Too Awesome: Clash Meets ayrtn

ayrtn, a beacon in the world of UK rap, releases his latest EP ‘TOO AWESOME’ – a body of work written, produced and arranged by himself to follow on from his highly acclaimed 2020 tape ‘Ghost…’. It’s introspective, self-deprecating, and humorous. Sounds encapsulate moments in time; we all know this. All those life progressions you live are married into the impressions left on you by those initial moments of connection and ‘TOO AWESOME’ is designed to soundtrack the looming end of summer. To mark the occasion, ayrtn releases his latest single and video ‘2 Da Max’ and for those not yet acquainted with his work, if there’s anything you learn from this article, it’s that this is a prime example of his care and attention to detail and creative delivery. 

South London’s ayrtn was recommended to me by a friend, a little while after the release of ‘South’ in 2018. He knew I’d rate it. I did, and it became a daily rotation for a long time to come. The first listen was one of those freeze frame scenes, where something just clicks, and time slows. So, when I say impression and connection, it’s incredibly valuable to me and a song so simple and infectious, with its skippy yet laid back approach, showed me what I felt I should have been listening to all along.

I love the DIY element in alternative UK rap. It’s authentic, and you get this beautiful blend of styles and unapologetic attitude. There’s so much more for these the artists to contend with. We’re living in this peculiar moment in time where more commercialised artists/songs divert attention away from the organic scene, for the sake of a short-lived viral moment. Now this is absolutely me disclaiming that lyrics don’t need to be an excerpt from a novel or hold a deep and meaningful story to be relevant; some of us do want cohesion and vibe, and with South-London artist ayrtn, you get it all. 

Bringing it back to the start, I managed to mark this moment in time by jumping on a Zoom, ahead of the release of ‘TOOAWESOME’, to discuss with ayrtn his creation. Let’s get to it.

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When did you start building out the plans your new EP ‘TOO AWESOME’?

Before the end of last year, that’s how long it’s been in play – I’ve been figuring stuff out in terms of like, what do I actually want to put out? 

I know vision is super important to you, talk to me about conceptualising this one, from the first moment of realising it was time to release another project, to sculpting a sound for it?

I didn’t realise that I was going to be working on a project, as such. I was just making music over the summer, last year, and then reviewing it, in terms of where my head was at, how I was feeling, and I felt I was ready. Some songs suited the EP, but then had to take them off because another song would fit better. I keep making music, then I have to keep shifting stuff because of it. There’s a lot of things that I haven’t done before. I’ve never really planned out releases, and now it’s more serious where I need to. I don’t really know how to speak on the conceptual stuff, because it’s literally just a reflection of me. I want people to enjoy the music – it’s for the people to hear and see when it’s out there.

It’s like an elevation of your sound from your last project?

Definitely! I always aim to do better than my last, and I feel like that’s what I’ve done here with TOO AWESOME.

A lot of your songs possess such replay value, you have such a distinctive flow and sound – has this evolved over time?

Absolutely, I think that’s why my sound is at this point. This is like my first serious EP or project that I’ve done. This time really thinking about everything in terms of the music, how this snare lands, and all of those intricacies. I know I’ve said I have experimented, but we’re going to get way more after this EP, because things are going to change again. The ideas will come. There’s room for growth.

A lot of artists are quite sporadic and random with releases, but since 2018 you’ve given listeners something every year – is this a feeling of you needing to drop to keep momentum with fans or is this purely just a representation of your work rate?

It’s for the fans. I do all my shit for the fans at the end of the day because I’m a fan. At the end of the day, I do things that makes sure everyone is pleased. I want to make music that is perfect. Period. I’ll take however long it takes to release a project or a single, whilst considering the fans are waiting. But it’s never to keep momentum. I’ve never done that. 

I find your music gives this beautiful illusion of calm, yet really you are barring – usually it’s one or the other, is this an intentional skill or has this come as a derivative from your beat selection and approach? 

I think it is, yeah. I never usually write to beats, normally I just write bars on my phone. I’ll have a rhythm in my head and just start writing. I make the beat separately, not even thinking about what I’ve written. Then I’ll pull out my phone, see what I’ve written, and I’m like, oh, this kind of goes like this. That’s normally how it happens. But it’s never intentional, man. It’s never felt intentional. Like it’s just my process. It’s just my way of making music. It’s just my sound. It all comes very second nature. It’s like speaking English. 

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Did you produced everything on the new EP?

Yeah! I produced most of my stuff that’s been out before, too. I produced most of ‘Ghost’, I think just like two songs I didn’t do. This EP is entirely by me.

Your beats are quite open in a way that allows you to speak in full, that’s something that I’ve recognised from the outside looking in when analysing your music…

I think so, too. I don’t even do that intentionally, to be honest. I keep it very simple. Not many people can rap on them though. It’s tough but it’s my style. 

‘THE GLO’’ is one of the singles from the new project, a celebratory reclamation of self-assurance, inspired by the breakdown of a failed relationship and a subsequent period of feeling low – how did you see through this period and what are your best words of wisdom for building back up again?

Everyone goes through stuff, right? Sometimes you just need to turn to the light, to the people that love you most truly. That’s one bit of advice, whatever you’re going through. A lot of people go through different things. Turn to the people that you love. They’ll give you reassurance, they’ll give you everything that you need. Just don’t be toxic. That’s all I can say on that. Just don’t be toxic. 

Naturally, you’ve been delving a lot more into the fashion world…

It’s my interest for sure, I like fashion. I’m not in the fashion industry, yet, to answer your question. I love anything artistic. I’m yet to fully meet anyone that’s bridging that gap between fashion and music – I would love to work with designers. 

If you had one brand that you could curate a runway for, whom would it be?

That’s such a good question. I’d do a runway for Supreme, I’d shut that down, facts, and then I’d also do one for Palace. I really want to do one for Palace – it’s my favourite brand. I like that high fashion crossover with streetwear because you know, you get ‘preme collaborating with brands like Burberry – a really classic brand.

Lastly, what can audiences expect from ’TOO AWESOME’?

Fun music, fun beats and fun flows. Classic ayrtn still, but very fresh. An updated version of me. You really have to listen, but yeah, it’s just fine fun music, man.

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Words: Josh Clubbe