With its tight and intricate multisyllabic rhyme schemes ‘Battle Of The Mind’ is a track that can rekindle the fire that may have smouldered out in many a hip hop head.
The beat by Hoopaloop is gorgeous, a rich bed soundscape that lets the listener nestle in and get comfortable. It has just a touch of old school and a classic drum pop to keep it feeling fresh.
The track evokes that dreamy and ethereal liminal space conjured up in the popularity of the chillbeats scene but has an electric energy that lifts it to another level.
Kairo is an incredibly confident and accomplished MC. He has the patience and craft to pen carefully stitched tapestries punctured with different strings of schemes interwoven to keep you coming back to admire the art of it.
Lyrically it is always refreshing to hear MCs who tackle the bigger picture rallying against the clichés and tropes of the genre to wrestle with darker themes and a positive message.
It reminds us of old Yack favourite Shlick Smit combining effortless cool with funky flow that leaves a minty fresh tingling on the ear.
Words by Matt Miles
