MoStack finally delivers his debut album, as he evolves to be one of the frontrunners of UK rap. The north London native shows off his skills with his witty lyrics and lively production, proving why he is so important in UK culture. With a national tour in sight, he’s released an album filled with songs you’ll scream at the top of your lungs.
His cheeky yet clever delivery provides a comedic element, as he reminds us of his self-proclaimed ‘funny gangster’ persona. On the third track, ‘Stinking Rich’, MoStack teams up with Dave and J Hus to tell a story of progression over an orchestral backing track. MoStack “flipped the script” and overcame his odds to be success, like a gangster coming out the mud – although he retains his comedic edge when he claims even his perfume is “stinking rich”. The next track, ‘Respect & Love’, ingeniously interpolates his breakthrough hit ‘What I Wanna’ by having the melody played in the background on an electric guitar. This innovative take on UK rap is should be highly commemorated, and is definitely a highlight.
The mixture of electronic synths with the classical chords on tracks like ‘Take Em Down’ and ‘Make Fall In Love & You Can Keep Me Forever’ diversifies the album’s overall tone and shows that there are numerous sounds in UK rap. MoStack even presents a house track called ‘I Want You’, which is full of funky and rhythmic beats to keep you two-stepping. This energetic feel carries on into the last two tracks – both singles – ‘Wild’ and ‘What I Wanna’. Although the album doesn’t come to a definitive end, the two tracks leave you full of positive vibes.
The album’s eclectic tone – serious one moment, funny the next – can be jarring, but leaves us with an album that offers ongoing appeal; there’s something for every mood here. It’s a record designed for playlist consumption, a real pick’n’mix. That does mean ‘Stacko’ is sometimes inconsistent, but proves MoStack is an endearing star.
