JESHI’S GRIT REMAINS ON ‘THE GREAT STINK’ [@JESHI100]

Walthamstow’s very own, Jeshi made his mark on London’s landscape last year with his debut album, Universal Credit. Jeshi’s lyricism often focuses on the working class experience and while his latest EP, The Great Stink sees a shift in focus to what Jeshi deals with living in London, the grit still remains. The Great Stink takes it’s name from an era in Central London where high temperatures aggravated the bad smell of the sewage system that lead to the River Thames, which occurred in 1958. Painting London  as gloomy and bleak, Jeshi’s ability to pinpoint details that contribute to the scenes he’s setting while also being relatable really allows listeners to see his artistry for more than beats and bars. 

  Speaking of beats, the production on the record is so eclectic that it almost makes the EP feel dystopian, but Jeshi’s raw cadence is what keeps it grounded. The tempos and rhythms on the record emulate feelings of anxiety. The glitchy synths on ‘Air Raid’ that combine with the kick drums make for a hardhitting opener that’s still pretty refreshing because these aren’t sonics you tend to hear within the landscape of London rap.

‘Head Height’ takes a different approach with melancholic instrumentation as a glimmer of nostalgia bleeds through the chord progressions.

Jawnino’s feature on the ‘Bad Stomach’ compliments Jeshi, both rappers carrying that raw, gritty cadence over different styles of production – when we reach Jawnino’s verse the pace picks up rapidly from the moody, yet somewhat suspenseful keys where Jeshi was laying down lines introspectively.

Jeshi proves once again to be raw and relatable, shedding light on the realities Londonders know all too well.

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