PREMIERE: ILL Sykes - The Chronicles of Nefaeria Volume 1 (Album) + 10 Questions
Ill Sykes’ latest EP (his first on vinyl) leads us on a hazardous ‘Black Mirror’ journey through the land of Nefaeria – a fantastical urban sprawl juxtaposed with a modern-day London. Across seven tracks with a run time of over 30 minutes, Sykes – joined by Bxbarian, Con-Vers, Jibbarish, King Kakarot, Lomax, Charles Sagan and Tesla the Ghost, projects a nightmarish metropolis of boiling rivers and tower blocks with toxic waste dripping from drainpipes. A place populated by thieves, snitches and drug dealers as equally unsavoury as the crooked corrupt politicians in charge. We are reminded of both the small and big issues that weave a web around convoluted every-day-lives. Skyes, effortlessly guided by Relense’s atmospheric production, leaves an undeniable mark like a graffiti writer’s ink mop and delivers a nightmarish soundtrack to a UK in crisis.
It is said that if you fold a piece of paper forty-two times it will reach the moon. That equation matches Ill Syke’s rhyme schemes and career trajectory. Possibly one of the most underrated underground emcees in the UKHH scene right now, his star is rising. ‘Chronicles’ is a brilliantly composed piece of conceptual work that transcends rap and is set to propel him on to the global stage.
ILL Skyes sat down with Wordplay Magazine to answer our infamous 10 Questions:
1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?
It’s funny. I was watching Robbie Williams on the Royal Variety Performance, and I knew it was what I wanted to do. I started writing songs after that day. My dad was in a synth pop band in the 80s, so I grew up around instruments and there was always eclectic music being played around the house.
2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?
Kate Bush! Fuck it, why not? I’m a big Mike Skinner fan too. I love everything he’s ever done and there are elements of my music that, when I’m in that sort of mode, cross over with his style. I’m hugely influenced by, and studied, great songwriters such as Phil Collins, Paul Simon and Billy Joel. Aesop Rock is a massive inspiration, his style is very Marmite and you have to be in the right frame of mind to listen to him, but when you can accept it for what it is, I find the lyricism endlessly rewarding. I went through a big Vinnie Paz and Jedi Mind Tricks phase. I am lucky enough to have worked with some of my biggest heroes - Chester P and Farma G from Taskforce. My track with Chester was never released, but what I gained from his guidance, and time spent, was invaluable. My track with Farma ‘Coldharbour Ghostpoet’ is on the latest 10 Pound Bag album on Revorg Records’ Bandcamp page.
3. What projects do you have coming up and can you give us any info on them?
The Chronicles of Nefaeria Volume 1 is out on 31st October on limited edition vinyl through Weaponize Records. It is produced entirely by the brilliant Relense and can be bought on Weaponize Records’ Bandcamp page. It will go out on DSPs in 2024. Chronicles is a sprawling conceptual record juxtaposing a modern metropolis with a darker shadow realm. It blurs the lines between realism and fantasy, delivering cutting social commentary while touching on haunting personal battles we experience, such as mental health and other hardships and obstacles we face on the arduous, and at times, bleak voyage between life and death. All my work is essentially about the human experience; trying to put into sonic terms the vast scope of turbulence we process as emotional beings. I have several LPs and EPs in the works, including full length albums with SheikhyGround whom I’ve previously worked with on ‘The Road Less Travelled EP’, and Swiss duo Bogart Beats. EPs are in the works with numerous producers including C.Facts, Rogue Beats, Bricktop, Seek The Northerner, Joe Dirt, Doc Terror and more.
4. How would you describe your sound?
Stark, honest, evocative, and unapologetic. My delivery system is multifaceted. I don’t like to pigeonhole in a certain subgenre. I have hard, technical lyrical ‘boombap’ stylings, but I like to experiment with vocal harmonies over lo-fi and trap beats. I lean heavily on my singer/songwriter background to bring more to the songs than simply bars. I like to work with lots of producers with differing styles as each sound demands a different approach, pushing me in exciting directions where I always discover something new.
5. As an artist, what's your proudest moment to date?
Opening for Chester P at the Chip Shop in Brixton. I remember him standing right there for my whole set, catching onto the hooks and rapping along, gassing the crowd. It was an unreal experience. It was my first solo rap show as well, and I was absolutely shitting it. I always used to have trouble remembering my lyrics, but I haven’t since that day. I think it prepared me for everything that was and is to come.
6. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?
Make the music that comes from your soul. Don’t make music that you think will be more popular or cater for a certain market or demographic. Creation is our gift of expression, take ownership of it and create your own fucking universe.
7. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?
All the guys that featured on the chronicles of Nefaeria EP are absolute beast emcees, so that’s Bxrbarian, C.O.N-Vers, Tesla’s Ghost, King Kakarot, Jibbarish, Lomax and Charles Sagan. The Last Elect are really heading the new wave of elites. Cosm Super is a master, MF Vandal brings the realness, Seek The Northerner is an awesome producer and rapper, I.C.E (Inner City Economics) are an exceptional crew and have crazy chemistry live. On the conscious tip, Joe Dirt, Citizen Nuggz and Menace Mendoza. Also check out Oliver Pedro Rees, who is a brilliant rapper and musician. There are so many, and this is just off the top of my head. Sorry if I’ve forgotten anybody!
8. What albums are on heavy rotation on your Spotify playlist currently?
Spaz The World - Cappo
Solid Air - John Martyn
Hats - The Blue Nile
Monkeyman - Kurious and Cut Beetlez
Some Friends of Mine - Theorist (not on Spotify)
Life Is But A Dream - Avenged Sevenfold
9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?
If I’m not at work scaffolding, I’m either thinking about making music and going over mad ideas or spending quality time with my missus and kids.
10. Name three things you can't live without when in the studio?
My phone, water, and a killer mindset - I hate distractions and am meticulous and sometimes even obsessive. I am not there to play games or mess about. There’s nothing worse than people hanging around the studio that have no business being there. My attitude has changed through the years.