Cameron Palmer, the British producer better known as
Swindle, has always viewed the world through a wider scope than his peers in the U.K. bass music scene. First appearing with a couple of mixtapes during the late 2000s, his bounty of releases during the 2010s have reconnected dubstep, grime, and garage with roots in funk, jazz, and hip-hop, marrying speaker-punishing bass and angular rhythms with talkbox vocals and soulful guitar licks. His full-lengths have been particularly ambitious, with 2015's Peace, Love & Music serving as a virtual trip around the world. No More Normal appears on
Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings, a longtime haven for eclectic dance artists with a predilection for live instrumentation and vocalists, and the album maintains an organic feel with rich strings, triumphant horns, and warm, comforting guitars. At the center of the arrangements are the beats, which are strong and measured, leaning towards a laid-back Southern bounce but not beholden to any particular style, scene, or era. All of the songs feature sung, spoken, or rapped vocals, with most tracks featuring multiple guests, all of whom come together to deliver uplifting messages of hope and solidarity. The driving force uniting everyone and everything is music, as declared in the brief but potent opening statement "What We Do." Grime emcees such as
P Money,
D Double E, and
Ghetts relate tales of life struggles, but don't get caught up in violence and gun talk (with the exception of "Drill Work," which is still pretty tame compared to most U.K. drill music).
D Double E's "Take It Back" is fondly nostalgic, but ultimately encourages the listener to look towards the future. Songs such as the throwback funk tune "Reach the Stars" similarly promote the following of one's dreams. "California" (with
Etta Bond and
Kojey Radical) takes a break to pine for a day of rest and relaxation on the beach. Eva Lazarus' "Talk a Lot" seems overtly repetitive at first, nearly living up to its lyrics ("You talk a lot but you ain't saying nothing, say something!"), yet its persistence makes it one of the album's most memorable songs, and it sounds so sweet that it can't help but end up being a boost of confidence.
Swindle aims high on No More Normal, which is clearly intended for a widespread audience rather than the U.K. underground massive, and its best moments are grand and inspirational. ~ Paul Simpson