Recent years has seen a resurgance of energy around the squeaky, rumbly sounds of grime music. Oddly, the most avant garde, boundary-pushing work has largely been around instrumentals rather than MC tracks: producers have, for the most part, proved far more adventourous in pushing and pulling the templates of early 00s London bass music. For our money, Visionist is top of this pile, and one of London's most vital producers.
Here, we're streaming his new one, a rare MC track. Featured on a new mixtape from K9, previously of underground grime crews Str8 Grindin and Musical Mob Youngers, the 24-year-old Visionist – who first heard the then-jailed MC's name on a "Free K9!" shout out on a track by fellow west London MC Frostarr – has made a stormer. Coming in like a battle cry from the 22nd century, it's a sign of a true visionary's melodic power and diversity. If you like this, track down Visionist's previous EPs, and keep your eyes peeled for an album early next year.
