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Artist News Releases
JME releases new album on physical formats only
By CMU Editorial | Published on Friday 29 November 2019
JME has released his new album ‘Grime MC’. Why not head over to your favourite streaming service to listen to it right now? Because it’s not there, that’s why. iTunes? Nah. This album is only available on physical formats sold in record shops, like in the olden days.
The rapper’s fourth album – his first since 2015’s ‘Integrity’ – features guests including Skepta, Wiley, P Money and Giggs. Production comes from the likes of Preditah, Tre Mission and JME himself. But you’ll only be able hear any of this by getting hold of a copy of it on CD or vinyl. And possibly the technology to play such a thing.
It’s not clear if the record will eventually make it onto digital services, but JME has previously indicated that he feels his latest music will be more highly valued if he keeps it off the internet. Rather than promote the album with videos pumped out through YouTube, he previewed his new material earlier this year with a series of free events in cinemas around the country.
Even photos snapped with fans at those events were strictly taken on a Polaroid camera rather than on phones. Meanwhile the rapper himself hasn’t touch his social media accounts since last year. ‘Don’t @ Me’, indeed.
“I want people to care”, he said at one of those promotional events, as Dummy reported in July. So it seems JME’s overall aim is to limit his audience to those with more than a passing interest. You could call it a gimmick or an experiment, but it is interesting to see any artist promoting an album like it’s 1992.
There is one concession to the internet ban. With the album only available in UK record shops – including a special picture disc vinyl edition for independent record stores – international fans can buy the CD version online through the Boy Better Know website.
If you’re sneakily sitting there in the UK thinking that sounds a lot easier than plodding down to a record shop, he’s thought of that. While international shipping is free, if you enter a delivery address in the UK an extra £1000 will be added to your order total.
There is an additional incentive to head down to a record shop in the next few days though – JME will be appearing in various stores around the country to perform, meet fans and sign copies of ‘Grime MC’, starting tonight at Banquet Records in Kingston-Upon-Thames. Maybe you can even get your own Polaroid. Dates here:
29 Nov: Banquet Records, Kingston-Upon-Thames
30 Nov: Rough Trade East
1 Dec: HMV Glasgow
2 Dec: HMV Liverpool
3 Dec: HMV Manchester
4 Dec: Bear Tree, Sheffield
5 Dec: HMV Birmingham Vault
