Now On - Eye Level

Raising consciousness has been part of hip-hop since the old school days of Adidas and gold-chains: driven underground by the rise of gangster rap, its subtleties and organic sound are a far harder sale than tales of guns and booty. Mixed race crew Now On display their party credentials and belief in community development across an over-long debut, even including poetry interludes and a guest spot from Arrested Development's Speech. While there are no immediate show-stoppers and the beats often descend into schmaltz, 'Eye Level' represents measured flow, a deep funk and soulful references, building into a solid home listening experience: polite rather than stunning, the politics are radical yet abstract. Working with expansive melodies rather than taut samples, 'Eye Level' could be the fascinating revival of reasonable hip-hop. [Gareth K Vile]