COLD SUMMER

Wesley Joseph is an outrageous talent. Not only is he one of the best upcoming rappers, producers and songwriters in the UK, he is also a quaint, experimental and vivid visual director. 

Last year saw Joseph unveil his debut album ULTRAMARINE to critical acclaim, with the rapper’s natural vocal ability, raw narratives and unique visuals setting him apart from pretty much anyone else in the UK scene, with standout efforts including Thrilla and the Jorja Smith featuring Patience. 

The young creative has returned with his first offering of the new year, COLD SUMMER, which sees him in rip-roaring form, both sonically and visually. Stylistically, the track feels directly interlinked with much of ULTRAMARINE, with familiarly ominous and engrossing production the cinematic palette on which Wesley constructs a concoction of broody melodies and sharp flows. The accompanying darkly humourous visuals were shot in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and follow Joseph playing a flawed protagonist, Fredrick, through a game of cat and mouse whilst hunting for a mysterious suitcase. 

Speaking on the track and video, Joseph remarks:

“We talked about how I wanted to create the theme music for a supervillain’s return, something that felt uneasy, tense, and eerie, yet completely encapsulating - that would feel like the perfect beginning to the next chapter,” he explains. ”[The song] Cold Summer started to take shape at 1am after a day of working, and as soon as we got the atmospherics and drums down we couldn’t stop playing it. We wanted to make something simple that allowed my vocal to lead and bend the vibe in each section. Creating it was freeing process I think you can hear reflected in the song.”

If you don’t know Wesley Joseph, seriously, get to know. One of the brightest creative talents making art right now.