The next drop from Leeds label 1Forty has arrived, and, just
as you’d expected, it’s massive. 1FGRM005 is the latest EP in their genre-specific
release cycle, and features contrasting takes on the sounds of grime from a slew of incredible artists.
“Royals”, the first track from YGG since 2018, takes a
production from Jhuttz and adds Lyrical Strally, PK and Saint P trading short, brittle 8-bars - a nostalgic throwback to classic grime styles. Next comes
Logan spitting over a murky, rumbling 9TRANE instrumental for “Evil Side”, and the sparse,
bass-centric sound fits the MC to a T. There’s a distinct dubstep influence too,
which is continued on Hamdi’s long-awaited “Raw”. This heavy-as-lead instrumental
has been tearing down sets for months, and it’s easy to see why. Finally, ManGo draws for wifey riddim with “XO”, but don’t be fooled into thinking this is any
kind of light relief. Between the melodic vocal stabs, the snapping percussion, and the bold, stepping bass, this hits a lot harder than you might expect.
Listen to 1FGRM005 below now.