FDT - Mystro

ut now on his own Don’t Bizzniz imprint, UK hip-hop emcee Mystro presents the F.D.T. EP. I’ve been following Mystro for nearly ten years now and he’s always been one of the freshest and slickest emcees in the UK. He’s also one of the nicest and most hilarious guys you’ll find in the scene – which reminds me, you have to check out his “Mystro Investigates” video series on the Spine TV site, very entertaining stuff!

The F.D.T. EP spans ten tracks and just over half an hour of music, which includes a few rather humourous skits as well. Where plenty have come and gone over the years in UK hip-hop, Mystro is still at it and still doing it strong. I think an element that has contributed to his longevity is his ability to laugh at himself and generally have fun with his music. Been plenty of complaints about UK hip-hop being too moody and negative, but Mystro manages to find a near-perfect balance. Plus, ultimately, it’s just good music and he’s a wicked emcee.

Tracklisting:

01. The Truth
02. F.D.T. Radio Skit 1
03. Banishment
04. Live & U Learn
05. Thorish
06. F.D.T. Radio Skit 2
07. Maintain
08. Aquarius
09. F.D.T. Radio Skit 3
10. The Urge

Things kick off with The Truth, a hypnotically melodic track with a fierce cypher containing some pretty clever lines! It’s a real head nodder of a track – the simplistic parts, like the main piano melody and the brass stabs, work tightly with the slick verses and breakdowns. Banishment is a fiercer track, bit darker, but the narrative is brutally honest, essentially referencing the need to remove bad influences from your life. The third full track is Thorish, a track with a heavy beat and subtle brass backbone. It has a retro vibe, but Mystro keeps it fresh with his rapping – and like a battle rap, it hits hard. Maintain takes a step back for a moment and I’m really feeling the construction of the track with it’s multiple stabs and general organised chaos. Proving to be one of the most popular tracks on the EP, Aquarius is a more chilled number indeed. Warm key samples and gentle percussion, dance gracefully under Mystro’s verses. The final track is The Urge, with its sharp use of heavier guitar samples and a banging beat. Certainly a more bleak narrative to this one, plus it’s interesting to see Mystro delve a bit into a slightly different sound. It’s frank, but he’s just telling it as it is!

F.D.T. is a solid EP and a good showcase of decent UK hip-hop, specifically from a solo artist. Mystro is genuinely an amazing emcee, as you’ll hear for yourselves, and I cant help but wonder how good it would be if he’d do work with some of the newer cross-over producers. The very thought of Mystro rapping over a Suzi Analogue or fLako beat makes me feel dizzy! Essentially this a wicked EP though, and it is available on iTunes right now, so check it out!