Rural by Jakebob

Continuing to capitalise on his unfalteringly prolific workrate, Jakebob returns with his debut vocal album, ​Rural ​ – its title a nod to his roots in the quaint market town of Leominster, which he pokes fun at during the opening skit. An ambitious showcase of his versatility across the sonic spectrum, the LP forays into grime, trap, hip hop and even ambient cuts. While entirely self-produced – with assistance from Tubz on “L Ballad” and Lingerz on “CTRL+F” – the project’s main attraction is the 23-year-old’s distinctive lyrical delivery, in which he seamlessly slips melodic passages into his rhymes.

On breezy lead single “L Ballad”, Jakebob reflects on his mindstate and aspirations, soundtracked by a backdrop of blissful woodwind. Later, “Beamed Up” sees the young wordsmith dismiss his rivals, skipping over mechanical bleeps and rapid-fire basslines. “Rudeboy Soldier”, meanwhile, is a jaunty boom-bap triumph, with the Herefordshire MC swaggering over double bass riffs. Elsewhere, the LP is stacked with collaborations, including sixteen fast-paced bars from rising grime artist JoSoSick on “Orbit”; a soul-infused chorus from Monmouth’s SUTTY on the silky, acoustic hip-hop number “Cellar Door”; and an introspective input from Camden’s Tintz on the album’s eskibeat closer, “Final Path” – but none of these guests overshadow Jakebob, who undoubtedly establishes himself as a lyrical force to be reckoned with over the course of this thirteen-track musical mission statement.

DJ/Producer/MC

SoundCloud
Twitter