Gasp – A Series of Fortunate Misunderstandings

Gasp is a veteran of the Scottish hip-hop scene, a Glasgow emcee who has long had a fearsome reputation as both a battle rapper and a writer, and member of The Being (alongside Loki and others). With his new album, he showcases a growing maturity in his subject matter, delivery and conception, reflecting on a drink-soaked, misbegotten existence with unflinching honesty and a hard-bitten, quintessentially Scottish flair for storytelling.

Well-regarded producer Konchis provides stripped, intense beats. Haunted's loping, gothic, 8-bit serves as a statement of intent; the half-cut, melancholic, folk-sampling swagger of Growing Pains and 37 brood with menace and pathos. Steve What?, a brief and intense noir tale with a vicious twist at the end, has the awful ring of truth. Closer Gassed seems to offer a chink of light, albeit a small one. Avoiding macho posturing in favour of searing self-examination and vivid storytelling, it's a triumph.