Roots Manuva - 'Slime and Reason'

Roots Manuva's 2005 LP, 'Awfully Deep, was centred upon the concept of some asylum-orientated exile, turning it's back on the carefree playfulness of his previous 2 albums, and was an altogether more sober affair. Whilst a number of tracks maintained the eccentricity of tracks such as 'Dreamy Days' and 'Bashment Boogie', Rodney Smith returned to the fold troubled and uncertain, hinting lyrically that this was to be his final stand as a performer, disillusioned with the underachieving UK rap scene and the mentality of mainstream hip-hop, satirising hip-hop's thematic pre-occupations on tracks such as 'The Falling' ('Guns, bitches, hos, crack/ Death and disease and a baseball bat') with traditionally English world-weary sarcasm, documenting his fight against temptation and depravity, whilst coming to terms with first time fatherhood. Whilst the album was a more melodic and musically accessible affair than his previous work, critical acclaim once again eclipsed commercial success, despite the singles 'Collosal Insight', and 'Too Cold' denting the lower reaches of the UK Top 40. So, after a 3 and a half year break, Smith returns with 'Slime and Reason' and two low-profile dancehall-influenced, slightly throwaway singles, 'Buff Nuff' (produced, like 'Do Na Boddha Mi', and 'I'm A New Man' by Sheffield's Toddla T) and 'Again and Again', both playful in tone yet deceptive with regards to the overall feel of their parent album. Whilst much of the album is infused with eccentric and eclectic instant gratification, the second part of the collection retreats to common Smith themes of guilt, failure, introspection and sadness, particularly on the 6-minute 'The Show Must Go On', where he reflects on his career thus far and perceived lack of fulfillment and success. On 'Run Come Save Me', Roots pondered upon his strict Pentecostal upbringing, and his childhood rejection of faith on the track 'Sinny Sin Sins', and he revisits the concept of religion, inadequacy on 'It's Me Oh Lord' ('Reinventing the wheel was never part of my remit...Bought and sold how many years ago / and they're still trying to sell my arse'). In the same track he alludes to the identity of alienated UK youth with characteristic wisdom ('There's too many playing games with life / Discuss and discuss ways to guide those young 'uns / But they're built on a whole different fire'), whilst commenting on the 'copyright infringing/ publisher's cringing' nature of contemporary music consumption . Much of 'Slime and Reason' reads like a remorseful recap of his career thus far, fuelled with a troubled air of failure, drawing pararells between Roots Manuva the artist and Rodney Smith, the flawed family man, and there seems to be few differences between the two. Smith's UK alter-ego seems as fractured and humane as he is, and his self-effacing honesty makes the whole concept of an alter-ego little more than a stage name. Whilst Smith's contemporaries Dizzee Rascal and Wiley have scored their first real smash hits this summer, with a pair of rather hollow dancefloor-fillers, Smith has kept his integrity intact by not releasing the dumbed-down pop album he is more than capable of producing. In 'Do 4 Self', he talks of the importance of remaining 'true to self', adding in an admirably alienating fashion, that it is 'much too late for peace and togetherness'. If Roots was to make a last ditch-attempt at blanket airplay via a unifying everyman anthem, the Metronomy-produced 'Let The Sprit' would be a fine choice. Musically, the LP is largely a mid-tempo affair with a detached warmth reminiscent of early tracks like 'Movement', and 'Juggle Tings Proper', whilst returning to the 'Awfully Deep' template of 'Thinking' and the afore-mentioned 'Collosal Insight'. Fans of harder beats as exemplified on 'Run Come Save Me' will find gratification within 'C.R.U.F.F.' and 'I'm A New Man', which features an Atari-esque synth line, although as with much latter-day Roots Manuva a mellower feel is evident. 'Well Alright' is a defiant affair, targeting 'dumb-arse journos and their dumb arse questions', whilst closing track self-explanatory 'The Struggle' outlines his future hopes and fears, with trademark wit and poignancy. Therefore, whilst 'Awfully Deep' detailed the inner turbulence of a man, whether in reality or purely on record, firmly on the brink, 'Slime and Reason' successfully balances moments of uncertainty and defeat with contention and jubilance. Even on the bleaker moments of the album, Smith seems determined to pull himself through and not to give in to his demons, whereas on 'Awfully Deep', an air of finality seemed inescapable. Adding to that a wide array of previously uncharted musical territory, and, at 36, Roots' future as the leading light of intelligent UK urban music seems unquestionable.
'Let The Spirit' 'The Show Must Go On'