Former Last Night In Paris producer and songwriter, Joshua. James, continues to carve his own lane with his new single ‘Compliments’, featuring South East-London rapper Rasstokyo.

The opening horn sample alludes to James’ usual soulful world, yet with the thumping drums and deep bass, we are introduced to a darker, more intense sound. It’s a song about individuals in the creative arts not being fairly compensated for their work and the expectation that exposure alone is enough. The urgency of this is emphasised by Rasstokyo’s yearning vocals, particularly in the closing bars after the poignant lyric “they’re eating and we’re struggling”.

Joshua. James explains “People love to pay you in compliments but never in cash. It leads on from a conversation at the end of the previous song ‘Look Up’ where my friend and I have a very candid conversation about how people treat artists in the music business.”