Neil To No-One brings together soulful hip-hop, funky grooves and cinematic electronic flourishes on Them Words/Them Signals, a four-track EP featuring Canadian rapper TARiiiQ. Produced by Neil in the UK, the project pairs two contrasting lyrical tracks with their instrumental counterparts, creating a compact release that moves between thoughtful self-examination and emotional turbulence. There is plenty here to get your head nodding alongside a roomy atmospheric edge.
“Them Words” opens with a clean, anticipatory pulse, soon joined by a grave, almost smug-sounding vocal delivery. Thumping beats and rustling cymbals gradually build around it, while swelling cinematic strings add a dramatic, soulful dimension. TARiiiQ settles into a steady, conversational flow, airing his frustrations without sounding as though he needs to force the point. His reflections on needing time to reconnect with his mind and soul, and resisting the pressure to constantly hustle, give the track a thoughtful centre. Originality, after all, cannot be rushed. That introspection has a nice catch with that funky bass and rhythmic groove pulling you along and making you sway.
On the other side, “Them Signals” opens with an eerie passage reminiscent of old horror-film scores before bursting into catchy, bounding beats. Shaky, jittery percussion and a heavy bassline bring an irresistible head-nodding momentum, while a writhing, expressive flute line adds a wonderfully unexpected flourish. TARiiiQ sounds equally assured here, delivering his lines with a catchy, self-possessed swagger as the song explores relationship tension, miscommunication and thoughts spiralling out of control. Blaxploitation-style horns give the arrangement another colourful layer and balances its darker opening with a playful funkiness.
The two instrumental versions round out the EP and let the richly layered production speak for itself. Together, these tracks capture a mind pulled between reflection and eruption, with Neil To No-One’s inventive grooves providing a welcome release.
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Review by: Naomi Joan