Latest album 4everevolution, a kaleidoscopic slab of confounding musical styles, has quite rightly found universal acclaim, and been touted by all and sundry as his finest work to date. Such plaudits should infuse this north London show with a triumphant air as it celebrates a true, homegrown talent.
Veering from straight-up hip hop to pop-skewed funk, from dub-driven and disco-flavoured beats to epic strings-backed soul ballads, complete with mournful choruses, Roots Manuva’s latest is a truly astounding record. Traversing genres, fusing the old with the new, throwing a shitload of styles together into a heady musical broth, it’s by turns moving and humourous, wryly observed, challenging and, above all, an instantly rewarding record that demands repeat listens.
Since storming on to the scene with his ground-breaking debut Brand New Second Hand in 1999, Roots Manuva has ascended the ranks from being a MOBO-winning newcomer once described as the ‘voice of urban Britain’ (a label thrown his way by The Times) to a bona fide British hip hop institution. His unique voice, his instinctive home-spun lyrics, complete with references to cheese on toast and none-more-British bitter, stand him apart from many of his US-aping contemporaries. This show should be a blast.
The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Rd, NW1 8EH
Sat, Feb 4 | Doors at 7.30pm | £17.50
roundhouse.org.uk
Tube: Chalk Farm
