Alternately Deep

Alternately Deep feels like the literal b-side of a city. If its predecessor, Awfully Deep, was the polished statement of an artist at his peak, this collection is the sound of the same artist retreating into the shadows of the studio. It is a record defined by its murkiness: a thick, humid atmosphere that suggests the condensation on the windows of a South London basement. The bass isn't just a musical element here; it is a physical presence that anchors Rodney Smith's surrealist poetry to the pavement. The production leans heavily into the dub-wise tradition, utilizing space and decay to create a sense of urban isolation. There is a jaggedness to the rhythms, hints of broken beat and early grime, that keeps the listener off-balance. Smith's baritone delivery is as commanding as ever, yet here it feels more intimate, as if he is whispering these cryptic observations directly into your ear while the world outside descends into chaos. It is a masterclass in how to use lo-fi textures to enhance, rather than obscure, emotional depth. Owning this album is about embracing the alternate path. It is for the listener who prefers the sketch to the finished painting, the one who finds more truth in the rough-edged demo than the radio-ready single. It captures a specific moment in British music history where hip-hop, dub, and electronic experimentation were fused into something entirely unique. It is a somber, beautiful, and occasionally playful journey through the mind of one of the UK's most essential voices.

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