The British rapper Slowthai made a name for himself in 2019 with his politically charged work, particularly around the controversial topic of Brexit and the then Prime Minster Theresa May’s leadership of the country. With a steady release of singles and gradual climbing up the charts, the popularity and reach of the Northampton born artist is now getting to much wider audiences. 

It seems that the phrase Sooner was a moment in time where Slowthai wishes he got to a place of success sooner. The song often sounds like someone talking through their frustrations, almost like a therapy session. There is very little to join the phrases, which can make it hard to piece together what the artist wants us to pick up on. However, knowing the original intention of the song can help us to understand how some of the phrases fit together and contribute to the overall lyrical landscape.

Musically, this track is fascinating. The spoken lyrics have a solid energy to them, with overdubs and a flow that is really unique. The rest of the composition is reminiscent of early 2000s indie pop, which combined with the spoken melody is quite a refreshing change. The feel generally to Sooner in terms of the music, is a song with a bit of bounce to it. The drums bring a feel of positivity, which sometimes contradict the lyric line that is sitting over the top of them. There is a lovely blend of phases to the song, with lots of changes used to keep each section fresh. I think the song will help Slowthai gain a raft of new followers as it’s appealing, well written and expertly produced. 

Author: Phil Arnold

Phil Arnold is a musician, producer and music reviewer from Devon, in the South West of England. Whilst not writing music reviews, Phil also writes and records under the name of Ugbrooke.