London-based artist Charles Edison crafts a captivating hip-hop sound across June in February. The production consistently stands out with its blend of introspective, artful lyricism and dynamic beats — spanning from the grooving piano-led soul of “Any Time” to the symphonic shimmering within “Let Me Down.”
Edison’s delivery infuses precise rhythmic entrancement with a spoken-word direction fit for the mixture of storytelling and universal reminders — which here often point to the various realms of the human condition, from perils like addiction to the importance of gratitude and optimism. Edison cites Common’s Be as a prime influence on the album, which overall exudes sentiments of gratefulness and looking ahead following addiction.
The aforementioned “Let Me Down” is a particular standout in every regard, propelled by gorgeous strings and sporadic brass complements. The “keep soldiering on” and “not heavy anymore because the boulders are gone” lyrics stir in their depictions of overcoming strife, with shades of Avalanches in the beat’s wordless vocal effects.
“Florence” is another stunner, incorporating a throwback soul glistening as Edison conveys emotions and regrets — “should have spoken to you every day” — following the death of a loved one, in this case his late grandmother Florence. From personal gems like “Florence” to the ravishing “Any Time,” whose title-touting vocal wonderfully pairs with snazzy brass work, June In February is a fantastic output from Edison — marking one of the year’s best hip-hop records so far.
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The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Hip-Hop.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
