Music Reviews
Artist:
Dizzee RascalTitle:
Maths & EnglishLabel:
XL
On the first track of Dizzee Rascal's third solo album - 'Maths & English' – the Bow MC tells us, “there's a world outside of the manor and I want you to see it”. I say he 'tells us', but clearly he is speaking specifically to fellow manor-dwellors, urging them that there is respite out there from the “beef and some of the stress” that comes stitched into the fabric of street life. However, while Dizzee himself may have meant this line as an uplifting, socially-aware call to arms, it also doubles as a perfect soundbite for the musical intention behind this album as – for the first time – Dylan Mills presents us, not with the very sound and essence of the 'manor' from whence he came, but with the 'world outside'.
Now, this is all well and good but there's one pretty major problem: we've all seen the 'world outside' already. From manor-dwellors to Guardian-subscribers (the range of Rascal's audience is perhaps more varied than any other UK artist), we've all heard the Arctic Monkeys, we all know about Shy FX, and we've all been subjected to the sunny, empty sound of Lily Allen pressing the final few rusty nails into the lid of music's coffin.
Don't get me wrong: I'm all for change and development in hip hop – I realise that Darwin had rappers in mind as well as animals when he came up with his whole 'adapt to survive' concept – but the main reason (aside from the fact that he is really good) that most people buy Dizzee Rascal's records is fairly simple: he sounds like no-one and nothing else. Over the course of two albums and roughly five years, Dizzee produced songs like 'I Luv U', 'Stand Up Tall', 'Off 2 Work' and 'Give U More'; songs from the heart of the Grime scene, from the heart of East London tower blocks, and songs that – unless you were familiar with early Wiley and More Fire Crew – you had never heard before. Without wanting to sound too middle class, it is the world – and, more importantly, the sound - from 'inside' the manor that we are more interested in.
However, while 'Maths & English' may see Dizzee wading from his usual grimey territory into clearer, more commercial waters, this does not – by any means – make it a bad album. 'U Can't Tell Me Nuffin' and 'Temptation' are both stand-out tracks; the former for its moody recall of the 'Eskimo' sound championed by Wiley and Dizzee in Grime's early days, and the latter for its excellent, treble-driven pairing of sneering Arctic Monkey guitar and crackling, hand-clap snare drums. 'Where's Da G's' is very good also, despite the fact that it sees Dizzee americanised over a Crunk beat, rather than UGK anglicised over Grime; and the fantastically frantic 'Pussyole (Old Skool)', is up there with the best songs that Rascal has ever made.
Having said all this, though, this 'Maths & English' does feel less inventive than anything Dizzee has done before. The more summery, upbeat tunes (such as 'Flex' and 'Da Feelin') float by without making any real impact, and the Lily Allen-infected 'Wanna Be' feels less like a song and more like an A&R wet dream.
Essentially, while 'Maths & English' may not satisfy the same fans that lapped up 'Boy In Da Corner', it is the sound of Dizzee Rascal moving up a level in music's hierarchy and, more importantly, enjoying himself in the process. When you consider the wealth of fantastic material he has produced over the years, and the work he has put in, it is very difficult to begrudge him this.
Rating: 3/5
Label: XL/Dirtee Stank
Words: Tom Ellen
Check out Dizzee from his recent Jools Holland show :
