Walls sweating, bass pulsating, bodies moshing: if you missed the ‘Len and Friends’ show, then you severely lacked.
Last Saturday, Stockwell’s finest sold out the Oslo Hackney. Hosted by STAR-GO, the venue was a canvas for him to paint an evocative picture of the inner-workings of his visionary mind. That headline show was an excursion of intensity and passion.
This show comes after Len recently shelled an opening set for US rapper LUCKI; still riding on the high of the release of his DEAD END mixtape. Speaking on the tape, Len comments:
“Life is a loop; life is a dead end. you can’t escape the pain or the loss, but you also can’t run out of good days or love”.
Len has fast been making a name for himself, building a cult-following with a string of single releases this year, including ‘D3VILGOTSTEEZE’ and ‘BRAND NEW BIH’. Never one to put artists in boxes, I'd say he is a breakout star from the “underground scene” if we even want to call it that. Len is definitely #overground.
The show’s structure itself was a peek into Len’s boundaryless, creative mind, as he continues to lean further into his experimental bag. Master orchestrator of the night, the setlist was an exhilarating concoction of styles and tempos. So unique in formatting, having featured artists jump on stage was a great way to break up the tracks and keep the energy up throughout the night. With special guest appearances from the likes of OG KEMi, BXKS, kwes e and Oscar #Worldpeace, I think it's important to recognise the way in which Len puts on for his scene.
Notable highlights to the night include the Sam Wise-assisted ‘ANYWAYS’ which saw Len and Sam trade fast-paced flows over the jumpy instrumental. Additionally, the track ‘SELLINDAT’ ranks high as a standout - with a catchy hook and its infectious energy. There is something about hearing a song you have been rinsing on Spotify gain a new lease of life when performed on stage. Len’s stage presence was undeniable, as he dropped melodic lyrical glaciers over trap-inflected beats.
My personal favourite track closed the show. ‘SOLACE’, with its rumblings of jungle-tinged production, could be felt all the way along Hackney high street. Singing along with the crowd, you couldn’t help but feel this is a man that has the streets on lock.
2022 really has been a breakout year for Len, and he’s only getting started. We cannot wait to hear what lies in store for his debut album: LEHGOLAND.