New York rap personality Wiki set to play Headrow House in July

Jay Fullarton on 5 June 2022

By now, the New York rap personality should need no introduction, with as much personality as an Action Bronson or an ODB. Wiki was one half of the cult-underground, abstract Hip Hop trio Ratking, who pushed boundaries with tracks like Canal. They emerged amongst the aggressive, hungry, innovative Hip Hop resurgence, amongst iconic supergroups like Odd Future, A$AP Mob, Black Hippy, and Pro Era – in what was surely Hip Hop’s second golden era.

Wiki is coming to Headrow House in Leeds on 25th July, for what should be one hell of a show. He’s always shown love to the UK, featuring a lesser-known King Krule on the classic Ratking track So Sick Stories, and also featuring Jesse James Solomon, and Obongjayar on solo tracks. So, we welcome him to Leeds with open arms, ready to hear his stories behind the mic in the intimate venue. 

After an incredible 2021, which begun with the severely underrated, overlooked side project with NAH, Telephonebooth – one of the grimiest, dirtiest portrayals of New York since Mobb Deep’s The Infamous, but only a brief, 21-minute glimpse into the dark alleyways and gritty underbelly of NYC.

His year only continued with a surprisingly even better LP, Half God, with production across the tracklist from Navy Blue (who also put on quite a show at Headrow House this year). With Wiki’s lyrical displays and gobby inflections, he shows off an almost New Yorkified Slowthai style delivery, or rather maybe, Slowthai mirrors an abrasive, even more chaotic, British version of Wiki… 

Earl Sweatshirt collaborator, Navy Blue – the LA based pro skateboarder, model, rapper, and producer extraordinaire with an already vast discography up his sleeve from over just two years, seems to have mellowed Wiki out – with Madlib style production behind the boards, Wiki shines over choppier, sunnier beats. With a clash of styles that should’ve been too difficult to pull off, their chemistry seems to work so well. A complete shock from the typical eeriness of Wiki’s bodega stock of rhymes and flows. 

From signed to independent, Wiki has remained one crazy, vivid storyteller; he will transport you to New York City with his penmanship, and his combinations of Hardcore East Coast Hip Hop, and Abstract Jazz Rap. Whilst still relatively low key, because of his talents Wiki has been incredibly influential on this new scene of experimental, alternative New York based emcees… Tracks like Roof are just a testament to this. Whilst he was once a Danny Brown type poster boy for weirdo, dark aesthetics, his latest is much less menacing and dingy, more bittersweet, hopeful, and seems to come from a better headspace, with a more personal, human quality to it.

Make sure to check out both Wiki’s solo output, and Ratking’s body of work (despite their split), and make sure you grab tickets while you can here! 

Live music fans to flock to Wakefield, as Long Division Festival makes its return

Benjamin Forrest on 30 May 2022

Forget Jubilee Weekend, forget Spring Bank Holiday, forget National Yoga Day – the real highlight of June 2022 is sure to be Long Division Festival in Wakefield. The 11th June will see over 70 artists take to stages all over the city centre. Last year’s festival was a massive success and, as you can tell by reading my review of the day here, it was just a brilliant day! 

This year’s line-up consists of loads of great artists – some that you will have already heard of, such as Sea Power (formerly British Sea Power), and some that you will have the pleasure of discovering on the day. Festivals are always fantastic places to discover your new favourite artists, at last year’s Long Division I happened upon Hands Off Gretel who became one of my most listened-to artists of 2021 and was also first exposed to the brilliant live performances of Low Hummer (the best band to come out of Hull since The Housemartins), who make a return to the festival this year playing an early slot at Venue 23. Rising indie band Honeyglaze, who recently supported Wet Leg at Brudenell Social Club, are a notable highlight within the line-up, playing an early evening slot at the Mechanics Theatre. Regardless of your taste, though, you are bound to find some good tunes at Long Division. 

With £36 tickets, Long Division, is one of the cheapest metropolitan festivals to come by. When you take into consideration that a train from Leeds to Wakefield takes 12 minutes and a return costs less than a fiver, along with the fact that drinks tend to be cheaper in Wakey – there doesn’t seem to be any logical reason not to go! 

Eurovision 2022 Grand Final: Ukraine claims its third victory, followed by the UK’s Sam Ryder and Spanish diva Chanel

Víctor Torres García on 17 May 2022

After several months in which fans from all around the world were constantly guessing who would win the 66thEurovision Song Contest, it is official now: the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra holds the trophy of this year’s edition of the festival.

On May 14th, the long-awaited Eurovision Song Contest 2022 grand final took place in Turin, Italy, after Måneskin’s unprecedented success in Rotterdam last year. During the so-called ‘Eurovision Week’, Italy proved to be a good host despite the technical difficulties the organisation was facing a couple of weeks before the beginning of the festival. Not only was it held in an earthly architectonical paradise but also, the venue and the stage itself were favourably adapted to the technological and media parameters this internationally-acclaimed festival required. Furthermore, the three hosts demonstrated their professionality and also added bits of Italian humour and sarcasm to their contributions, which made the show more engaging and certainly amusing. 

