This week at In The Middle, we’ve been immersing ourselves in the work of spoken word artists and local Leeds musicians.

1.
Kate Tempest – ‘Lonely Daze’

In her latest album Everybody Down, Mercury Prize nominee Kate Tempest fuses together her spoken word with funk, hip-hop and rap – anything with a fast paced beat that can compete with her incredible pace. Her new venture into music transforms her powerful spoken word into something more accessible, more immediate and undeniably potent.

2.
Burial vs. George The Poet – Wounded City

George The Poet is an upcoming spoken word artist and public speaker who offers social commentary through poetry. He draws inspiration from his early life and his Politics, Psychology and Sociology course from Cambridge University. Oh and he’s rather good too. Here’s a gorgeous remix of one of his spoken word clips with Bodhi.

3.
Capua Collective – Alaska

Words cannot do Capua Collective’s latest offering justice. Likening it to the growling, rolling calm before the storm is about all we can manage. At times velvety smooth, at times pulsing with electric energy, ‘Alaska’ offers something new with every listen.

4.
Enter Shikari – The Last Garrison

‘There’s still air in my lungs, there’s still blood in veins’ Enter Shikari’s first single from their upcoming album ‘The Mindsweep’ (out January 2015) is explosive, and their experimentation as Shikari Sound System seems to be formative in the creation of their new sound. Here’s to hoping their next album is as hard-hitting and political as their first.

5.
The Antlers – Hotel

The Antlers sold out at Belgrave Music Hall last week and it’s not difficult to appreciate why. If you listen to one track this week, make sure it’s this one. Swirling with a mixture of beautiful vocals, majestic brass, sprawling piano and poignant guitar work, this song demands the utmost respect from even the most casual listener.

Catch our full playlist, featuring Fat Freddy’s Drop, Childhood, The Theorist and George Maple here:

Emily Watts