold out by adamantly declaring “I will never change”. But let’s hope he doesn’t pay attention to sour individuals, if dub step is to stay relevant, artists like Benga will have to get their thinking caps on.
'Chapter II' is out today on Columbia Records.
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It’s not like he disappeared from the spotlight though. He shared the spoils during Magnetic Man, his union with childhood friends and fellow Croydon kick starters Skream and Artwork while they ruled the sub base waves. But his string of EPs never punched through the roof and considering he once stood on the brink of superstardom, you wonder now where else he can go.
