Wiley - 100% Publishing

It’s no secret that grime has lost its footing somewhat in recent years. The genre’s slow dilution into a form that a more pop-loving audience will accept, full of big choruses and simplistic statements has been precipitated by those that were held as the original torchbearers. Wiley, with songs like his über-successful ode to expensive wristwatches is no exception. Whether you take the view that Wiley and others over-simplified grime or simply saw a market and targeted it spectacularly well, there’s no doubt that the once-vibrant genre is now seemingly in stasis. So where has ‘100% Publishing’ come from? So named because it was created entirely independently, Wiley’s seventh album in as many years is a reaction to seeing the scene he helped create dissipate, and a reflection on his own involvement in that process.

With that reflective attitude in mind, it becomes clear that ‘100% Publishing’ is all about the lyrics. This is self-criticism, self-affirmation and a statement of intent all rolled into a single package of slick, sparse beats underpinning Wiley’s relentless flow. On the title track Wiley runs the gamut of his emotions regarding his previous work and how he plans to continue, flashing from one idea to the next in a seamless verse structure, and this sets the agenda for the rest of the album. There’s a pride in his mainstream achievements, but by the same token he appreciates that may have left him unfulfilled, saying ‘This year I’m gonna go pop, but I don’t mean idol.’ That line sums up the album as a whole – there’s no dearth of hooks or songcraft, but this is intended as popular grime on Wiley’s own terms, not that of a record label as hungry for cash as he is for acclaim.

With this ideal comes a set of songs created lovingly and to his own exacting standards. First single ‘Numbers in Action’ is a masterclass in rhythmic delivery over irrepressibly bouncing beats while ‘I Just Woke Up’ is a stream of consciousness account of the godfather of grime’s typical day from bed to studio. The result is an album that appreciates the fact that Wiley has both lost and gained fans for the same reason, and a largely successful attempt at reconciling the two groups. It might not be successful in the mainstream for just that reason, but it’s good to know that the flag-bearers for the scene are still grafting, and Wiley knows he needs to fulfil that role to get the grime scene he loves so much back on its feet. ‘100% Publishing’ could be the answer.