Largely written in the solitude of lockdown, the Northampton rapper's second album sees him reckon with childhood, adulthood, shame, defiance and regret.
TYRON is an album that attempts to get to the guts of Slowthai as an individual. The person that we think he is versus the person he wishes to be. It’s a tale of two halves.
On TYRON, slowthai doesn’t make grand statements or platitudes like a politician. He simply offers his own story of perseverance, hand extended and Mona Lisa smile brimming.
While slowthai has always been praised for his honesty, he reveals more of himself on Tyron than before, and it's equally as compelling as the sharp social commentary of his debut.
This otherwise excellent album is let down by excessive solipsism.
At once the pugnacious punk-rapper with a point to prove and the quieter, introspective wordsmith-at-work, slowthai has done a remarkably efficient job of reclaiming his own narrative, demonstrating the value of both talking and listening.
Though Tyron's introspective side slightly outshines the bangers, it's a powerful journey overall.
On TYRON, slowthai sounds more together and present than ever.
Throughout, there's sharp rhymes, urgent flow, and the sense of a complex mind in forward motion.
TYRON is a step back for the rapper, an opportunity to reveal the inner monologue of the guy crouching on Jimmy Fallon’s desk as he steals the show for his friend’s network TV debut, among other bizarre public spectacles.
Seething with lyrical and productional prowess matched by few in the current UK rap scene, experimentation with Slowthai’s flow is lacking a little as the rapper falls back on his predictably comforting ways.
slowthai’s self-titled sophomore album, TYRON is an exciting follow-up project whose bifurcated structure encapsulates the duality of slowthai’s effervescent rap persona and the evolving interiority of Tyron Frampton.
The UK rapper’s first album since his disastrous appearance at last year’s NME Awards is split between welcome introspection and all-caps boasting. It’s a refreshingly candid self-assessment.
Ultimately, Tyron is a transformative record, which sees slowthai emerge as a rapper who has not only embraced his traumas, but has allowed them to shape his outlook. It’s a confident opening to a brand new chapter, which is, you sense, precisely what he wanted.
For a difficult second album, made undoubtedly more difficult by its context, TYRON glistens more brightly upon each new listen.
Tyron ... while not as evolved as it might think, is a solid effort at reflection from a promising young artist learning to get out of his own way.
Ultimately, the dichotomy TYRON creates feels forced, but there are enough moments here to remind us why slowthai is one of the most intriguing artists in the UK today.
TYRON’s second half is undoubtedly more interesting, demonstrating a maturity to his lyrical ability. While it does feel like a forced attempt to put things right, on TYRON slowthai is allowed the time for self-reflection that cancel culture often denies.
Overall, TYRON is not quite the same intense powerhouse as Nothing Great About Britain ... But Slowthai still delivers a compelling record which seeks to discover and establish a self-portrait that’s a little messy but worth praising for its efforts at rough-around-the-edges ingenuity.
It’s a clear attempt to deliver a more mature, varied work than Nothing Great About Britain, and in that it succeeds. But considering his lofty aspirations, there’s nothing here that others rappers like Dave or Akala – both blessed with greater emotional intelligence, intellectual gravitas and grasp of social and political issues – haven’t done better.
By dividing the British brute and the forlorn youth, slowthai spreads himself too thin. His hyper-masculinity possesses no vulnerability and the pensive approach is undercooked.
The latest release in Slowthai’s ever-growing discography focuses more on self-reflection rather than political deprecation, the main topic of discussion sparked on his entrance into the world of hip-hop, Nothing Great About Britain. That album was a sharp political commentary on societal issues rooted within Britain and served as an introduction to the polarizing figure known as Slowthai. On Tyron, Slowthai seems to have gone through a metamorphosis, abandoning his British politics ... read more
In addition to being a human lesson on self-questioning and self-confidence, Tyron is a pleasant album that shows the new faces of Slowthai.With a more introspective and intimate approach, Tyron strays into unknown landscapes but is often caught up by its imperfections.
In the space of a few years, Slowthai has become one of today's UK Hip Hop references, combining punchy content with wild energy, not afraid to showcase his somewhat rustic nature.Since 2016, Slowthai has distinguished itself ... read more
slowthai’s sophomore success is layered with introspection and radicalism.
simply put: this album is heat, and it’s sufficiently diverse.
after his infamous appearance at the 2020 NME awards, i believed slowthai to be officially cancelled. he completely let the public down: he publicly harassed someone on an international platform, right after winning big.
this horrific NME stunt seems to have absolutely no effect on his career path or trajectory, as ty’s meteoric ... read more
Big fan of the contrast on this album, I feel like slowthai did it pretty well, james blake was a fantastic addition to feel away
1 | 45 SMOKE 1:58 | 76 |
2 | CANCELLED 2:18 with Skepta | 80 |
3 | MAZZA 2:51 with A$AP Rocky | 83 |
4 | VEX 2:18 | 73 |
5 | WOT 0:48 | 73 |
6 | DEAD 2:59 | 73 |
7 | PLAY WITH FIRE 2:51 | 79 |
1 | i tried 2:14 | 87 |
2 | focus 2:04 | 77 |
3 | terms 3:12 with Dominic Fike, Denzel Curry | 82 |
4 | push 2:19 with Deb Never | 84 |
5 | nhs 3:26 | 82 |
6 | feel away 3:20 with James Blake, Mount Kimbie | 88 |
7 | adhd 2:29 | 85 |
#10 | / | Complex UK |
#18 | / | Dummy |
#28 | / | Les Inrocks |
#31 | / | NME |
#33 | / | MondoSonoro |
#34 | / | The Needle Drop |
#38 | / | What's Good |
#39 | / | Complex |
#40 | / | Far Out Magazine |
#43 | / | Piccadilly Records |