Matt Henshaw Unveils EP
aaamusic | On 14, Sep 2010
Can’t Hold Back is the brand new EP by singer-songwriter Matt Henshaw, whose lyrical mod-indie credentials are being coupled with the unlikely combination of UK hip hop artist Reggimental, to produce this perfect EP, released on Rusty Juke Box Records on the 10th October 2010.
Henshaw, originally from Nottingham, has been in previous musical incarnations such as the band Censored, when at the tender age of 17, played Leeds, Reading and Isle Of Wight festivals, receiving substantial amount of radio airplay and supporting the likes of Snow Patrol, We Are Scientists, Supergrass, Ocean Colour Scene, Arctic Monkeys, The Bluetones and The Holloways. In true rock’n’roll style, exasperated by years of alcohol dependency, band in-fighting, struggles against the confines of unimaginative industry labelling, and the bitter dissolution of several personal relationships, he decided to go away. He spent a whole year where he didn’t touch a guitar or sing a note, instead he wrote a novel and a series of short stories, started gardening, quit alcohol and decided to study film at university with no aspirations to sing again.
Come Easter 2010, when upcoming underground UK hip-hop artist ReggiiMental asked him to record a track for one of his projects titled Something For The Strive. This collaboration snowballed into them producing a full blown album named ‘The Deepest Cellar’ – after Reggii’s basement studio – which was recorded in May. The duo have since been asked to play Lovebox by the NME in July and the press have already started making comparisons to Mike Skinner (The Streets), Mark Ronson and Jamie T . However Henshaw would like to describe it as “hip-hop the new sound of Mod …B-Boy Soul”.
With current popular artists such as Plan B and Janelle Monae adopting a similar aesthetic of mixing modern hip hop with classic soul stylings, Henshaw’s sound has found itself on the forefront of a possible new genre, one he and Reggiimental have christened with the moniker B-Boy Soul. With both artists being reputable names in their respective music scenes, the album quickly circulated amongst friends and peers and was picked up in the underground UK hip hop press within weeks and bigger publications shortly thereafter. In fact, NME selected Matt and four other bands over thousands of artists to compete in a public vote via their NME Breakthrough community. And thus, within two months of beginning to sing again, Matt was voted by NME readers to open the main stage at London’s Lovebox festival.
This upcoming EP is a prime example of such deft genre mixing and even goes further to incorporate reggae, northern soul, dub and dance influence and sampling into the tracks. The lyrics jump from the politically charged to the moral and uplifting, all supported by a myriad of guest rappers with Matt’s blue-eyed rock/soul timbres being the only constant. Can’t Hold Back is set for release on the 10th October on Rusty Juke Box Records.
TRACK LISTING Can’t Hold Back
1 – Can’t Hold Back
Matt Henshaw and ReggiiMental
2 – The Deepest Cellar
Matt Henshaw and ReggiiMental
3 – Far Away
Matt Henshaw plus Ras Supa, ReggiiMental and Rukus (The Trinity Band)
4 – Adidas Trainers (Stan Smith Remix)
Remix production by 2nd Suzpect (Unfriendly Neighbours)
bonus … Naughty Girls (acoustic demo)
Produced by 3rd Degree, Choppacop, ReggiiMental and Matt Henshaw.
Matt will also be playing at The Gaff on the 23rd of September at the Prove It showcase.
