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Achieving 5 billion streams worldwide and selling out Alexandra Palace twice, the pair from Lewisham known as D-Block Europe has found great success with their unique approach: a captivating blend of sweet Auto-Tune effects, explicit lyrics, somber trap beats, and dreamy hooks about the drug trade. However, on their third album, Young Adz and Dirtbike LB’s formula shows its weaknesses.
The beginning of the track seems hopeful, featuring a powerful spoken-word introduction about preventing suicidal thoughts. However, it soon devolves into degrading discussions about sex and repetitive, slurred rapping about material possessions. Similarly, “Not All Heroes Wear Capes” utilizes a haunting vibraphone melody to cleverly switch between feelings of joy and despair, hinting at the need for constant vigilance for those in positions of power. But then, the lyrics reveal a misogynistic stance on refusing to die without wealth. Every time the duo touches on deeper themes, they quickly retreat.
Their ability to create a popular song remains unchanged. Highlight Eagle features a catchy hook and a compelling rags-to-riches theme: “I earned half a million from Wireless / I made my mother proud.” However, their lyrics lack the depth to give references to drinking expensive alcohol and buying expensive jackets a sense of hard-earned success, instead coming across as cliché. “I Need It Now” sounds like it could be a Deliveroo commercial jingle. Musically, they are as captivating as ever: “Rolling Stone” is filled with addictive, wavy trap beats that evoke both glory and paranoia. However, D-Block Europe’s lyrics are superficial and lack the nuance found in their music.
Source: theguardian.com
