ROCK

FATHERSON are well and truly back, emanating a stadium rock sheen that they have only previously hinted at. Their new single Always, an early taster of their forthcoming second album, suggests that the band are truly ready to compete with the big boys.

Opening with reverberating guitar and crashing toms, the track is identifiably Fatherson by the time the chorus of “Listen to the silence” comes crashing in. It’s relatively meat-and-potatoes stuff, sure, but it’s undeniably catchy.

ELECTRONIC

COLOMBIAN producer Okraa practically deserves the title of “honorary Scot” already, given his stellar previous work with various Scottish producers. His upcoming tour even sees him flitting between the west end of Glasgow and his native Bogotá.

As impressive as all that is, it’s his own work that is most exceptional. His new EP Vultur, released on Glasgow-based label Hot Gem Tunes, fuses Latin influences with 2-step garage and more traditional electronica.

The title track is accomplished as any EDM single I’ve heard this year, as producer Juan Carlos Torres Alonso layers a beautiful vocal melody over stuttering beats and classic analog synthesisers.

HIP HOP

DUE to Glasgow’s notable (if modest) successes in hip hop, it’s easy to overlook the talent lurking in Edinburgh. New tracks from both Werd and Profisee demonstrate exactly why this is foolish.

Werd’s new single presents a frank portrayal of “Auld Reekie”, mixing topical humour with more poignant observations. If he’s not “shouting out Lorraine Kelly” because his pal “watches her on the telly”, he’s moralising about the sanctity of battle rap (“I know it’s alien to some... we call each other c*nts, but who are you to judge?”).

Werd is a veteran when it comes to creating authentic, uncompromising rap in a Scottish accent – perhaps that’s why success has thus far eluded him.

Similarly, emcee Profisee has a style that demands attention. His deep voice and sharp flow echo classic UK hip hop heads from the late 90s, even to the extent where he wouldn’t sound out of place on a Lewis Parker production.

On new single Instant Damascus he preaches racial tolerance over a murky, minimalist beat, with clear and concise lyricism.

The track is particularly packed with image-specific one-liners such as “regenerate like limbs on salamanders”, exhibiting that the best rap similes are the ones that paint a vivid picture.