Chase & Status

I think the definition of Diverse might soon be changed to just read Chase & Status. ‘No More Idols’ is packed with so many genres of music it is amazing. Four of these have already seen mainstream releases so the switch of style within ‘Blind Faith’, ‘End Credits’, ‘Let You Go’ and ‘Hypest Hype’ is already known but the album goes so much further. It all kicks off with an afro-Caribbean style track, before a ‘Let You Go’ style track kicks in – so far it’s all fairly much in the style you’d imagine. A couple of great singles pass before ‘Fool Yourself’ comes in with it’s lo-fi ambient feel with Plan B once again adding his amazing vocals; that is until MC Rage takes over in a Prodigy styled frantic rap.

‘Hitz’ features double Brits winner Tinie Tempah and to some extents feels a bit like ‘Wonderman’, but without Ellie Goulding to liven it up – this is one of the weaker tracks here which is a surprise. ‘Heavy’ follows with Dizzee adding his 100mph raps to this fairly routine track. ‘Brixton Briefcase’ sees Cee-Lo Green add his vocals to a track for me personally suits him better than the commercial sound he is producing as a solo artist. Works really well.

‘Hocus Pocus’ is all C&S without any outside help, and perhaps suffers for the lack of a front man (or woman). It’s quite a repetitive electro track that feels like an interval / filler before the second half kicks off.

‘Flashing Lights’ is a gentler number that always holds back slightly in its delivery – it could do with a bit more bassline to really crank it up. ‘Embrace’ is perhaps the real shock here seeing Chase & Status teaming up with indie heroes the White Lies to provide a Duran Duran-esque number; I love it being a fan of 80’s music but perhaps not to everyone’s taste!!

‘Time’ is another pleasant surprise seeing Delilah deliver a beautiful vocal; this could be a fantastic single choice for C&S showing yet another side to their multi-faceted world. ‘Midnight Caller’ is another inspired collaboration picking up Sound of 2011 finalist Clare Maguire to deliver a sultry power ballad perfectly. This would be a great closer but I guess by title alone ‘End Credits’ takes this honour (again featuring Plan B)!!

It’s a great album, really establishing Chase & Status as a major British musical force. Perhaps a couple of tracks too long with 15 here, but there is so much quality and talent here you can skip a couple with little overall detriment.

1 No Problem
2 Fire in Your Eyes (feat. Maverick Sabre)
3 Let You Go (feat. Mali)
4 Blind Faith (feat. Liam Bailey)
5 Fool Yourself (feat. Plan B & MC Rage)
6 Hypest Hype (feat. Tempa T)
7 Hitz (feat. Tinie Tempah)
8 Heavy (feat. Dizzee Rascal)
9 Brixton Briefcase (feat. Cee Lo Green)
10 Hocus Pocus
11 Flashing Lights (feat. Sub Focus & Takura)
12 Embrace (feat. White Lies)
13 Time (feat. Delilah)
14 Midnight Caller (feat. Clare Maguire)
15 End Credits (feat. Plan B)

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