With forthcoming album Divas And Demons slated for September, Melbourne MC Remi and collaborator Sensible J have whet appetites for that record further with the release of a brand new single and video, Substance Therapy.
It’s the second taste of Divas And Demons so far, Remi releasing the Sampa The Great featuring breakup jam For Good earlier in the year to a very positive response. The production from Sensible J is stellar, heavy bass thrumming underneath jarring, fuzzy synths and moulding itself to Remi as he waxes lyrical with a relentless flow on both the comfort and downside of drugs and the relationship they often have with depression.
It’s hugely introspective, Remi opening up his innermost thoughts across several verses and an infectious chorus and is another example of hip-hop’s continuing acceptance and open discussion around mental health and its issues.
Substance Therapy traverses a much more electronic path than the organic, rhythmic vibe of For Good, both intriguing as far as the direction Divas And Demons eventually takes. The accompanying video for Substance Therapy is a cracker too, Remi walking along train tracks and the pier, looking the viewer directly in the eye as he narrates his tale.
Following up an award-winning debut like 2015’s Raw x was never going to be an easy task, but from what we’ve heard so far Remi is well on the way to matching, if not surpassing, that record here.
Divas And Demons is out September on House Of Beige.
Image: Michelle Grace Hunder