CLBRKS & Vagrant Real Estate - "The Iceberg Theory"
The Iceberg Theory is the new collaborative project from Blah Records’ CLBRKS and Scottish producer Vagrant Real Estate, pairing distinctive flow and vivid imagery with lush soul samples and icy, gothic textures.
Crafted remotely through the last year between London and Aberdeen, the project spans seven tracks where CLBRKS weaves stark confession with booze-soaked braggadocio. Following the concept of American writer Ernest Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory, he drops allusions to surface elements and allows the listener to interpret as he oscillates between cashmere vests, Greek mythology and The Chappelle Show, always leaving his underlying themes unspoken.
The project features appearances from UK Hip Hop heavyweight Ramson Badbonez (High Focus Records) rising London-based stars Renelle 893 and Kish!, as well as Scottish MC Jackill, highlighting the cross-country collaboration of the album. Building on the wealth of references in the lyrics, renowned British visual artist & illustrator Emily Catherine (Your Old Droog, Mach Hommy) provided the painted artwork, pairing CLBRKS’ varied allusions with nods to Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights and The Ambassadors by Holbein.
CLBRKS has carved out his own lane through the crowd of UK Hip Hop with his distinctive tone and wordplay, in part alchemized through his early days which saw him relocate from the UK to Tanzania at the age of 3, before returning to the UK shores in 2013. His ability to stand out on even the most crowded posse cut has seen him rapidly rise through the UK scene, and recently join the ranks of esteemed British rap label Blah. His voracious work ethic has produced an impressive back catalog and his collaborations with fellow Blah artist Morriarchi has seen international acclaim, as well as featuring with the likes of Lee Scott and Black Josh.
Vagrant Real Estate is fast becoming one of the most sought after producers from Scotland, drawing from a number of disparate inspirations to craft his soulful and melodic style. Named as one of BBC Radio Scotland’s Top 25 Artists to Watch in 2021, he has also seen support from the likes of Creative Scotland, Ministry of Sound, Hypebeast, Complex and DJ Mag. Equally at home working with Trap and Drill styles, The Iceberg Theory sees him return to his roots of sample style beats and his impeccable ear for a loop, sometimes stripped back to the bare essence of the chops.
The pair also got 100 copies of “The Iceberg Theory” pressed to wax, in a Special Edition Sky Blue, but due to high demand, they have unfortunately sold out. Worry not though, as you can still cop a digital version on the link below…
