Serious Business - Flowdan

Legendary grime rapper Flowdan's debut EP is the humble beginnings of a massive career.

Though his "Serious Business" EP ended up being a relatively small old dubstep project on Hyperdub, you probably know Flowdan from his various contemporary performances on hit singles—tracks like Skrillex's "Rumble" or Chase & Status' "Baddadan"—that have given him a massive platform as a rapper in the modern electronic scene. Deservedly so, since Flowdan's got a penchant for, well, flow, that has played a key role in his rise to the top. "Serious Business" has got that flow. It's got the stylistic seeds of his career, seeds that look pretty good in their own right, and Flowdan rips off some very clean verses that still hold up today, in both their rhythm and their revolution-invoking lyricism. But I just can't get behind the production. Despite bringing on some weighted names (at the time), names such as Footsie, The Bug, Coki, and Masro, the beatwork feels quite empty and minimalistic—which, I suppose, could easily be a trait of the time, but doesn't hold up well for me.

It's the same story for all four tracks, though perhaps the opener "Ambush" most of all—good flow, solid rap, but uninteresting production. Most likely it's just that the grime style of "Serious Business" isn't for me, but it ends up being pretty alright nonetheless—not bad, not great, just alright. I have to say though, this is one hell of a foundation for one hell of a career.