Go into the comments section of Headie One’s latest music video ‘Rose Gold’ and you might find comments such as: “Fred Again crying into his almond yoghurt somewhere…”, “One day I went to Fred, Now I don’t go back to Fred Again”, and “This is the Headie we missed not that one from that gang album”. Baring in mind all these comments have accumulated hundreds of likes, it’s interesting then that ‘GANG’, which has seen so much slander from drill music enthusiasts, is actually Headie One’s most critically acclaimed musical endeavour. After numerous 5 star reviews, you’d think that the critics consensus would have been echoed by genuine fans. But that’s really not the case here. ‘GANG’ was a big leap in Headie One’s musical evolution and he himself has said that “I’d be holding back my talent” if he only stuck to drill music. Yet this appears what a large portion of his listeners want judging by the comments of the ‘Rose Gold’ video and countless tweets upon the release of ‘GANG’.
So, why is that? Why is experimentalism discouraged in artists like Headie One from grassroots fans? Firstly, I think a lot of it is because Headie One is frighteningly good at making drill music. His voice is unique and so is his delivery. It’s effortless. Characterised by his expressionless face whilst delivering his chillingly calm bars, Headie One quickly emerged as one of the front runners in the drill scene thanks to tracks ‘Know Better’ and ’18HUNNA’. 2019’s ‘Music x Road’ was where Headie One really moved ahead of his contemporaries with what was a pivotal release in the history of the genre. There were hints that a musical progression to something like ‘GANG’ might be coming, but I don’t think anyone really expected it this soon if at all. Listeners probably anticipated more of the same from ‘GANG’ and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially as Headie is seen by many as having the potential to be the GOAT of drill. If this was his ambition, more drill music would have made sense, but clearly Headie One was looking for something more and genuinely believes in his own ability to move out of the genre and hold his own.
I also think that the nature of drill music played some part in the mixed reception to ‘GANG’ and understandably some fans of Headie’s drill might have felt betrayed by a shift toward music that they felt at odds with. Drill music is an expression from the unexpressed, an often grizzly detailing of life beneath the surface of society. It exposes the lengths people have to go to in order to survive the environment they were born into, with illegality being unfortunately pivotal in the lives of those striving every day. Despite what your grandma and various other tweed-wearing gentry might say, the lifestyle depicted is never glorified or glamourised, it is simply an outlet for a repressed youth to express themselves and their struggle. So, when Headie One makes a musical shift away from this, its a subconscious shift away from the culture too for those that think that way.
But, in reality, ‘GANG’ is a musical triumph and paves the way for the future of drill music and British rap. Recycling the first track from ‘Music x Road’, Headie One and Fred Again kickstart the album in the most genius way, immediately informing the listener that the following will be the same content as before but told differently. Cutting the track up and sprinkling piano throughout, the song builds in momentum as the vocal experimentation from Headie begins. This escalates in the title track which follows and I think this is moment of the album when I felt that I was in for a unique experience. ‘GANG’ is subtle and confessional, as is the rest of the album, and sees Headie reflecting on the work his parents did for him and calculating how he will repay them. He recalls the actions that led him to jail and the toned down instrumental from Fred Again gives him the perfect platform to do this.
The features on this record are expertly chosen too. the FKA Twigs instrumental ‘Judge Me’ is just the typical beauty we have come to expect from her, and the Sampha assisted closing track ‘SOLDIERS’ dovetails the most emotionally driven drill record to date. Jamie xx’s appearance on ‘Smoke’ helps to make it perhaps the single most notable moment on the record’s 22 minute run time where it sounds like the future is being written. It’s almost dance music but not quite. It’s jumpy and atmospheric whilst still being punctuated by the raw emotion that Headie One continually spills all over the track list. I wasn’t sure on the track at first, but that’s just because I’d never heard anything quite like it. Naturally, a few listens later, I loved it. I think what Headie One and Fred Again have done on this record is something that won’t be immediately appreciated by its core audience but will have a long lasting impact on the genre from which Headie One stems. Slowly but surely, this record will gain the respect it deserves from drill music fans as the limits of the genre continue to be tested and expanded.
Really, this album has only been slept on because it is different. That’s it. Artistic experimentation should always be encouraged in all genres to avoid music become stale and vapid, and ‘GANG’ is just the beginning of what is to come in the 2020’s. I just hope Headie One stays true to this course and doesn’t feel the need to limit his huge potential by rinse and repeating tried and tested formulas. He’s set himself up for musical greatness here and hopefully more artists follow in his footsteps when it comes to diversifying their sound. There will be hits and misses, but music as a whole will benefit from it. Just like he shows on the cover of this album, Headie One is looking up whilst everyone else is simply looking straight ahead, masterfully connoting his inevitable ascension to the very top of his game.
The Turntable 