British Hip-Hop seems to be going through something of a renaissance at the moment, the likes of Tinie Tempah and Dizzee Rascal hitting levels of success previously reserved only for the nation’s favourite pop darlings. It’s injected the charts with a dynamic, intelligent new breed of music and artists like Essex’s 21 year old Devlin are leading the charge. You may have already heard his brilliant singles Brainwashed and Runaway, and 2011 looks set to be the year he hits the big time.
Devlin’s sound is distinctly British; profoundly witty, razor sharp, with a real edge to it. Angry, funny, euphoric – all these emotions and more are caught up in the whirlwind of energy that is his debut album Bud, Sweat & Beers. Imagine The Streets, but on steroids. Frenetic beats collide with epic string orchestrations and thundering guitar hooks. Devlin’s sound is BIG, attention grabbing - ‘My name’s lodged up in your brain, just like a blade in an operation’ he boasts in Brainwashed, proving he is nothing, if not ambitious.
Tracks like London City and Dreamer present a more subtle, laid back side to the rapper; anthems to the country’s capital city and the VIP clubbing lifestyle. It’s this sense of the here and now that drives Devlin’s music, it’s distinctly contemporary, a vivid portrayal of the very streets we walk every day. And with collaborations with Tinchy Stryder and Labrinth already in the bag, for Devlin, the only way is up.
