Near the end of this 2018 album, it all falls together. “Better Way” rolls along on a lazy synth-funk groove, with Novelist’s lyrics just revelling in the moment: enjoying a sunny day in Southeast London, nodding to girls, generally thinking positive thoughts. In mood it’s reminiscent of a particular kind of 90s golden age hip hop jam in the vein of Gang Starr or A Tribe Called Quest, yet the beat – produced, like the rest of the album, by Novelist himself – is still unmistakeably grime, unmistakeably UK bass, in its raw bleeping timbre and edgy tuning. Already a veteran at just 21 when this was released, Novelist was always determined to take the genre somewhere new – and necessarily so given it was no longer the only game in town. Rather than try and compete with Afro-bashment‘s ebullience or drill rap‘s nihilism, he forged an individualist, introspective take. Themes run throughout of self-determination, mental discipline, religious faith, escaping cycles of violence, achieving respect without being drawn into gang life: in short, it’s about Novelist and grime itself both growing up. As you might guess, it’s not all fun and games – but there’s bone-dry lyrical wit, absolute clarity of voice (with no guest spots!), and deep understanding of bleep’n’bass tonality gives it instant appeal. As a kind of underground counterpoint to Stormzy‘s breakthrough to megastardom, this was a milestone of grime’s mature phase.