FADER PREMIERE
UK hip-hop has taken a bashing over the years, perpetually accused of mimicking its American counterparts and paling into insignificance next to London's fertile grime scene. DELS, happily, is a breath of fresh air. The London rapper's 2011 debut album GOB showed promise, full of musical ideas and visually arresting lyricism, yet it sadly got lost amidst some of the year's bigger electronic releases. Now he's back with "RGB," the first single from his new album Petals Have Fallen (out November 4th on Big Dada), and that initial frisson is back ten times stronger. Over a raw, roughed up beat by produced by long-time cohorts Micachu and Kwes—and live drums from new FADER favorite GEoRGiA—he drops post-internet savvy lines that circle the brain like a watchful hawk: Love, you've got to shout louder / Crank up the hearing aid / Dialogue's the power. If you're in London, catch DELS at the 555-5555 club night on August 22nd, along with patten, Appleblim & Komon, PhOtOmachine, Prayer and Max Tundra.