{"product_id":"bd253","title":"DELS - Petals Have Fallen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"\/files\/images\/dels\/two\/IMG-8166-edit-copy_2.jpg\" width=\"430\" height=\"286\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\r\n\u003ciframe width=\"430\" height=\"300\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fHpv0jcJNXk?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKieren Gallear aka \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjatune.net\/artist\/dels\"\u003eDELS\u003c\/a\u003e returns with his second album, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjatune.net\/release\/dels\/petals-have-fallen\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ePetals Have Fallen\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, and makes the step up from potential contender to full scale champ. Delivering on the potential he displayed on his first album, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjatune.net\/release\/dels\/gob-4\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eGOB\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjatune.net\/artist\/dels\"\u003eDELS\u003c\/a\u003e has developed his own unique take on hip hop – intensely personal and poetic but also funny, scuzzy, raw and sonically adventurous. All the elements were there with his first record, but no one could have expected him to display them with such consistency, such delicacy and such supreme confidence. His explanation of the title of the record perfectly sums up Gallear’s aesthetic, plus providing a handy definition of what it is to make art: \u003cem\u003e“the urge to protect something precious that will ultimately fall apart.” \r\n\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere’s plenty that you could pick out individually from this record. From the sung opening of “\u003cstrong\u003eLimbo\u003c\/strong\u003e” there are spine-tingling moments galore. The hard rhyming over an epic beat on “\u003cstrong\u003eFall Apart\u003c\/strong\u003e”. The combination of \u003cstrong\u003eKerry Leatham\u003c\/strong\u003e’s vocals, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/ninjatune.net\/artist\/bonobo\"\u003eBonobo\u003c\/a\u003e’s beat and \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjatune.net\/artist\/dels\"\u003eDELS\u003c\/a\u003e’ wordplay on “\u003cstrong\u003ePulls\u003c\/strong\u003e”. The free-rolling exuberance of “\u003cstrong\u003ePack of Wolves\u003c\/strong\u003e”.  The delicacy of “\u003cstrong\u003ePetals Have Fallen\u003c\/strong\u003e”. Plus, of course, re-works of the brilliant “\u003cstrong\u003eBird Milk\u003c\/strong\u003e” and “\u003cstrong\u003eYou Live In My Head\u003c\/strong\u003e”, both of which were included on the \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjatune.net\/release\/dels\/black-salad\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eBlack Salad\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e EP last year and hammered by \u003cstrong\u003eZane Lowe\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eAnnie Mac\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eHuw Stephens\u003c\/strong\u003e, amongst others. \r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut just as impressive is the consistent feel of the record as an album, where moods and images and sonics develop and mutate but hold together as a whole. Some of this comes from the deployment of \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjatune.net\/artist\/dels\"\u003eDELS\u003c\/a\u003e’ long-term collaborator, \u003cstrong\u003eKwes\u003c\/strong\u003e in the role of Executive Producer and “reducer.”Only one of the tracks is produced solely by \u003cstrong\u003eKwes\u003c\/strong\u003e, with beats provided by Bonobo, Micachu (fresh from her triumph as the soundtracker for \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnder the Skin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003eBlue May\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eEli-T\u003c\/strong\u003e and others. But \u003cstrong\u003eKwes\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjatune.net\/artist\/dels\"\u003eDELS\u003c\/a\u003e took every track back to his studio to provide additional production and an overall feel to the whole album. Throw in guest performances by some of the most exciting singers in the UK today (\u003cstrong\u003eKerry Leatham\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eRosie Lowe\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eTirzah\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eBila\u003c\/strong\u003e and Elan Tamara) and you have a palette which has been extended even further.\r\n\r\nMore even than any of that is the leap in \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjatune.net\/artist\/dels\"\u003eDELS\u003c\/a\u003e’ own abilities. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePut simply, Gallear has developed the confidence to be exactly and only himself – at times sensitive and romantic, at others sarcastic and funny, even ready to take the piss out of himself: \u003cem\u003e“Some say I’m anxious\/ I just think I need to eat cheese less.”\u003c\/em\u003e Gallear has talked about how he uses visuals as well as music to inspire his writing and \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjatune.net\/release\/dels\/petals-have-fallen\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ePetals Have Fallen\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e is a record which you almost see as much as hear, one in which moments in time are suspended in images like prehistoric insects in amber. Already hotly-tipped as an MC and carving out a successful career as a designer and video director, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ninjatune.net\/artist\/dels\"\u003eDELS\u003c\/a\u003e brings together all his interests and talents on this, a stand out album, which delivers and then some on The Times’ verdict that he is \u003cem\u003e“the future of UK hip hop.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\u003ciframe width=\"430\" height=\"250\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/playlists\/57735583\u0026amp;auto_play=false\u0026amp;hide_related=false\u0026amp;show_comments=true\u0026amp;show_user=true\u0026amp;show_reposts=false\u0026amp;visual=true\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ninjatune","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":44934130729119,"sku":"BDCD253","price":10.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":44934130761887,"sku":"BD253","price":23.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0493\/8563\/5999\/products\/petals-have-fallen-main.jpg?v=1736247236","url":"https:\/\/merch.ninjatune.net\/products\/bd253","provider":"Ninja Tune","version":"1.0","type":"link"}