Da 2nd Phaze

Hip-Hop · 2006 · 20 tracks

Da 2nd Phaze

Sharp, icy grime beats and rapid-fire East London lyricism define this independent pivot. A minimalist masterclass in the Eskibeat sound.

April 26, 2006 · Boy Better Know

Da 2nd Phaze is the sonic embodiment of the 'Eskimo' sound that Wiley pioneered: a cold, clinical, and fiercely independent approach to grime. Released after his departure from a major label, the album feels like a return to the source, stripping away commercial polish in favor of skeletal square-wave synths and 140 BPM drum patterns that sound like they were forged in a freezer. It is music that prioritizes rhythm and texture over melody, creating a sense of urban isolation that is both claustrophobic and empowering.

Tracklist · 20 Tracks

01

Intro

1:46

02

Eskiboy

2:53

03

Gangsterz

3:14

04

U Ain't Real

3:48

05

Stormy Weather

2:38

06

Carry Out Orders

2:03

07

I Like the Way

3:03

08

Be Yourself

2:59

09

Johnny Was a Bad Boy

3:27

10

Grim

2:52

11

One Avalanche

3:53

12

Keep Moving

3:58

13

Friday Night

2:49

14

Mystery Girl

3:10

15

Ice Pole Remix

4:06

16

Saw It Coming

4:26

17

God's Gift Freestyle

1:37

18

Streets That We Live

4:53

19

So Amazing

3:09

20

Oi

4:30

Moments Worth Listening For

the hollow, metallic clink of the percussion on Eskiboy that sounds like ice cracking

Wiley's breathless, unrelenting flow on Gangsterz where he barely pauses for air

the haunting, minor-key synth loop on Johnny Was A Badboy that creates a sense of impending doom

the sudden drop of the sub-bass on tracks that strips away all melodic comfort

Where This Album Departs

How does Da 2nd Phaze sound next to the rest of Wiley's catalogue?

Minimalist+0.7σ

The production is pushed a touch harder into minimalist than this artist usually allows.

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