Kneecap, the punk-rap group that speaks in Irish, has finally released their much-anticipated album after a slew of intriguing interviews, eye-catching murals, movie trailers and plenty of hype. It follows their past work, which is noteworthy for its DIY sound quality. The latest album, ‘Fine Art’ is far from adequate – it is intimidatingly magnificent, a ground-breaking tribute to the joys of quick-paced living, interwoven with creativity, language, identity and hedonism.
The trio of the band – Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Provaí – initially perform on the album after the opening song, 3CAG, with Radie Peat of Lankum as a guest. Mo Chara then dominates the title track, delivering a challenge rather than a simple statement: “Listen to me: don’t come to me with your thoughts, don’t analyse my lines.” Unravelling such a piece would indeed take a significant amount of time. Fine Art is dynamic, with each beat, stanza and embellishment broadening to expose limitless galaxies within the world of Kneecap. We learn here that 3CAG is an abbreviation for ‘trí chosan agus guta’, which represents three consonants and a vowel – a reference to the street term for drugs.
The album takes listeners on an intricate yet cohesive journey, using the fictitious ‘Rutz’ pub as the mainstay of imagination. We encounter violent personas in ‘Ibh Fiacha Linne’, where threats are made to “lay your mouth down on the pavement”. The uproarious Beastie Boys-level energy on the cocaine-addled “I’m Flush”. A touching tribute to the communal nature of rave culture in ‘Parful’, which includes snippets from the documentary “Dancing on Narrow Ground”. The amusing ketamine-focused song ‘Rhino Ket’, where listeners are urged to “bally up and let’s rob a vet”. Amid these high-energy tracks, there’s also softer energy with the pop vibes of “Love Making” and the uplifting “Way Too Much”. The surprise guest Manchán Magan serves wisdom dressed as a druid on the track “Drug Dealing Pagans.”
Undeniably, the limelight belongs to Kneecap. They define their story, their individuality, their artistic potential, and their startlingly shrewd command of lyrics, oscillating freely and gleefully among languages with unregulated freedom. Unleashing this cascade of creativity is the album’s key alchemist, producer Toddla T.
“Fine Art” stands as a groundbreaking manifesto in terms of lyrics, theme, and melody. Toddla T showcases a spectacular knack for layering and hidden meanings within his auditory narratives. To intricately interlace something that beautifully balances both brightness and obscurity. To harmoniously blend traditional music, rave, grime, hip-hop, garage, punk, and the confluence of dance music from varying genres so headily. To command Kneecap’s overflowing inventiveness and arise with such a concentrated extract isn’t just an auditory delight, it becomes a subject of exploration. Combined, the participating artists have given birth to an avant-garde symphony.