Kneecap - Fine Art Review
KNEECAP’s sophomore album pushes the Belfast rap group comfortably into the “serious artists” category – and does so in style.
In their own words, KNEECAP basically started making music for the craic, releasing C.E.A.R.T.A. (Irish for “rights”) in 2017 without really expecting it to go anywhere. Local virality, raucous gigs, cult following, Tory condemnation, and an Audience Award at Sundance followed. Now, 7 years later, “Fine Art” has arrived. This is the Irish rap group’s sophomore record, following 2018’s “3cag”, the record is a considerable step up from any of their previous releases, with increased production value and more thematic cohesion while retaining the punk energy which, essentially, defines the group.
Told loosely through the story of a night out in Belfast, the album carries us through some meta-commentary, some anecdotal storytelling, and a dedication to the role of the rave scene in cross-community relations in the North of Ireland, all while looking introspectively at their use of recreational drugs.
Sonically, the record largely blends hip-hop (roughly half in Irish and half in English) with a variety of EDM genres, including house and rave. The first third of the album sees KNEECAP employ their trademark aggression and energy, epitomised by “I bhFiacha Linne”, which basically serves as roughly 3 minutes of threats towards anyone who owes Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara any money. From here, there is a shift towards some more conventional hip-hop, with singles “Better Way to Live” and “Sick in the Head”, which look at the effects of generational trauma on their drinking habits and mental health. Towards the end of the album, “Parful” and “Rhino Ket” then bring the mood back up, rave influencing the sound and the lyrics of these tracks.
Another notable factor in “Fine Art” is the interludes. I think it’s really easy for interludes to be used in a way which can detract from the momentum of an album, they can often fee a little intrusive. However, on this album, the result is quite the opposite. They’re short and sweet, help to tie the narrative together, and allow KNEECAP to showcase their sense of humour.
For me, “Harrow Road” is the strongest track on the record, which follows the only direct jab towards us Brits in “KNEECAP Chaps” (fans of “Get Your Brits Out” may be disappointed by this album). “Harrow Road” tells the story of Móglaí Bap getting lost in London after being dropped off in Wembley rather than on Harrow Road by a taxi driver. There’s a surprising amount of affection in this song, which I think also includes some of KNEECAP’s best flows, particularly from Mo Chara.
There is still room for improvement from this album though. While the blend of English and Irish makes for some unique and cleverly utilised rhymes, I think there are some lines which seem a little clumsy, possibly as a result of this record being written in full in a matter of weeks. I think this sticks out in the hooks for “I bhFiacha Linne” and “Sick in the Head”, where I think the line “I'm too far gone when it comes to mental health” is the worst example on the record. Moreover, I think it would be interesting to hear some slightly darker, possibly more industrial production on a KNEECAP. While pretty much all of these beats undoubtedly go hard, they do tow the line with being a little safe.
“Fine Art” is a real statement of intent as a record. Its energy is infectious, and I have found it really easy to obsess over basically every track on the album, which comes in part from the surprising amount of lyrical depth. Compared to their work in the late 2010s, this release is much more mature and confident, and I hope that they continue this upward trajectory.
