Kae Tempest

Self Titled marks a continuation of the sea change Kae Tempest began on his revelatory 2022 album, The Line Is a Curve. Until that point, the acclaimed London rapper, poet, and author had mostly focused his prodigious storytelling gifts on others, examining the human condition as a whole, while generally avoiding direct introspection. That all changed post-pandemic when he came out as non-binary and boldly turned the spotlight inward with his most intimate album yet. Self Titled, Tempests fifth LP, takes this a step further, launching a new chapter as a trans man and documenting his journey with unflinching candor. With a new label in Island Records and a new producer in Fraser T Smith, the table is set for a mid-career reinvention. Opening salvo "I Stand on the Line" wastes no time getting into the weeds. Cinematic and gritty, its the story of Tempests transformation, describing in great detail the agony of his younger years and the fraught journey to become his true self. His dissection of trans representation continues on the sly "Statue in the Square," a dark-witted takedown of societal fears and fascinations brilliantly punctuated by its chorus: "They never wanted people like me round here, but when Im dead, theyll put my statue in the square." With a voice noticeably altered by hormone treatments, he plays across time with his earlier iteration on "Know Yourself," another highlight that samples lines from a pre-trans Tempest in an affecting duet with his present self. Tonally, Smiths production careens between his pop instincts and the grimier textures that draw out some of Tempests latent ferocity as an emcee. The latter is what gives Self Titled its emotional punch, showcasing the best of Tempest as both writer and performer. Like its predecessor, the album also features a number of notable guests, among them Scottish alt-rap heroes Young Fathers and Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant. Five albums into an already sterling career, Tempest has made no real missteps, keeping his catalog consistently interesting, emotionally engaging, and, above all, incisive. ~ Timothy Monger

サウス・ロンドン出身のラッパーにとって5枚目のアルバム。フレイザーT・スミスが全編を制作、ニール・テナントやヤング・ファーザーズなど多くのゲストを迎え、辛辣な社会批評と自身の人生を振り返る言葉が共立した音楽を作り上げている。トランスジェンダー男性の立場からトランス差別が蔓延る現在を批判した"Statue In The Square"は、その作風を象徴する曲だ。
bounce (C)近藤真弥