Rising hip-hop talent Piers James fuses Essex and New York with timeless intention on "The Era"

17 August 2016, 09:30 | Written by Paul Bridgewater

(Tracks)

(Piers James)

"Hip-Hop has changed in the sense that rappers seem to be more interested in making 'bangers' as opposed to timeless music that hip-hop used to be associated with," says rising British rapper Piers James.

James' sound is somewhat at odds with the current climate in the UK's rap scene, with the Essex/London MC bringing a hint of local twang to his cadence across new upbeat track "The Era" that owes more to the jazz-flecked sound of late '80s and early '90s New York rap. James spits bars that also recall the looping polemic of Gil Scott-Heron's "Message to the Messengers"

"When I made 'The Era'...I made sure that I captivated my own experiences using nostalgic boom-bap vibes produced by Jake Milliner [and] soft soulful vocals by Yoji," says James.

"The Era" is the second track to be revealed from James' upcoming EP Vibes & Tribulations, which drops later this year. "[It's] a journey expressing how I perceive the world through my own perspective," James explains, and the 8-track EP undoubtably positions him as one of 2016's most promising artists.

The Vibes & Tribulations EP is due for release on 2 September.