J2K - Wake Up EP Review

"Alright they've been waiting, let me give them something I've been saving..."

























I have been waiting. 'Wake Up' is the new release from J2K and, in the current climate, an EP with ten tracks seems like a bold move. With little room for error, and on top of my own expectations, he delivers.

'Wake Up' is very consistent - consistently good. J2K limbers up for a quick statement of intent on the opening Wake Up, racing along with a slick flow that's pretty faultless throughout, swirling in and out of productions from the likes of Target, Bless Beats and Mega Mos Wanted.

On the whole the sound is quite up-beat, the jaunty brass of Big Brother, the perky droning of Talk of the Town and the chirpy Lights, Camera, Action giving the MC time and space to deliver his rhymes.

But this is the main problem. The production does give 'Wake Up' a unity of sound, but J2K is so consistent in lacing the laid-back beats that things do become slightly samey. I would love to see him vocal a few more hype beats, because he can murder them.

J2K - Barring on Snapshot 2



Barring on Ugly



The highlights are Wake Up and Kick Off Da Hinges, two of the more intense beats. Xtra is also one of the best here, as is Danger, the lead-single for the EP. J2K's flow, the vocals and, by grime standards, novel angle on the subject-matter makes the tune uniquely his own.

J2K - Danger Video


We Do is the main exception in the 'Wake Up' sound. A sombre beat with mournful vocals, J2K's lyrics are sincere and evocative, with Tex contributing to a CD which generally has good features - the underrated Manga has his flourish on Landlords, Bless Beats on Kick off da Hinges and Flow Dan, well, on everything he manages to get on.

Flow Dan's great.

And so is 'Wake Up' really, a release in which the only real weakness - its own consistency, solidity, self-assurance - sometimes holds it back from a bit more hype and few more moments of high-flown inspiration.


The 'Wake Up' EP is now available from bare places, but here's just some:

Amazon
UK RecordShop
Avalanche Music Hut
Uptown Records
Play

"Right Now I'm Working On An Album, When It Comes Out It's Gonna Sell Like It's One Pound"

Having listened to a fair few radio sets in my time, I can say without much doubt that live radio can't be replicated. It's an immediate form, and Ghetts punching Silencer's Dirtbag right on the nose to start the set would have been even more gully in the moment.

This afternoon I willingly immersed myself into the Kisskube, arguably the clumsiest-named radio player on the net and, similar to David Blaine's willing immersion into that cube over the Thames, I found I couldn't get out. Every time I go into the Kube my computer freezes and whizzes frantically, as if on the wrong end of a virtual punch-up. It was a slog but things eventually got going, with even some new music to kick-off.

Roll Deep - Roll Deep Rally


J2K continues to breathe vitality into the entourage and, with the upbeat Swindle production, this is a nice little tune. Scratchy and Riko have featured quite a bit on the pirates recently, and hopefully recent momentum can be brought to the crew as a whole.

Still, where's Killa P?

Swindle's productions are at Spyro's mercy in a recent set with Purple and Realist. Have a listen. His instrumental CD, 'Cirriculum Vitae', is out on 30th March. Three days before, OT Crew's 'Left To Rot' should have landed. This should be on it.

O.T Crew - Military Strength (Radio Rip)


Dogzilla and Devlin have also been active on the pirates recently, as has Trim, who was Logan's first guest. He talked all yardie, emphasising his claims that he's one of, if not the best, yardie spitter in the game. An honourable mention was reserved for Doctor, and Riko was paternally referred to as 'the daddy'. I paused for thought.

Where's Killa P?

Ghetts had a laugh on the set while maintaining high levels of spitting. Wretch can still rhyme on grime with ease. It was a nice vibe, although it was compromised by the beat before Club 5. Someone tell me what it is. Please. It's driving me fucking mad.

Cheers.

Download the set here

TRACKLIST:

SILENCER // DIRT BAG
SILENCER // WORLD WAR 4
SILENCER // WORLD WAR 4 REMIX ?
SCHOLAR // 20 MINUTE MASSIVE
SILENCER // WIZARD
NOCTURNAL // VET
RAPID // NIGHT RYDER
RAPID // ???????????
SWINDLE // SWAGGER
WILEY // WREATH
MACABRE UNIT // TAKE TIME
????????? // ???????????
WILEY // CLUB 5
APPLE // MR BEAN ON DRUGS