Becca Starr @ Room 2, Glasgow, 18 Jan

Defixio (Ex) is Becca Starr’s eagerly awaited follow-up to the 2022 SAMA Best Hip-Hop award winner Speak No Evil. Whilst its predecessor works through periods of trauma and turmoil, Defixio sees Starr break that curse and get her swag back. Masterminded in her Family Starr Records studio in Paisley, the album is testament to Starr’s innate ability to match soulful vocals with insightful lyrics, blend them with down-and-dirty bars, phat basslines, and the odd twist of metal, and make everything sound phenomenal.

To give Defixio a worthy launch show, Starr rocks up to Glasgow’s humble Room 2 alongside her band The Rockets, and no less than four support acts. Coatbridge rapper GLUCO (check out MACAULAY CULKIN from 2024’s THE STONEOVER) kicks things off with a moody bounce and husky bars, the heavy bass moves the air and as the crowd warms up, Irvine’s own (Stirling-based) Pro Focus delivers smart rhymes with unrelenting flow and ceaseless enthusiasm (his 2023 single Chuck Norris is outstanding).

Tonight's third act, eight-piece band(!) Frank’s House, offer something a little different: a fusion of hip-hop, funk, reggae, jazz, and most importantly fun – as demonstrated by their hilarious new single Keys. Throughout the night, Starr acts as emcee: introducing acts, meeting and greeting, and visibly enjoying the music, before longtime friend MOG invites her to the stage for their collab track Demon – a timely teaser for the main event.

Becca Starr and The Rockets (feat. members of Frank’s House, From Tyranny, Scordatura and more) finally fill the stage and launch into the entirety of Defixio, blasting off with the dirty bubbling bass of Deep Down, swiftly followed by the soulful, dread-filled Why I’m Still Smoking (complete with emphatic guest spot from Livingston legend Slippery Trashmouf). Feel Me – a gorgeous R'n'B banger made to be performed live – brings the joy back while the crest of this early wave is the unstoppable club belter Get Hype!!! 

There’s Love chills the vibe right out, Starr seamlessly shifting between scintillating pop and silky bars before GLUCO’s return for a verse amid the irresistible gospel-leaning chorus of What Now? The hardest beat of the night award goes to Follow the Leader – a thumping banger with crunching nu-metal guitars buried in the chorus – while Not Boasting channels Portishead with an extra pinch of swagger; a gorgeous ride of woozy synths, drilling drums and arresting vocals. 

A short break allows time for the crowd to demand “ONE MORE TUNE!!!” before the band returns to the stage for Defixio’s crowning glory, the stunning Brand New – a rousing, emotional, Avalanches-style soul and jazz soundscape that culminates in Starr nailing a note so high she nearly collapses to the ground: a defining moment, unforgettable on record and astonishing live. In the closing seconds a chant of “When I say Family, you say Starr… FAMILY!” “STARR!” “FAMILY!” “STARR!” erupts, eagerly called out by The Rockets, gleefully answered by the crowd, and cheekily silenced by a grinning Starr.

Standing as proof that hip-hop performed with a full band is the way forward, this is a family of talented musicians all working together to present a brilliant album in all its glory. Defixio is out now and you need to hear it.