"You Can't Chat To Me About The High-Road, Back Then I Was Moving Psycho"

I don't know. New Year's always comes as a bit of an anti-climax. Building up for a new start, expectations of a new dawn. It never turns out like that though; a nasty hang-over and other fuckery that suggests the same as always.

Fuck it though. January 1st is just a day that follows 31st December; time's relentless move forward. I'm currently listening to Kano's This Is The Girl though so the disillusionment is slightly allieved. Remember when the tune adorned the front page of the 679 Recordings website? When Vectra used to play it so often that you thought 'London Town' would be the real deal?

Logan's show last Monday sums up '08 really. He may have had glazed eyes during his retrospective look on grime last year, I don't know. But remembering particular moments of last year perfectly, and then its start seeming like ages ago, is a bit odd. I feel a bit ashamed with my preoccupations of Rolex-sweeping, which eclipsed the brilliant Dark from early '08. I only forgot about the tune after deleting the radio rip because I played it about fifty times. Double S's Pot Of Gold nearly joined the annals of anonymity as well. That was a banger. And what happened to Skengman Mode? It was played on nearly every set early this year, only to then vanish like President T.

Anyway, a couple of token predictions for 2009. Might as well.

Double S may have had an alright year, but he's only been a big, recognisable name for just over twelve months. He has a good flow and similies, but most importantly he makes good songs. As a crew, Marvell seem to be moving as a more unified unit now, but he can still individually build on what he's done this year. There's been a few steps, but they're solid ones.

Wiley is a highly unoriginal choice, but the Manchester air is obviously doing him good, since everything he's touched recently has turned to gold. His flow is flawless, and his spitting is the best it's been for a while. The straining for the elusive, classic release must be a burden, but with recent signs, off the back of one of the best vocals of his career in Where's My Brother, there's abundant promise. 'Race Against Time' now has even bigger expectations.

Ice Kid is also an unoriginal shout. He's the wildcard of 2009; not yet complete, with more proof of his song-writing skills and work-rate needed, yet he has the raw skills and intensity that raise him above the large majority. It's about time he made his mark on the scene.

What are your predictions? Surely yours are more original and interesting than mine. The truth is it's half five in the morning and I'm pissed.



A Happy New Year to you all, and hopefully a good year for grime. Twelve months is a long time. Or is it?

"From Lamppost To Lamppost We Run The Roads"

Kano sprinted back to the scene this year while copies of London Town were hurled at him from behind. His newly-acquired sunglasses dearly dangled from one ear, trying to save themselves from a trampling by the chasing, marauding masses who expected better after a promising debut. Efforts at a mellower sound for these ungrateful gits fell flatter than a Lenny Henry gig, and the divorce from 679 Recordings followed.

Credit where it's due, and at least Kano is still going, unlike his former label who've made a few changes. He's even restored some credibility with the release of 140 Grime Street, which was a good CD that couldn't even be dragged down by the inclusion of Soldier. It's no coincidence that the big names uniting on the album resulted in its best three tracks. In this context, Soldier didn't matter.

Kano has given a lot to the scene this year. His return has proved a catalyst for grime's biggest names to stop slyly looking at each other's myspaces and actually work together. Wiley, Skepta and Chipmunk enjoyed a trip to Radio 1's Big Weekend in Maidstone and, by jumping out of the woodwork and delivering the P's & Q's bars, the Garden of England bloomed into life. Kano officially marked his return.


The Provincial Pleasures of Maidstone High Street

However, it was surpassed by the concert at the 02 Arena, and 'The Greatest Grime Show On Earth' exorcised the demons of the place once being the Millenium Dome and just a big waste of money. The general unity is reflected currently; Wiley and Ghetts proudly place one another in their Myspace top friends, a sure sign of affinity, and one that quashes the two's temper-tantrums about vocalling Rude Kid's The Best earlier this year, not to mention bigger battles in the more distant past.

Kano's return has also made Skepta and Ghetts peculiarly pally, and the two both featured on Logan Sama's 140 Grime Street show, one of my favourite sets this year. Skeppy's allegations of Ghetts sending for him 'every two minutes' were replaced by interchanges of 'buss one' and 'god forgive me', a lovely moment as well as proof that Skepta must have listened to the CD before he threw it in the bin. He's recently shown signs of normality, relapsing into a few old words for Ghetto on Westwood, but there's still the impression that progress has been made.

'Politics', and the scene's best talent not combining often enough, has been to grime's detriment in recent times. Maybe things are changing.

Nicole's Groove

Christmas Day.

The Allies and the Germans stopped killing each other and had a game of football, Jesus was born and gave all of us sinners a chance, and none other than Shystie was born. Dubplate Drama wouldn't have been the same.

Big up all the guys that ordered stuff off the net and are still waiting for the goods to arrive. I know there's a few of you about. I'm just gonna wrap up a couple of things now but first of all, I just wanna say thanks to all the people that have read the blog over the past year. Thanks to all who have taken the time out to read what a next guy thinks and leave a comment, and thanks to all who have left feedback, positive or negative. It's appreciated.

Special thanks to the grimeforum gang; Lemon, Hij and Elijah at
butterz, and a big shout out to Davide Machado at Gold Seal Recordings.

I think I posted POW as last year's Christmas jingle, but it's a different vibe this year. I just like the tune, and it's also nice to reminisce on Breeze being a top mic-man in comparison to his paltry status nowadays. I suppose it's partly his fault.

Wiley Kat & Breeze - Nicole's Groove


Spyro, Maximum and Mak 10 should be on Rinse FM later. I'm starting to plan my excuses from the dinner table now.

Happy Christmas.