Made in the Manor – Kano’s Triumphant Return

I don’t think there’s every really been much argument over the fact that Kano, 10 years after his EP, is still the best to ever do it in the grime scene. Made in the Manor gives a plethora of reasons why this is still the case in a meticulously personal album whereby Kano looks at his past, the rifts in his personal and artistic life and his fringe position as just famous enough.

‘Not 140bpm, but it’s still raw innit’ – Endz

The thing that really sets M.I.T.M. apart as a body of artistic work is the culture entrenched in it. From Kano the Island-to-the-East-End boy the whole album is rife with real places and real people – and they’re not just trap houses and killers, they’re estranged friends, barber-shops, Pam, or features from only the crème de la OG’s of the game. When combined with the exciting marketing of old family photos that, in collage form, comprise the album artwork – all of which tie into lyrics throughout the album, what we receive is the perception of Kano as a real person; not some un-relatable blinged-up or trap rapper who is our guilty pleasure.

That’s because M.I.T.M. is full of characters, and tells some incredible stories incredibly well. A far, and far more mature, cry from the diss-track/one-up-manship formula which leaves a lot of artists (and areas of the scene in general) in a seemingly repetitive rut, when Kano does do club bangers (GarageSkank, 3 Wheel-Ups etc.) he still, arguably, does so better than anyone else in the game. Kano’s abundant flows and lyricism are never doubted and the songs which are most impressive are when you suddenly realise you’ve been listening to him flow over simple piano chords – Mike Skinner’s influence here is evident.

‘Yet mandem sell drugs but mandem know business The man that steals cars, that man there could fix it’ – A Roadman’s Hymn

Equally, tracks like Hail and New Banger (the video campaign for which, again has been impressive and raw/simplistic) feel like punk-come-grime tracks that kick down your door as the former introduces you to the levels set by the album. Yet, M.I.T.M. is most interesting, and Kano’s cut above your average is most evident, on tracks like A Roadman’s Hymn and Endz whereby the singular perspective of struggle that we’re used to from rap album in general is inverted; a triumphant, uplifting and fresh perspective on the community and silver linings to the often violent –isms and schisms discussed. Finally, these tracks are rounded off with the raw personal, almost spoken-word, elements offered by Little Sis and Strangers, the shiver-inducing Deep Blue and varying calypso, trumpet and piano-made beats which give new life to the sometimes restrictive category of grime beats.

Ultimately, there’s not a bad track on there – and to wit, they’re all compile a very accomplished, catchy, lyrically diverse album. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another 10 years – though it would be completely understandable if it delivered a record of this calibre.

Made in the Manor is available on itunes and http://kanomusic.com/  (you should go experience it if you haven’t already!)

#MadeintheManor #London #Kano #EskimoDance #Grime