Despite the abrasive nature of U.K. garage, Dizzee Rascal has performed the extraordinary task of achieving eminence in various circles of British music, from his immediate contemporaries in grime and hip-hop to the less approximate in metal and indie. The Arctic Monkeys have gotten in on some mutually reciprocal sampling, and Dizzee was an unexpected highlight of 2004's Carling Festival; 2004 also hailing the release of sophomore effort Showtime.
Championed by the U.K. music press from the get go, Showtime was an exhibition of a nascent talent, rife with lyrical quickfire and experimentally minimal beats. Dizzee seemed more than ready to spill out into the mainstream, with songs about his roots in the ghetto of East London, the ambition to break away and the anxieties of prematurity resonating as both appropriate and a little amusing considering his blatant and enviable ability.
Maths + English is immediate in its effect; the burning hot pink album cover hinting at the confident, cocky, altogether in-your-face nature of the music within. Curiously, the record lets you in gently with the airy vibes of "World Outside," a track supplemented by the apparent percussive effect of cutlery being scraped together. It feels like an intro track and it lingers. The closing mantra of "There's gotta be more than this, man" is fortunately apt, however, as the subsequent and charmingly titled "Pussyole" is an unrelenting affirmation of what was to be expected from this more matured and thoughtful effort.
Musically it's also a signpost for the rest of the album. Rich with synths and samples it's certainly a welcome change; dance routines can now incorporate bobs of the shoulders rather than just nods of the head. The primary musical instrument, however, remains Dizzee's voice. Perhaps a little more latent in the shadow of the more concentrated musical backdrop, it remains as tight as ever; glass-edged, brutally-accented and lightning-quick.
Latest single "Sirens" is a dark and uncompromising outpouring of "old school storytelling shit" backed up by deep percussion and raspy guitar riffs. Dizzee spits out his manifesto in equal fashion, simultaneously brimming with humor and pique. Despite the light exterior, he still knows how to write a (literally) mean lyric, "Step into my zone get your whole face rearranged. I break the law, I will never change."
Call me old fashioned but I find Dizzee Rascal to be in his element when he's unloading rhymes like a man on fire; "Flex" being a case in point, mesmerizing in its incomprehensibility. The fast-paced beat and tropical melodies run parallel to the vocals, whereas the likes of "Suk My Dick" and "Hardback (Industry)" follow more rhythmic patterns, analogous to contemporary hip-hop. Perhaps all this really shows is that Dizzee isn't a one-trick pony, and as an M.C. he's not touted solely for his speed, regardless.
Maths + English is easy to judge on a comparative scale. Whilst previous efforts had a clear message of, "Here I come. Ready or not," this follows suit with a hefty "Here I am. Look at me!" Musically, however, it's difficult to say whether Dizzee works better with the extra layers. It's nice to think of Showtime-era Dizzee in a dark room spitting lyrics like blood from the mouth of a beaten boxer, but when the syllables come juxtaposed with the synths like runaway strobe lights, it's difficult to argue that this music isn't meant for good times. Less intrinsically experimental, dirty and arrogant, yet a rightful and essential perpetuation of an irrefutable superstar? You do the math.
