Round Table Discussions: A Masterfully Executed Urban Insight
Society of Alumni
The current rise of collectives globally as well as locally, is pushing forth a new generation of artists and creatives intent on using each other as a means to progress. A perfect example of one such collective is Society of Alumni (SOA), a ten-piece crew hailing from South London. With the eldest of the group still aged only twenty-one, they are a young and passionate collective using past experiences and the “negative environment” they grew up in, to fuel the inspiration behind their music and put across a “positive message”, and this becomes immediately obvious in their first official single Round Table Discussions.
Featuring eight of the ten members of SOA and produced by Yxng Jynn, Round Table Discussions seamlessly flows from bar to bar, and person to person. The title of the song nicely illustrates the lyrics being put over the beat, as well as acting as a metaphor for the construction and flow of the song itself, as if the members are all huddled around a table taking it in turns to make their point. The mixture of male and female vocals is a refreshing aspect, keeping the song interesting and also giving the collective as a whole something to set them apart from the rest. The beat is simple yet effective, with a pretty piano sample playing throughout over nicely mixed kicks and low-end claps, tying together the short, soulful hooks and the individual bars being spat by each artist. It is lyrically impressive and varies in subject matter from artist to artist, whilst still maintaining a coherent structure and direction.
Round Table Discussions bridges the gap between a song to chill too, and something to be played out in a club or live show, offering an exiting insight into a young group of talented individuals. And, although it is often difficult to keep a central flow to a song when featuring such a large number of diverse artists, SOA pull it off with ease keeping the listener engaged and wanting more. Keep your eyes peeled for big moves from these guys in the near future.
Words by Oscar Ralf
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