Solareye – All These People Are Me
On All These People Are Me, Solareye explores his identity and sense of self both as an artist and a human with a wonderful sense of confidence and allure
Most likely, you know Dave 'Solareye' Hook from Stanley Odd, whose three full-length records and various other releases have seen them recognised as something of a national treasure. However, the band have been relatively quiet since 2014 while Solareye has been working on his debut solo full-length album All These People Are Me, even though he's been performing and releasing under his solo moniker since 2004. Unlike his usual full band backing with Stanley Odd, here we hear Hook's rhymes and insights to the simple backing of Harvey Kartel's samples and beats, doing a sterling job filling in for what is normally five musicians.
By Hook's own admission, this album took two-and-a-half years to complete with "many peaks and troughs along the way" but it's clearly a labour of love, with a great deal of passion and vision from the veteran MC, shown on singles Mr. Margins and Didnae Get Repetitive. It's a tough job being heralded as the key influencer of an entire sub-genre (Scottish rap) – something Hook takes a few jabs at on late-in-the-day vent Hatekeeperz – but for the most part, Solareye explores his identity and sense of self both as an artist and a human with a wonderful sense of confidence and allure.
Listen to: Mr. Margins, Didnae Get Repetitive, Hatekeeperz