The long-awaited voting moment was characterised by ceaseless tension and uncertainty, since it consisted in a fierce battle among Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, which could have been considered the winner of this year’s edition if the votes from the jury would have been the only points to be taken into consideration. However, when the points from the audience (or televoting) were announced, Ukraine became the undeniable winner of the 66thEurovision Song Contest, as it received more than four hundred points from the televoting. The top five of the 2022 edition of the festival was formed by some of the songs fans considered to be their favourites to win. Although countries like Greece or Norway achieved a great position (eighth and tenth respectively), fans believed they would get a higher score, considering the hype around both songs. Another surprise was Czech Republic finishing in the bottom five, concretely in the 21st position, as fans were crazy with this entry since it was released. In general terms, this year’s Eurovision can be classified as one of the most competitive and challenging editions of the history of this competition. 

Kalush Orchestra, the Ukrainian Band who won this year’s festival, came up with a song called Stefania, which is perceived as a Ukrainian War anthem. Mixing folk sounds and rap flows, Stefania is about the hardships of being a mother and the lack of social support when raising a child. The abrupt speed changes and the multiple symbols used, such as the lullaby, provide a realistic depiction of the story behind the lyrics of the song. Women are depicted as both sensitive and strong beings, who have the power to strengthen society and make it evolve. Ukraine’s victory is now understood as a message of sympathy and support from Europe, which transcends the threshold of politics and economic power and makes use of music as a channel to preach unity, freedom and most importantly, peace. 

It is still surprising for British fans that the UK came second in the Eurovision Song Contest after many years trying to get a proper result in the competition. However, with Sam Ryder’s Spaceman, it can be said that the United Kingdom has found the formula that guarantees its entries success, engagement and recognition. In his song, the Essex singer talks about finding the light in darkness after difficult times. Demonstrating his vocal range on multiple occasions, Sam achieved a second position for its country, not only by means of a strong and unique pop song but also through a performance packed with lights, which spread hope and positivism and showed Ryder’s stage presence.

Spanish diva Chanel closed the top 3 with her song SloMo. Despite the harsh criticism she went through, the Spanish-Cuban artist, who spend her entire life devoted to the world of arts, proved to be one of the most talented, hardworking and praised acts of the history of the festival. SloMo preaches female empowerment and liberty, inviting every woman to dance and to feel proud and comfortable with their bodies. Chanel also deifies female diverse beauty, highlighting its uniqueness and attributing it a special power of seduction. In addition, she supports her message by means of a breath-taking performance, which combined modern dance moves, high-quality vocals and Spanish-inspired outfits and motifs, such as the use of the fan at the end of the performance. 

Although the previous three were the most remarkable performances of the night, there were other acts which ought to be highlighted, such as the Serbian entry. Konstrakta’s In Corpore Sano is a social criticism to Serbian public healthcare system. In this Balkan country, artists are deprived of the right to access public healthcare and have to be careful not to suffer from any disease, otherwise their monthly income could be notoriously reduced. Despite the ruthless reality the song describes, fans showed tremendous admiration for its message, catchy rhythm and also its eccentric performance. Another outstanding entry was brought by the Norwegian band Subwoolfer. Their song Give That Wolf a Banana provided the festival with the necessary humour so as to make both audience and contestants disconnect from the incertitude and tension the festival may generate. Moreover, it kept the audience guessing who was hiding behind the wolf masks.

Many fans also missed the presence of some entries in the grand final. One of the favourites, Cyprus’ Andromache and her ethnic pop song Ela, could not make it through the finals despite the huge support she received from the audience. The Irish representative, Brooke, found herself in the same situation. Although she did not guarantee her country a place in the Eurovision final, she confesses she is happy with her performance and that it was not probably the right time, showing herself positive, full of hope and willing to improve.

Nonetheless, the country where the contest will be held next year is still unknown. Normally, the winner is in charge to organise the festival but considering that this year’s winner is Ukraine, which is still under military threats, it is not likely that the competition will be held in the country. Although the Ukrainian president showed his willingness to organise the festival in Mariupol, the widely spread tension around the country does not provide any glimmer of hope at the moment. For this reason, the Spanish and the Greek delegations already mentioned that they would be willing to celebrate the festival in their countries in case Ukraine wins. However, many fans also speculate that the UK may be next year’s host. It still remains unknown but it will be announced soon enough so as for the whole continent to start looking for their next year’s star. 

A Fever Dream: Johnny Marr to visit iconic Leeds record store

Rishi Shah on 21 February 2022

Leeds’ Jumbo Records will play host to one of the most influential musicians of all time next Thursday 3rd March, when Johnny Marr will be visiting to sign copies of his new full-length album Fever Dreams Pts 1-4. For fans to have the chance to spend time up close and personal with Marr is no doubt a priceless opportunity, given the size of the rooms he has and will continue to fill in his illustrious solo career.

The last time Marr visited Leeds was back in September, where he played a glorious sold out show at Leeds University Stylus. If this show felt intimate enough, it is but a taster of the chance to actually meet the man himself in the snug environment of a record store. Marr is certainly made for the grandest of stages: just a few days later, he slotted in as main support for Courteeners at Old Trafford, and spring 2022 will see him fill arenas around the UK in support of Blondie.

Fever Dreams, effectively a collection of four EPs serving as a double LP, has thoroughly impressed so far, with hit singles ‘Spirit, Power and Soul’ and ‘Tenement Time’ particularly starring over the course of the first three instalments. The fourth, completionary part will be released this Friday 25th February, as Marr’s full project Fever Dreams Pts 1-4 takes physical form in an indies exclusive turquoise vinyl pressing.

His visit in Leeds will be the last on a whistle-stop tour of record stores around the UK, including his hometown Manchester’s Piccadilly Records on release day. His self-proclaimed ‘most ambitious solo project since The Smiths’ is out this Friday, and album bundles to access his Jumbo Records signing are on sale here.