The launching of Branded New coincides with autumn blowing in a tasty selection of new albums: Snow Patrol, Killers, Dido, Sway and Oasis to mention a few. However here we will not just concentrate on songs you will find on iTunes featured but also reveal debutants and remixes that surface across the intangible blogosphere and provide them to you on a small, clean silver platter. Take the jump for our first featured artist: Sway.
Featured Artist: Sway
Album: Signature LP
Released: 5 October 2008
Genre: Hip Hop/ Rap
Dcypha Productions
Sway Dasafo has been a big name on the UK hip-hop and grime scene since his release of his first album “This Is My Demo” in 2006. Since he signed to Akon’s Konvict music, he has been touted to become on of the few UK hip-hop artists to make the difficult leap across the Atlantic, the Signature LP is an obvious and well-constructed attempt. The first track “fit 4 a king” is a cross between a traditional US hip hop beat with distinct UK rapping and singing. The sound that this marrying produces is refreshingly original but at the same time easy to listen to. “Silver & Gold” features Akon and is probably the song that will introduce Sway to the US. It’s a generic but guaranteed success, coming out of the same studio that that keeps T-Pain in the top ten. But Sway’s artistic integrity has not been lost as great UK beats can bee seen in ‘Say It Twice, ‘End of the Road’ and my personal favorite ‘Walk Away’.
Sway’s distinct rapping and provocative lyrics remain throughout the album but a few annoying hooks in unnecessary tracks forces me to give the album a 4/5.
