Album Review: 7 Days [Mixtape] by Krept & Konan

S outh London's Krept and Konan return with a generous 21-track double mixtape, divided between grime (Days) and R&B raps (Nights). Both playlists have plenty of the wit, grit and authenticity that made them famous, but 7 Days is the runaway winner. The pair spit so hard you can hear saliva smacking microphone metal. Opener Champions League ("You ain't even in the Prem yet," they cackle) is an authoritative start, and the following 10 songs confirm their wild and thrilling talent.

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Asked in their recent NME interview why he and collaborator Casyo 'Krept' Johnson chose to release two mixtapes - one daytime-themed rap record ('7 Days') and one slinky R&B collection best enjoyed after dark ('7 Nights') - simultaneously, Karl 'Konan' Wilson replied, "We have two different major vibes, so we wanted to represent them. Nighttime is for going out to pick up your partner; daytime is just gassed. " The frenetic '7 Days' courses with restless energy; it's a relentless party from tracks one to 11.

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Now mixtapes are taking over the mainstream airwaves, an ingenious way for an artist to keep their name filtering through car stereos and intrusive headphone listeners throughout the year. Krept & Konan come correct, treating us to two tapes for the price of one. 7 Days 7 Nights showcases the two sides of their musical history - the floor-rumbling club bangers, and their late-night, roll-up anthems.

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Before Skepta won his Mercury, Stormzy went to No.1, or Giggs appeared on 'More Life', Thornton Heath's Krept and Konan arguably signalled the beginning of the UK grime/rap resurgence. For a lot of artists, their 2015 album 'The Long Way Home' was proof that UK rap could be successful commercially but also maintain its street aesthetic and underground integrity. Since then, the duo have been relatively quiet but maintained their place at the top of the UK scene with some clever collaborations and solo freestyles.

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