Ty Upwards

• Words: Peter Nicholson
• Label: Big Dada
• XLR8R Rating: /10

Throw out your "UK rap" or "conscious" qualifiers-Ty comes correct with hip-hop that's built to last, regardless of where it was made. On his second full-length, Ty manhandles the mic, but also steps behind the board with production partner Drew, turning out bouncy, infectious tracks that recall the genre's more freeform street party roots. With its Afro-beat-inclusive flavors (including a little help from Fela's drummer Tony Allen) and songs purpose-built for broken-beat dancefloors ("Wait A Minute" and "Groovement"), Upwards is at once classic and groundbreaking.