Jeshi - “Inside Out”

SXSW 2024 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 7

Pairs Well With…Obongjayar, Loyle Carner, Knucks

Grime rap, dream pop, Afrobeat - Jeshi’s music is true fusion, but he doesn’t let experimentation lead to just weird twists and turns. Instead his melded music has direction, free spirited and politically minded. He’s a solid rapper, quick flowing when needed and dipping into psychedelic phases when not, but it’s the music happening around Jeshi’s vocals that make his catalog so interesting. Already a handful of EPs and excellent full-length Universal Credit to his name, there’s a lot to chew on here. Glitchy electro-pop numbers lie next to post-punk swells - the whole is surprisingly relaxed and even meditative given how much Jeshi can throw at the wall at once. His latest EP is The Great Stink, a mature, little more careful effort and puts the spotlight on Jeshi’s thoughtfulness both lyrically and musically. Even when at its most experimental, there’s a consistent soulfulness in Jeshi’s performance that makes his music accessible while still gripping on the edge. (Kevin McStravick)