After their surprise Mercury prize win last year, Young Fathers are clearly out to make a statement with their follow up, White Men Are Black Men Too. The title of the album alone is enough to launch a dozen thinkpieces about identity politics and black masculinity in the UK. The group’s Alloysious Massaquoi writes that “Young Fathers are breaking out of the ghetto” – in reference to the various boxes the group have been put in – and they’re as good as their word. From opener Still Running to the closer Get Started, they don’t let up with the pop experimentation. Rain or Shine begins with Metronomy-style Casio tones before a saturated bassline takes over, while Old Rock N Roll combines lyrics such as “I’m tired of playing the good black / I’m tired of having to hold back” with Konono No 1-style instrumentation. They manage the rare feat of melding pop and politics into a potent mix, and continue a tradition – begun by the likes of Smith & Mighty, Tricky and Massive Attack – of reinterpreting pop, hip-hop and soul through the filter of black British life.
