South London experimentalist KEYAH/BLU’s ‘Ring The Alarm’ warns us all of our future dangers.
Words: Liam Cattermole (@liam_cattermole)
KEYAH/BLU is back and defying classification more than ever. Returning at the tail end of 2022 with ‘Bollucks’, a single revelling in lo-fi trap greatness, the singer-rapper-producer has since dropped a handful of tracks. Her latest, ‘Ring The Alarm’, is produced by frequent collaborator Denzel Himself, who turns to golden-era jungle/dnb as a strong source of reference.
Adding to the tune's distresses, KEYAH/BLU lathers her refrained screams over the erratic raga breaks. 'Two bumps and I’m back again' she shrieks at one point, alluding to the veracities of a heavy night out, adding later 'got the bakers blowing up my phone'.
It’s not an easy listen, but that’s the beauty of ‘Ring The Alarm’. In an era when so many play it safe and try to make something so listenable, it’s refreshing to find KEYAH/BLU willing to challenge her audience. Sorry, I Forgot You Were Coming, her only project to date, came out three years ago, and to celebrate its anniversary, the south east Londoner will be releasing a vinyl with the original tracklisting and a set of B-sides.
