Album Review: Like A Ribbon by John Glacier

The British rapper takes the listener on a tour of the underground scene on one of the most accomplished debuts of recent times Having made her name in the early 2020s with an independent mixtape and a collaborative project accompanying SURF GANG, the thoughtful, low-key lyricism of John Glacier has created much anticipation for her debut album. Like A Ribbon compiles various tracks from previous EPs released in 2024 with the second half of the record devoted to new material, an approach that is reflected in its variety. Don't Cover Me features a skittering, bassy hybrid of grime and drill, as Glacier moves from a laconic delivery to a faster flow over the course of the track, while Emotions pairs Kwes Darko's woozy mid-tempo beat with some unapologetic honesty ("Now they're calling me a bitch / You best believe it / I'm as cold as the ice / When I don't feel it"), echoey synths rubbing up against her calm vocals.

Full Review >>

Opening the next chapter on their highly anticipated journey, East London rapper John Glacier offers 'Like A Ribbon' to world, in a saga that portrays her personal journey through growing up in Hackney, navigating her rise, the struggles that coincide with it, and the existential growth that supersedes it. Split into three parts that represent the movements of a ribbon as it falls, flails, and revives, the album is unquestionably Glacier's most honest work to date. The element of storytelling is evident from the start of the album, as the artist opens with trip-hop infused, grunge-styled 'Satellites', it's calm yet chaotic at the same time, with engaging vocals, before expanding into 'Don't Cover Me', and 'Money Shows'.

Full Review >>

East-London rapper and producer John Glacier confronts the duality of human existence on her debut studio album Like A Ribbon. Split into three sections, each representing the fluid, evolving nature of a ribbon unfurling, the album comprises tracks drawn from a series of EPs, revealing a deeper impact in the context of a larger project, while carving out a distinctive niche at the intersection of pop and avant-garde sounds. The manipulation of glitchy pastoralism and new-age samples realise the constant tension of paradoxical living in the digital age: like a feedback loop between opposing forces - the respite of nature and the chaos of urban life; the natural, tangible world with the digital.

Full Review >>

'Like A Ribbon' is an astonishingly confident debut from John Glacier, the Londoner's sound showing itself as all-encompassing. The record feels otherworldly at times, the rotating arcade synths of 'Emotions' creating a buoyant atmosphere devoid of gravity; the lo-fi guitar and scratchy vocals of 'Satellites' emitting an intimacy akin to listening to a personal voice note. The anxiety-fuelled 'Nevasure' is contrasted wonderfully by the euphoric glitchy rhythms of 'Found', providing a cathartic release after the previous track's panic.

Full Review >>