After spending the past few years pushing the boundaries of the Alté sound via his innovative productions for the likes of Cruel Santino and Amaarae, singer, songwriter and producer Tochi Bedford announces his 7-track EP legend has it set to release on the 28th of June.
EP opener ‘Blue Rain’ incorporates a pop-punk aesthetic into its jittery production, consisting of a vortex of warbling synths and low-end heavy, squelchy bass. When the beat switches up around the midway mark, things are kicked into overdrive as thrashing guitars and a marching drum beat are thrust into the forefront, with Tochi’s forlorn croon matching the increase in intensity.
‘Pump Fake’ ups the tempo with its frenetic break-beat, wiry guitar lines and oscillating melodies. Tochi delivers an angst-ridden vocal performance, detailing the enthralling highs and lows of a young man trying to make his way in the world.
Moving into ‘Like Me’ ft. Tapz Gallantino, Tochi Bedford sounds boastful and validated in the song’s repeated refrain of ‘shorty said she like me’. The beat swings and shifts throughout, morphing into a glittering mosaic when Tapz Gallantino makes his appearance, gracing the track with his smooth R&B inflexion.
‘sometimes’ conjures images of a city bathed in neon light, the track’s interwoven, fizzing synths creating a cinematic soundscape. In his verses, Tochi sounds comfortable in his solitude, happy to separate himself from the crowd and not compromise on his morals whilst on the journey to success.
‘Legend’ is a brief and chirpy interlude where Tochi’s choppy flow contrasts against a backdrop of bright acoustic guitar and harmonised vocals. In his raps, Tochi sounds confident, braggadocious and reflective all at once.
‘2018’ is an exuberant bop where Tochi’s vocals are boisterous and jubilant, detailing his personal growth and developed confidence over the past 6 years. Rising underground UK rapper Len provides the track with a slick and stylish verse, laced with wit and braggadocio.
Closing out the EP is the thunderous ‘lingua’, the most hard-nosed offering from the project. Over the song’s rapturous drums and imposing 808s, Tochi’s raps are direct, boastful and highly entertaining, illustrating his sense of humour with lines like ‘they don’t know I’m rack-lingual, they don’t know I’m rack-sexual’.
As the founder of producer collective 44DB, Tochi has gathered some of the most exciting talents in his scene to all operate under one banner. Producers repping the 44DB collective have been behind numerous notable releases including ODUMODUBLVCK’s massive 2023 hit ‘Declan Rice’ (produced by Trill Xoe), ‘Commitment Issues’ by PsychoYP (produced by Johnson IP) and ‘Wedding Ring’ by Native Sounds (produced by John Wav and Trill Xoe).
With the release of legend has it, Tochi Bedford is poised to step to the forefront of the scene as a solo artist who is bridging the gap between the continent’s Alté movement and left-field sounds being experimented with in the UK and the US.
Through the EP runtime, Tochi’s playful and experimental productions illuminate an artist sitting comfortably at the intersection of various alternative sounds, easily bending genres to create an adventurous, free-wheeling body of work.
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