Kae Tempest - Self Titled

There’s something utterly vital and captivating about ‘Self Titled’ that feels new - even moreso considering it comes from an artist whose back catalogue is already in an enviable state. Easily Kae Tempest’s most personal album to date, the core of the record is formed around his gender transition, existence as a trans person in the UK today - in an increasingly hostile climate - and the bridges between his past and present selves. “We’ve been here from the start and we ain’t going nowhere,” he raps on the invigorating and anthemic ‘Statue In The Square’, a track that feels like a call-to-arms to his community to live authentically and with passionate purpose. ‘Know Yourself’ uses samples of Kae’s younger self, becoming a duet that breaks the boundaries of time; it’s an incredibly effective technique. What’s more, the album also features his most immediate work yet: ‘Diagnoses’ and ‘Statue in the Square’ have the catchiest choruses he’s recorded so far. “I’m alive,” he states on opener ‘I Stand on the Line’, and his performance feels that way, bursting with energy and vigour. He’s also captivatingly intimate on the record’s quieter moments, such as the gorgeous love song ‘Sunshine in Catford’ (which features a guest spot from Neil Tennant), six-minute centrepiece ‘Breathe’ (an intense piece that’s ironically able to leave the listener breathless), and its exhale of a coda ‘Till Morning’. In short, ‘Self Titled’ is a glorious piece of work, easily Tempest’s best and most unforgettable work to date.