[REVIEW] Kae Tempest’s Self-Titled Is Defiant And Intimate With A Stark Sense Of Urgency

One thing you can always count on in the music landscape is that there will never be a shortage of ‘Self Titled’ albums released. Usually saved for up-and-coming acts ready to drop their debut albums or larger acts struggling to think of a strong title for their new album. The baggage that also arrives with this title is the overused statement: “Their most personal work yet.” It’ll pop up on many press releases for self-titled albums, whether that’s actually true or not.

Following on from this anecdote, the south London-based rapper, songwriter and poet Kae Tempest, has actively obliterated any preconceptions of this overused album title. This is not Kae Tempest by Kae Tempest, this is Self Titled, looking inwards in ways his past work never has before. Crafted with Frazer T Smith, known for his production work on Stormzy’s Gang Signs And Prayer, Smith urged Tempest to go deeper: “There's something else I think that needs to come out of you right now”. For an artist that’s created multiple conceptual projects that tell other characters' stories, Self Titled is a deeply personal project that still reminds you that Kae’s songwriting pen is as sharp as the sword will ever be.

The lead single, ‘Statue In The Square, ’ bounces along while having a sense of rebellion bleeding from every angle. This is not just a track to move to; this is an anthem. Kae is spitting with utter alertness here, commenting on the UK’s treatment of its trans population. “Its not a disorder or a dysfunction, disgusting the way they discuss us.”

‘Bless The Bold Future’ is a synth-filled dancehall belter discussing the ethics of raising children in our world's current shoddy state, again carried by the sharpness of his lyricism and bolstered by some truly angelic backing vocals courtesy of Tawiah.

‘Know Yourself’ is a sharp triumph of a track that utilises an old vocal sample of Kae’s, with him spitting alongside a younger version of himself, channelling years-old lyrics with the intent being as strong as ever. Its production is slightly menacing with addictive drum arrangements as two versions of one man come together, and reflect on the life he’s had and how he became the person his younger self needed.

Self Titled also has a very strong list of collaborators, unlisted on the tracks themselves, which plays into Tempest being at the forefront of this story in the same way Igor by Tyler, The Creator utilised its features. Neil Tenant of Pet Shop Boys fame absolutely shines in the chorus on the disarming ‘Sunshine On Catford’, a statement about finding someone you can be your fullest self around. Try not to be moved to tears as the piano drips into the chorus with Tenant lamenting: “I never knew how perfect I was, until I was perfect for you.”

On the grandiose ‘Breathe’, fellow musical disruptors Young Fathers deliver distorted hooks complementing the intent-filled freestyle Kae unleashes with venomous precision. While the track ‘Hyperdistillation’, has singer-songwriter Connie Constance hitting some hair-raising hooks over tender string arrangements, meshing with Kae beautifully in the chorus on this love letter to his hometown. Due to how heavy-hitting Tempest’s writing is, the production struggles to keep up with his tight-knit flow at times, as with songs like ‘Diagnoses’ feeling muted compared to this stark statement about embracing the imperfections you’ve been diagnosed with. Heel biting lyrics such as: “With all these letters we’re dragging around, it’s lucky I turned down that MBE.” suppress the sounds surrounding it, and left me wanting something a bit more weighty in its delivery.

‘Forever’ is another outlier here with production led by imposing trumpets and delicate piano tones, which I feel struggles to match the strength of Kae’s songwriting here, especially with this being near the tail end of the album, alongside some impressive production choices up until this point.

Warts aside, this album is a powerful and deeply personal statement, allowing Kae to not only share his story but celebrate it with the care it deserves. The album closer ‘Till Morning’ leaves us with a warming statement about survival, conjuring images of hazy sunrises as layered strings, saxophones, tubas and trumpets come together to complete the spoken word vulnerability laid out on the table: “But when the dark feels like it will never lift, that’s when the sky grows pale and the morning lives.”

★★★★