Same Day Cleaning (Sammy Virji)

Sammy Virji's sophomore album walks a heavily-trodden path that blends the UK's rich cultures of garage and grime, but - let's be honest - this style never truly gets old.

The world of UK garage is flourishing right now, at the highest level. And with Sammy Virji being one of the frontrunners of the genre, "Same Day Cleaning" stacks up a rather star-studded cast, with the likes of UK legends Skepta, salute, Flowdan and Unknown T joining the fray. Naturally, as a result, the rhythmic sensibility of this album is off the charts. Sammy Virji's garage doesn't necessarily have any flashy sound design or tension-building songwriting, but the vibes are immaculate and the flows are groovy and the whole album carries its own bounce to it. But I think that's where "Same Day Cleaning" falls a little short, in that it doesn't carry that same punch that other modern UK garage does. Although that leaves one to question: does that put Sammy Virji behind his contemporaries? I dub it a shortcoming of the album, but within the shortcoming lies, arguably, a strength. "Same Day Cleaning" is a little more mature, a little more atmospherically practical, than the dopamine-infused four-on-the-floor beats of today, and it really comes out towards the end of the album on tracks like "I Guess We're Not The Same" or "Leroy St". What's more predominant about this album, though, is the myriad of grime features - but one must note that these remain features. Though it's exceedingly easy for someone like Skepta to take over a track like "Cops & Robbers", Sammy Virji's presence is always noticed, looming over the various rhythms of the various vocalists and MCs like an overseer of quality control. The grime provides the engagement, the forward-facing hooks, but Virji builds the skeleton. And that skeleton is of bouncy, consistent garage, of high-quality sampling and vocal chopping. Perhaps a little too consistent - "Same Day Cleaning" is as clean as the name suggests, but also a little sanitised, and, thus, a little repetitive.

So yes, this record isn't one that knocks your socks off, but it'll inevitably put a spring in your step, whether you like it or not. Such is the nature of UK garage, and it'd be wrong to say that Sammy Virji isn't one of the biggest players in the game for a reason. His sophomore album proves that, I think, sufficiently enough to call this a respectable performance. It's got a little bit of air, a little bit of unfortunate fluff, but, equally, a couple of standout tracks brings "Same Day Cleaning" above many other mainstream albums in the four-on-the-floor (and neighbouring) genres.