RELEASED 5TH JUNE 2020

Favourite track: Side Bitch

A weighty album with rap that attacks and exposes the contradictory lifestyle of people from ends with hard beats, heavy basslines and great instrumentals.

I hadn’t heard of London artist, Ambush Buzzworl, but I was keen to discover something new (you know I LOVE discovering new UK artists). His 15-track album Ask My Brother features an array of artists but I honestly had no idea of what to expect. The cover art shows a man (I assume to be Ambush himself) sitting on a stool with wheels next to what looks like a drum with a logo on it. It’s certainly eye-catching and I like the yellow.

The first track ‘A.M.B (InTRILL)’ opens with some piano chords and then a HARD beat accompanied by an attacking rap and gunshot sound effects. We learn that ‘A.M.B’ stands for “about my business” as he talks about how he is a “family man” and not anything else. D Double E and RA feature on ‘Started’ which has a Drill beat and fast UK rap to accompany it. It had similar warped synths flowing through that reminded me of Dave’s ‘Thiago Silva’. ‘Casino’ opens with chime bells echoing through it and then vocal chants dispersed. Another haunting, heavy beat with rap comes through as he says “separate me from them”, referring to guys who aren’t in his inner circle. The “casino” significance is, I think more to do with the risky element associated with their lifestyles.

Giggs features on ‘Silly Events’ which opens with a clavichord melody. An intense beat and heavy bass comes in after with strong rap, continuing that mood of attack in the delivery. ‘How I Feel’ has a quirky vocal FX beginning and then a Hip-Hop beat and heavy bass as he talks about how he needs to get “filthy rich” and what he thinks about the guys and girls around him, and how many of them are actually real with him. I like the chime melody that then becomes muted in ‘Eastenders’ as he opens with track expressing how life nowadays is like a TV soap opera with how dramatic it is and how everyone is involved with everyone. He emphasises how “beef with a gal is mad” – I mean, true.

‘Kill It’ opens with almost a dream guitar melody and which then gets higher pitched as the beat and bass comes in. I’m pretty sure a flute sound also enters at some point as he raps about how he “just wants to do music” – I can relate. Presi Pros features on ‘Been On’ which has a steady rhythm, more attack and features a siren sound. It definitely puts you on edge but it’s very listenable, like a lot of his tracks. ‘Bit More’ has a dreamy bell sound in the background as the heavy bass layers on it and then a beat with Jazz instrumentals. With all these songs, you find yourself moving to them. ‘It’s Me’ opens with female audio saying “this is my last time speaking to you” as she goes on to explain to him their situation and his bad intentions. This rap is addressed to this girl who doesn’t want to “let him leave” but he tells her “it’s not you, it’s me” just wants to smoke and be free.

‘Free Rowdy (skit)’ opens with a very old school Hip-Hop style rap with piano and a beat. It adds some variety to the album to have this as the skit. I was wondering when the audio would come in as all skits are usually audio interludes where they have a story or a scene that links to the album. This ones is of a guy seeming to freestyle rap over the audio as the listener rates the lyrics. Giggs again features on ‘Mass On Sunday’ which is a HARD beat and bass with a very subtle melody in the background as he raps about how “they hate me and love me”. This one is another one full of attack and weight. This one seems to contrast the lifestyle of “mass on Sunday” but “cash on Monday”. ‘Side Bitch’ opens with acoustic guitar and then a bass line comes through with some vocal FX. He talks about how his ‘side bitch’ “understand me” – it’s actually pretty romantic except for the fact that she’s a side piece and not the main. I like the song though, it’s catchy and I love the backing vocals throughout and guitar.

C. Biz and H Moneda feature on the track ‘Winners’ which is a song full of ATTACK and power. It’s one you should play loud as the bass will really come through (get good speakers for this). This one focuses on money and starting from nothing – a common theme in UK rap. The final track is ‘Tommy Shelby (OutDRILL)’ and as a fan of the British TV series Peaky Blinders, I was definitely curious about this one. It opens with audio of Tommy telling a story and then some strings and haunting vocal FX as it goes into another weighty track with hard beats, fast rap and warped bass.

This album is intense but will also have you moving. I would have this on at a pre-drinks session or in a car for a late drive through the city – London, of course.