Kae Tempest builds anticipation for their upcoming album with a taut, thrilling track featuring Kevin Abstract.
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After a while of quiet following The Book of Traps and Lessons‘ release, Kae Tempest is finally back – this time with one of the recently split BROCKHAMPTON‘s most recognised members, Kevin Abstract.
Placing the poet atop a much more accessible style of boom-bap beat than they have ever been on before, Tempest delivers their trademark intense spoken-word verse with all of their cool and clarity, speaking on anxiety and freedom from that anxiety by a variety of means, such as drugs, love, literature, art, and parties. Kae’s flow intensifies and slows down throughout the extended verse perfectly, gaining momentum that coincides with the beat as it spirals increasingly out of control.
Kevin Abstract’s voice feels a little submerged in the beat, and as much as it may be intentional, it does bring the track down a little after the clarity of Tempest’s poetry. Regardless, Abstract also delivers a strong verse and the way that the beat explodes with soul singing following it is a distinctly liberating musical cue. Tempest’s extremely rare use of features makes this seem to be a move in a more mainstream and more hip-hop as opposed to spoken word direction, shifting in a clearer way towards music.
This single is the first tease for the upcoming album The Line is a Curve, and if this track and Kae’s track record are anything to go by, this is a record to anticipate highly.
‘More Pressure’ is now streaming. Listen on YouTube (with a lyric video) below:
