What Came Before

by Chase & Status

Overview

After revisiting their roots with 2019's RTRN II JUNGLE, an accompanying Fabric mix, and tour dates surrounding them, British dance duo Chase & Status resumed the guest-heavy, multi-genre format of their highest-charting albums. What Came Before, their sixth studio full-length, is a mixture of rave throwbacks, radio-friendly dance-pop, and the toughness of U.K. drill, all with drum'n'bass futurism as its guiding light. Opener "Don't Be Scared" spikes dubstep-tempo beats with rave stabs, bubbling percussion, and squelching acid, along with patient vocals by frequent collaborator Takura, who ends up sounding like Splinter, the sagely rat from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Following track "Go" leans closer to the sound of big beat-era Prodigy, with shuffling percussion and commanding synths leading the charge. The album dives into drum'n'bass with "Censor," which features Popcaan's smoother singing as well as IRAH's deep baritone ragga verses. "Run Up" is a visionary fusion of U.K. drill and hardcore breaks, with Unknown T's hyped-up vocals perfectly complementing the brash, booming bass. "When It Rains" is more dramatic, with BackRoad Gee delivering blunt street scenes over faint police sirens, then elevating to a heart-racing rhythm with a brassy, explosive bass tone.These forays into drill are easily the most impressive moments on What Came Before. Aside from the aforementioned tracks, there's a handful of enjoyable instrumentals throughout the album. The perky "5am" is the most celebratory of these, while "Consciousness" is a slightly jazzy ambient rinse-out, and "Forgive Dark" opens like something from Goldie's Timeless before progressing through glimmering, minimalist synth patterns and sharp, complex breaks. ~ Paul Simpson

Product Details

Release Date:	06/17/2022
Label:	Emi
UPC:	0602445446391
Rank:	85166

Tracks

1. Don't Be Scared
2. Go
3. Censor
4. Mixed Emotions
5. Over & Done
6. Run Up
7. 5 a.m.
8. Headtop
9. When It Rains
10. Hold Your Ground
11. Blazer
12. Consciousness
13. Forgive Dark

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Chase & Status   Primary Artist
Ethan Holt   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Takura   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
Popcaan   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
BackRoad Gee   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Pip Millett   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
IRAH   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Unknown T   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Clementine Douglas   Vocals
Jem Cooke   Vocals

Technical Credits

Andre Sutherland   Composer
Sean O'Keeffe   Composer
Clementine Douglas   Composer
Unknown T   Composer
Jemma Victoria Cooke   Composer
Georgia Willacy   Composer
BackRoad Gee   Composer
Crowns & Owls   Photography,Creative Director
Chase & Status   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Rob Playford   Composer
Rob Halford   Composer
Sean O'Keefe   Composer
Rob Macfarlane   Engineer
Stuart Hawkes   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Simon Colebrooke   Composer
Oliver Shaw   Design
Ezra Bryant   Composer
Saul Milton   Composer,Programming
Takura Tendayi   Composer
Will Kennard   Composer,Programming
Ethan Holt   Composer
Andrae Sutherland   Composer
Tyrese Ryan   Composer
Jem Cooke   Composer