A very concise (if slightly late) post this week. This track is new to me but the artists I am aware of. The first gig I went to following my move back to London in 2010 was at a grotty, nautically themed pub in New Cross. It was a friend's birthday and the event was part of a series called Look At Me SE15 - a showcase for local music. I knew that the fantastic Eska would be playing but apart from that I wasn't expecting much, which made the appearance of Conrad The Scoundral and United Vibrations all the more memorable. Conrad is a grime MC who has incredible charm, and fairly uniquely for a grime artist, sharp humour and genuine humility. United Vibrations are a 4 piece from South London who fuse afrobeat, reggae, free jazz, rock and hip hop with politicised lyricism - I realise that makes it sound like the worst kind of free festival worthy nonsense but they lift themselves beyond that with their sheer energy and talent.
I've since got involved with helping the UV guys on a distribution tip, and they have lived up to my early impressions. Fiercely passionate, opinionated and talented, they make the kind of music that excites me. I also discovered through them a rich vein of music in the area that includes the 12Tone Brass Band, Stepsons, Illersapiens and Ruby Rushton: a loose collective of young artists who remind me of the vibe we had in Leeds that birthed First Word. Look out for more from the above in the coming months, but in the meantime check out UV and Conrad's latest single 'London Bridge' and make sure you catch them live!
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