After revisiting their roots with 2019's
RTRN II JUNGLE, an accompanying Fabric mix, and tour dates surrounding them, British dance duo
Chase & Status resumed the guest-heavy, multi-genre format of their highest-charting albums.
What Came Before, their sixth studio full-length, is a mixture of rave throwbacks, radio-friendly dance-pop, and the toughness of U.K. drill, all with drum'n'bass futurism as its guiding light. Opener "Don't Be Scared" spikes dubstep-tempo beats with rave stabs, bubbling percussion, and squelching acid, along with patient vocals by frequent collaborator
Takura, who ends up sounding like Splinter, the sagely rat from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Following track "Go" leans closer to the sound of big beat-era
Prodigy, with shuffling percussion and commanding synths leading the charge. The album dives into drum'n'bass with "Censor," which features
Popcaan's smoother singing as well as
IRAH's deep baritone ragga verses. "Run Up" is a visionary fusion of U.K. drill and hardcore breaks, with
Unknown T's hyped-up vocals perfectly complementing the brash, booming bass. "When It Rains" is more dramatic, with
BackRoad Gee delivering blunt street scenes over faint police sirens, then elevating to a heart-racing rhythm with a brassy, explosive bass tone.These forays into drill are easily the most impressive moments on
What Came Before. Aside from the aforementioned tracks, there's a handful of enjoyable instrumentals throughout the album. The perky "5am" is the most celebratory of these, while "Consciousness" is a slightly jazzy ambient rinse-out, and "Forgive Dark" opens like something from
Goldie's
Timeless before progressing through glimmering, minimalist synth patterns and sharp, complex breaks. ~ Paul Simpson