slowthai is on the cover of the May issue of DIY!

With actual IRL summer edging ever closer, we’ve got a May issue packed full of some of the stars guaranteed to be this year’s big hitters - over the festival season, and beyond.

Out this Friday (May 10th), we welcome Northampton rapper slowthai to the cover for the first time ahead of the release of his hugely-anticipated debut ‘Nothing Great About Britain’.

A prescient voice for our times, here he talks to us about the problems currently facing young people, the double standards of Brexit and how he wants to use his burgeoning fame for good.

“Some British rappers might rap in a way that’s very general, because they don’t want their regionality to get in the way of them blowing up or getting a Drake co-sign, but that’s not me,” he tells us. “I want to write references that you will only get if you’re British because, growing up, I was taught to be proud of where you come from. I could aim to take over the world and fall flat on my arse. This place where I’m from, Britain, is the only place I truly understand, as that’s my home, so why would I rap about anything else? So long as I can be the King of Northampton, that’s all that matters.”

Elsewhere, we catch up with Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes as they prepare to take new LP ‘End of Suffering’ all the way to Reading & Leeds’ evening Main Stage, and catch up with electro stalwarts Hot Chip as they explain the positive and collaborative message behind their latest, A Bath Full of Ecstasy.

Two very different but equally excellent alumni of our Class of 2019 - Aussie mad ‘uns Amyl & the Sniffers and Irish dreamers Whenyoung - both release their debut albums this month: we join the former tearing around Hamburg, and the latter for a more civilised tour around their London haunts to get the lowdown.

Still want more? How about an in depth catch up with Two Door Cinema Club ahead of the release of their next album? A big emotional farewell to Superfood as they play their final gig? A big ol’ review of Vampire Weekend’s comeback album ‘Father of The Bride’? And chats with some soon-to-be-favourites including Canada’s Pottery, Bristol’s Heavy Lungs (featuring Danny Nedelko himself!) and Amsterdam’s EUT for this month’s Neu?

You lucky people!

The new issue of DIY is out this Friday - order a copy or subscribe below, and we’ll see you then!