DENZEL HIMSELF

Imagine an alternate universe in which hip hop collective Odd Future had been born among the grey towers of London as opposed to the sunny surroundings of Los Angeles. Were this true, Denzel Himself would almost certainly fit right in. Throwing together neo soul with psych jazz and a furious flow peppered with South London inflections, Denzel Himself has already been around the block once before. His Pleasure EP was released a few years back but, with the re-recorded ‘Thrasher’, he’s back to give it another go.

Everything about ‘Thrasher’ screams style. From the moody trap beats intertwined with the cool as cucumber saxophone, right through to Denzel’s Roots Manuva-esque distinct vocal stylings, ‘Thrasher’ is the product of an artist that takes nothing for granted. Carefully crafted yet almost haphazard in nature, Denzel is in complete control (He calls himself Himself because he does it all himself, of course; something cleverly referenced in the equally stylish and chaotic video that accompanies the track). Re-birth, re-boot – call it what you want but Denzel Himself is back and he’s doing it in style.

Words by Chris Taylor

Tipped by Kier from The Monitors