Dirty Dike seems to be on the verge of having his most successful couple of years to date. Having produced the Rag N Bone Man EP and Lee Scotts Butter Fly album he is now gaining as much attention for his skills as a producer as he is with his already legendary status as an emcee. That takes nothing away from his previous accomplishments with Contact Play and albums Constant DikeStar and Return Of The Twat to name a few. But since he has added making beats to his skill set Dirty Dike seems to be everywhere, which is good for us. Not only is he producing the highly anticipated Chaos 93, Ocean Wisdoms debut LP, he has also managed to pump out a new solo album "Sucking On Prawns In The Moonlight", a monster piece of work set to raise his status and the game once again. Using a variety of producers for this project we also get to hear him rap over his own beats which is something (to our knowledge) he has kept separate until now. Like many of you, we have been eagerly awaiting a new solo release from our favourite outspoken rapper. The wait is finally over, check out our first impressions and final thoughts.
After swelling ominous drones and screeches, the opening track Great Attempt beings with a thick sombre atmosphere and deep melodies. Forget how you anticipated a Dike album to start, this is way better. The track creates a growing level of suspense in anticipation for the inevitable beat drop, which is as impactful as it is genius. This track fully sets the tone for the album and although we are going to see the old Dikestar that we know and love, this artist has adopted some new trains of thought which are reflected in his more recent works. Just when you think this track couldn't get any better, Fliptrix drops in. The opening track of an album needs to make a statement, Sam Zircon and Naive over deliver with the beat (which is so damn good when it finally drops) and with having the man behind High Focus also feature makes it all the more monumental. Alcoholic Tosser lulls you into a false sense of security with its catchy intro that quickly switches into the dark hip hop vibes we have come to associate with Dikestar. Both producer and Dike go in hard for this track. Before his opening verse we get a great throwback 90's style hook giving Chairman Mafs beat even more character. Dike hits his bars with flawless execution barely pausing for breath as he spews brilliance.
Dirty Dike - I Ain't Got A Clue
You have all seen it, watch it again. The first taste of the album came in the form of the epic "I Ain't Got A Clue" video which is now available with instrumental here. Defiantly a stand out track and a great way to showcase what is to come. Mallory and Josephine takes a darker turn immediately with the eerie sound effects over the beat and brutal drums that match the tone of the lyrical content in Dikes bars. We hear the tragic tale of two protagonists who are born into misery and slip down a horrific path of violence, drugs, prostitution and insanity. Dike is excellent at crating complex stories and this track sees him take a more serious approach whereas he may have used a more comedic angle in he past. The is a new and improved Dike. We still get the priceless one liners and the meaningful content, just through the eyes of a more experienced Dikestar, showing how he has evolved as an artist, giving a deeper vibe to some of the tracks featured on the album.
Dirty Dike - Isleham Swamp
The second single to be released of the album, Isleham Swamp was a nice surprising shift in mood away from the last track, with a more sentimental take on this track. Joe Corfield gives us a chilled beat with delicate pianos and vocal shots and Dike delivers a another stella performance. Link to order the single is here. After a quick Lamb Shank Intermission we're introduced to the second half of the album which kicks off with the semi titular Prawns. Dikestar smashes the bars over a filtered beat before it bounces to life, another banging piece of production from Chairman Mafs. "Sucking On Prawns In The Moonlight" was described in the press pack as "any mischievous outdoor moonlit adventure, that feels luxurious to you in any way, whether you know it or not" which I think we've all been guilty of at some point... and now we have a soundtrack for those such occasions. Take Over featuring Remus starts heavy from the get go. Hypnotic vocal chants and Indian flavoured licks laid over a tight drum loop are the foundation for this banger. Mixing up the vibes again in this tune as Remus and Dike go in on the verse with a beasty hook to match.
Paper Tigers up next packed full of scratchy keys and ominous melodies. The track features Task Forces' Chester P and The Four Owls Verb T. All three emcees kill it on this track with flows that all compliment the mellow yet mildly sinister tones conjured up from the beat. Me And You is punchline after punchline by two of the finest in the scene. Featuring Jam Baxter on this one, both Dike and Baxter smash a lengthy verse each branding some classic one liners from both. These boys together are on another level, and that shows from the various tours and colabs they've produced over the years. This one is no different. Production on this one is handled by Dike himself and he captures the simplicity of the vibe of the track with a neck cracker of a beat.
This is followed up by Crystal Candy with its chilled pads and melancholic keys, Dirty Dike tells a personal and vivid story of a first hand account of watching the devastating effects of drug abuse and self destruction. Dike strikes a fine balance between subtle and the blunt force of a hammer with ease and the result is a haunting track full of raw aggression, offsetting the mood of the contrasting beat behind it. Feast is next and Konchis provides a sombre backbeat with minimalist percussion for Dike to come in hard with the vicious bars that we all love him for and makes it seem so effortless with the laid back delivery on this one. We hear about Dikes frustrations with the music industry throughout the first verse and this is backed up with a great hook. One of the best tracks on the album (which is saying something), Hold My Hands is a deep and slow moving track with an honest and oddly sentimental few minutes of Dirty Dike seemingly speaking out to the people closest to him. Whether its his fans, family or friends, this tracks sheds some light on how he expresses himself to the people around him also reflecting on how he has changed over the years. Klagen brings a nice change with his sound giving Dike the perfect beat for the topics covered in his bars. The album comes to a close with an absolute monster of a track. Like his last couple of solo albums, Posse Gang Eight Million is a cypher style track featuring some of the UK's biggest rappers. This time Dike is joined by Remus, Ocean Wisdom, Jam Baxter, Lee Scott and Dabbla. Dike produced the dark beat and as always likes to wrap things up in style.
After Return Of The Twat, we at Locality Reviews thought. Dike had reached his peak, putting out a great album and showing he truly is one of the best around. We didn't think he was done, just reached the limit of how good he would get. But since then he has found new ways to excel even further as a hip hop artist by put out the Dirty Dike Production series showing us all how talented he is at making beats and now, SOPITM blows away any foolish preconceptions of him reaching his peak. This album has the same Dike we have always loved but also gives you so much more. He has definitely spiced things up by having a so much variety when it comes to the style of tracks on the album, that includes everything from the lyrics/stories told, the plethora of producers used (including himself) and all the guest features from a host of heavyweight UKHH stars. Dike has once again out done himself with this new release not only raising his status as an artist, but also raising the profile of the whole UKHH scene. Massive props to Dike for the new album, this is one hundred percent his finest work to date. Easily a five star album.
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Reviewd by Double S & NDLC
