AJ Tracey has teased that his forthcoming dancehall-inspired album will be “funky” and include “big features”.
The West London rapper appeared as a special guest on Capital XTRA Breakfast with Robert Bruce and Shayna Marie last week (July 5). While on the morning talk show, Tracey confirmed that his third studio album will be released later this year.
“One hundred per cent. Album’s coming out before then end of the year. Before I was a bit hesitant to say that, because it wasn’t finished. But now it is basically finished,” he told Bruce and Marie (per Music News).
After being asked what can be expected from the upcoming LP, the rapper said: “Good features, but I will say that it’s not all about the features. It’s about me, actually. Nah, big up the features though, they killed it, yeah. But obviously, do you get it, the majority of the work is me.
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“A few features but they’re curated – I haven’t picked all my bredrins who are the most lit, I’ve just picked people who sound good on the record. So, it’s sonic, you know what I’m saying? At the end of the day – and that’s not shade on no one else – like, the big features, they matter, init?
“But I think it’s more about making sure that the sound is cohesive and making sure that when people hear it they’re like, ‘Oh, these lot had fun making this record.’ Like, there’s a meaning behind it, rather than, ‘Oh, they’re both lit and they just kind of…’ You know what I’m saying? Butted heads.”
He continued: “I can give you the theme. The theme is just being British – my British experience – what it means to be British. Me growing up, I listened to funky, so this rhythm is like a little funky reference; grime obviously, dancehall, like, whatever my influences are as a black British person, is going to be what the album sounds like.”
Previously speaking to NME, the rapper opened up about his forthcoming LP – the follow-up to 2021’s acclaimed ‘Flu Game’ – and shared that it is “basically done and definitely coming this year”.
“I’m just putting some finishing touches on it and tightening up some records,” he said, adding that people can expect “a very British sounding album, that’s what people should look forward to.”
“There definitely will be surprise moments and guests,” he went on, “but I’m not one to spoil the surprise.”
He also revealed the upcoming artists who he is a fan of which include “Jayo, Sainte, Lancey Foux, Len and Pozer,” adding that his favourite right now is Nemzzz: “He’s cold. He’s rapping for his city and not trying to be like anyone else. He’s just doing his thing.”
In a four-star review of ‘Flu Game’, NME shared: “The last quarter of the album brings it back to Tracey’s brief. ‘Flu Game’ cements AJ Tracey as a commercially successful rapper still discovering new ways to craft hooks and clever wordplay. Although not every track is a total slam dunk, AJ has here crafted another successful project whose streaming numbers, singles and infectious melodies will live on in memory – just like Michael Jordan’s infamous match.”
In other news, the rapper was recently featured on Headie One’s latest album ‘The Last One’. Tracey appeared on the track ‘Make A W’ alongside Skrillex and BEAM.