Stereo Typical [Green Vinyl]

by Rizzle Kicks

Overview

Graduates of the BRIT School, recent guest stars on X-Factor runner-up Olly Murs' chart-topper, and self-confessed lovers of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, it's clear from the outset that Jordan "Rizzle" Stephens and Harley "Sylvester" Alexander-Sule -- aka Brighton duo Rizzle Kicks -- aren't your average British hip-hop act. Steering clear of the usual "street" cliches, their debut album, Stereo Typical, is -- thankfully -- as refreshingly playful and unpretentious as you'd hope, given its 14 relentlessly summery tracks that sit somewhere between the flower-power rap of De La Soul and Jungle Brothers and the Lily Allen-fronted ska-pop explosion of the mid-2000s. The album's two Top Ten singles, the nostalgic "When I Was a Youngster," an infectious fusion of jaunty brass riffs and skittering drum'n'bass-tinged beats, and the appropriately titled "Down with the Trumpets" will both be familiar to anyone who has switched on a radio at some point over the last few months. But there are plenty more potential hits here, from the mariachi band staccato R&B of "Round Up" to the Latin-tinged "Stop with the Chatter" to the Wild West-themed big beat of "Mama Do the Hump," whose doo wop vocal samples, Faith-era George Michael acoustic strums, and flashes of harmonica bear all the cut-and-paste hallmarks of producer Fatboy Slim. Elsewhere, the eerie synth-led opener "Dreamers" highlights the pair's mischievous way with words ("We aim higher than Mariah in a choir"), "Miss Cigarette" is a clever acoustic jazz-tinged tale that compares the object of their affections to the addictiveness of smoking, while the contrast between Stephens' "so laid-back they're horizontal" MC skills and Alexander-Sule's sweetly soulful vocals is best showcased on the string-soaked "Traveller's Chant" and the ivory-tinkling reggae-pop of "Trouble." The album is less convincing when it takes itself a little more seriously, as on the woozy ambience of "Demolition Man" and the clattering hip-hop of "Homewrecker," suggesting they might have a bit of work to do once their whole "cheeky chappie" schtick has worn off. But for the time being, Stereo Typical's good-natured swagger marks Rizzle Kicks out as one of the British urban scene's most entertaining new talents. ~ Jon O'Brien

Product Details

Release Date:	04/23/2022
Label:	Island
UPC:	0602438832682
Rank:	89332

Tracks

1. Dreamers
2. When I Was A Youngster
3. Round Up
4. Down With The Trumpets
5. Demolition Man
6. Prophet (Better Watch It)
7. Mama Do The Hump
8. Miss Cigarette
9. Traveller's Chant
10. Stop With The Chatter
11. Homewrecker
12. Trouble
13. Learn My Lesson
14. Even On A Rainy Day

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Rizzle Kicks   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Norman Cook   Composer
James Dring   Composer
Jackie Edwards   Composer
Lee "Scratch" Perry   Composer
Danny Ray   Composer
Iyiola Babalola   Composer
Jody Street   Composer
Ant Whiting   Composer
Darren Lewis   Composer
Dean Barratt   Composer
Alex Spyropoulos   Composer
Tom Caruana   Composer
Simon "Barny" Barnicott   Composer
Craigie Dodds   Composer
Patrick Campbell-Lyons   Composer
Emily Phillips   Composer
Harley Alexander-Sule   Composer
Jordan Stephens   Composer
Dag Torgersbraten   Composer
William Davies   Composer