I first heard of Whitey when in Brighton with DJ OMC and DJ Foly one afternoon last summer. OMC wanted to go and meet his mate Relik, an Ozzy beatmaker making noise on the underground Brighton scene with tight treats for worthy spitters. No sooner did I get off the train from Oxford that I was at Relik’s, huddled in his bedroom with two Ill technicians and all manner of musical hardware.

Relik slapped on his latest offering, a rough draft of ‘What Makes Us’, featuring the distinctive flows of MC Whitey. Safe to say, after that we were hooked, and were itching to hear more of what this dynamic pairing could bring to the table.

Well, a few months later and the seed of Relik and Whitey’s labour has come to fruit, with their first offering, ‘Lost in Sentences’. From the first joint, ‘Losin’ Track’, it becomes clear these two have special qualities: mellow piano riffs over fat rolling drums accompany a melancholy Mr White expressing the woes of the down-trodden and fearful with pinpoint accuracy. More odes to the forgotten few follow, with ‘Voices Through the Air’ and ‘What Makes Us’, two deep tracks that perfectly capture the struggles of the solitary, whilst maintaining a striking positivity throughout.

Next up is ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’, a well produced moody lament on Britain’s booze culture with dramatic horns booming over a swinging hook. Production props are also definitely due for Hope, the only instrumental track of the album. Here Relik really shines with an oriental-sounding beat that switches through the gears brilliantly.

The title track of the album, ‘Lost in Sentences’, is definitely deserving of its prominence. Sultry strings lead you to a deep yet very catchy hook with Mr Whitey delivering a more personal insight into his mindset over the track. The strings and keys merge to great effect over the hook, and the way the strings switch up for the final verse really gives the song an accomplished balance.

The full kaleidoscope of their talents are on show with the next two tracks, ‘Every Man’ and ‘Runnin’’. Every Man’s deep jazzy grooves and Runnin’s bar brawl beat are at polar opposites, but yet again the heartfelt Whitey lyrics and tight Relik production mean there is no mistaking the sound. The album finishes strong with ‘Famous Last Words’, a dedication track with real lyrical potency and an ill beat to match.

All in all, ‘Lost in Sentences’ is a big accomplishment. Focused, unpretentious, deep and a well-balanced album with something for everybody, ‘Lost in Sentences’ is an underground gem no doubt. It should also be noted that the only studio time used by both artists in making this album was for the final mixing, proof that you don’t need to spend bucks in the studio to make a professional sounding record.

What Makes Us is available to stream now
Relik and Whitey Website

Words: Marxman