Nasty P -‘Choosers Can’t Be Beggars’ (KFM)

If you still think that the idea of Scottish Hip-Hop is an oxymoron, then actually, the joke’s on you. Acts like The Young Fathers and Stanley Odd (both of them from Edinburgh) have been making steady inroads for a couple of years now. Added to which, Nasty P has been involved with the acclai8med Soul Biscuits club, which lends its’ name to one of the standout tracks.

Nasty P is a producer, so this album is more of the ilk of acts like Burial, DJ Shadow and fellow Scot Rustie, rather than being driven by his lyrical flow. It’s a dark-sounding record, not in terms of violence (thankfully) but those looking for radio-friendly Hip-Hop with R’N’B choruses won’t find it here. There are collaborations with Jurassic 5’s Akil and Skinnyman, amongst others, which should draw in the curious.

Final track ‘Signs’ with its’ 80s computerised backing is probably the standout track here. It seems a little at odds with the rest of the album – not in terms of quality – but in terms of its’ sound and approach. It’s a short album at 34 minutes, but repeated plays (I played this four times in one morning) do reveal other aspects of a well-rounded album.

Nasty P continues to make his mark felt. An album worth hearing and getting to know.

***1/2

Choosers Can’t Be Beggars is released on March 14 on KFM.