Raskit

by Dizzee Rascal

Overview

Following a series of increasingly pop-minded full-lengths and collaborations with everyone from Calvin Harris to Shakira to will.i.am, Dizzee Rascal did an about-face with his sixth album, returning to a more hardcore sound similar to his groundbreaking 2003 debut. Raskit contains no guest vocalists, no sugary pop hooks, no samples of past dance-pop hits, and no uptempo songs. Instead, it mainly consists of ominous tracks that fuse grime with trap, and laser-focused introspective lyricism from Rascal. Even with grime experiencing a renaissance, as both veterans like Skepta and newcomers such as Stormzy enjoy international success and acclaim, it never feels like Raskit is a retread or a desperate bid to stay relevant. Rascal isn't oblivious to his status as an elder statesman of the scene -- on early standout "Wot U Gonna Do?," he gets right to the point, questioning what happens when one's fan base moves on and the artist is no longer relevant. "The Other Side" is a furious reclaiming of the throne, with Rascal asserting that he has nothing to prove and that he's entirely disinterested in making amends with his former ally Wiley (who also released a strong back-to-basics LP in 2017). Rascal demonstrates his rhyming dexterity on tracks like "Ghost," where his fast, nimble rapping is matched by a jungle beat for a brief moment. As the album progresses, it does feature some lighter moments and a bit of the playfulness Rascal is often known for. A few tracks have a bit of a hazy G-funk groove to them, and they lighten the mood a bit before it's back to hard bangers like "Everything Must Go" and the angular, buzzing "Sick a Dis." The album ends on a highly optimistic note with "Man of the Hour," where Rascal is amazed by his life's achievements; the song ends with a message of "mak[ing] the world a better place by preaching positivity and encouraging the youth, because the youth is the future." Raskit is by far the most captivating, powerful release from Dizzee Rascal in at least a decade. It certainly won't spawn four number one U.K. pop hits the way his platinum-selling fourth album, Tongue N' Cheek, did, but it's a necessary re-evaluation and re-focus of his talents, and proves that he's far from finished. ~ Paul Simpson

Product Details

Release Date:	09/15/2017
Label:	Island
UPC:	0602557714920

Tracks

1. Focus
2. Wot U Gonna Do?
3. Space
4. I Ain't Even Gonna Lie
5. The Other Side
6. Make It Last
7. Ghost
8. Business Man
9. Bop n' Keep It Dippin'
10. She Knows What She Wants
11. Dummy
12. Everything Must Go
13. Slow Your Roll
14. Sick a Dis
15. The Way I Am
16. Man of the Hour

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Dizzee Rascal   Primary Artist,Vocals
Niko   Vocals
KeriAnn Watson   Vocals

Technical Credits

Teddy Samba   Programming,Musical Producer
Dizzee Rascal   Producer,Vocal Producer,Additional Production,Mixing
Robert E. Howard   Composer
Donae'o   Producer
Dylan Mills   Composer
Deputy   Producer
Jon Mills   Composer,Programming,Instrumentation
Andre da Silva Gomes   Composer
Ian Greenidge   Composer
Jake Gordon   Mixing,Vocal Producer
Dan Farber   Mixing,Composer,Producer
Matt DeFreitas   Mixing
Ronald LaTour   Composer
Wilfred Kouassi   Programming,Musical Producer
Colin Brain   Assistant Engineer
Yair Rosenblum   Arranger
Cardo   Producer
Kurtis McKenzie   Composer,Programming,Instrumentation
Valentino Khan   Mixing,Composer,Producer,Programming,Musical Producer
Jamil Pierre   Composer
The Arcade   Producer
The Heavytrackerz   Producer
Paul Salva   Composer,Producer
The Darkness   Producer