Blackhaine has released “Northside Needs Me”, the second single from his debut album Saints In The Wethouse, releasing via XL Recordings.
Produced by Wraith9, the track explores Blackhaine’s conflicted feelings about his identity as a northern artist, part ego trip about the north west England experimental scene and his perceived imitators, part pushback against being tied to a particular aesthetic when his work is, in his words, about “formless art”. References to violence ground it in his community, drawing on the 2011 riots in his former home of Salford. The accompanying video, directed by Mau Morgó, depicts Blackhaine being beaten by police as a young boy looks on.
The 12-track album blends noise rap, industrial folk and noise rock songwriting, and features Rainy Miller, Croww, Space Afrika, Ship Sket, Vanessa Bedoret and Gabe Evans. It follows first single “Consumer”, and also includes opener “Cold Shoulder” and the ballad “The Wind”, a duet with Rainy Miller.
Listen to and watch “Northside Needs Me” below and pre-save the album here.