Wiley - ‘Treadin on Thin Ice’ (XL) Released 26/04/04

With the So Solid Crew declining into C-list celebrities providing rotating band members for The Games, enter the Roll Deep Crew as heirs apparent, with a grimier take on the “garage” plate.  In fact, to typecast ‘Treadin..’ as “garage” would be something of a misnomer (rammed home on ‘Wot Do U Call It?’), because Wiley’s ‘Eskimo’ rhyming is a third cousin once removed from your bolly waving two step.

Cutting up sparse beats, computer game blips and samples with Wiley’s trademark positive raps, when this edgy formula is adhered to, the results are overwhelmingly good.  Whilst not possessing the discomforting lyrics of Roll Crew member Dizzee Rascal, ‘The Game’, ‘Pick Ur Self Up’ and the stunning ‘Going Mad’ (watch this fly as a summer hit to become part of the vernacular) are all peerless block rockin’ party anthems.

Only when Wiley tries to imitate his smoother stateside cousins, like LL Cool J, on the slightly dubious ‘Special Girl’, do things go a bit awry, but make no mistake, Wiley and Dizzee are leading UK dance into a brave new world.