Dubbledge, The Richest Man in Babylon

Watford rapper Dubbledge debuts with an album that deserves an audience outside of the narrow confines of UK hip hop. With a slightly slurred voice for ever on the point of breaking into a scream, he sounds like a tipsy teacher trying to control a class of unruly kids, handing out lessons on domestic violence, politics and the corrupting power of 'tel-a-lie-vision'. His, though, is an engaging and amiable presence, making a virtue of a style that flows like concrete, particularly on the excellent 'Yer Yer Yer Yer', both parodying and revelling in rap's braggadocio.