This is what I expect from a mixtape. When Wiley promised 5 Tunnel Visions in early 2006 I thought he meant 5 CDs of stuff like this. How we were wrong. We got 6 CDs of freestyles radio rips and war dubs. Although I enjoyed a couple of them, they were unproductive, he could of placed all that effort into one quality release.

Grime Kid and Local Lad are the best stuff Wiley has come out with for ages. But as the Rolex hype is surrounding this release, even though it has nothing to do with this project everyone is looking for another tune that would break into the charts. None will, people are saying If your going out could. It is catchy, but it is not Top 40 material, it is good, but not that good.

A major flaw with this release is the lack of promotion from Wiley. No Logan Show, no Videos (come on do a cheap Youtube one for Grime Kid) and the tunes aren't even being performed when Wiley is doing shows (and he is doing a lot right now). If it seems like the artist doesn't care about the product, why should we. But on the other hand at least this is accessible. Instead of a Ukrecordshop exclusive this is literally anywhere they sell music. Itunes, Play, HMV and all the usual independents are selling it so it should do better sales wise compared to previous underground releases. For the bigger grime acts this should be the standard for their "mixtapes". 1000 CD copies sitting in London Independent record shops is not going to take them anywhere. Lets see what other people think about it. Who cares what I think.


What the Grime Forum is saying:

Name: Slackk aka GrimeTapes.Com
Bought From: Avalanche Music Hut
Favourite Tune: Grime Kid
Another inconsistent release from Wiley, for me. Although there are- as always- flashes of what he's truly capable of, the inclusion of more "poppy" hooks and an overuse of Flowdan's rather limited range lessens the experience for me. That said, when it's good it's very good. Wiley just needs more quality control.

Name: Tom aka FullyGrownGrime.Com
Bought From: Avalanche Music Hut
Favourite Tune: Badman Talking
Good CD, good example of commercial grime, broadening the sound and making the genre appeal to a wider audience while keeping the sound unique.

Name: Mr. Quality Control
Bought From: iTunes when they put it on there early
Favourite tune: Local Lad
It's another solid but overall underwhelming release from Wiley.....apart from Local Lad and Grime Kid which, in my opinion, are two of the best grime songs that have been released for a long time it pretty much just consists of filler tracks ranging from slightly below average to slightly above average, although having said that, i'd say it was still worth the money.

What the media are saying:

" Wiley's album deserves light shone upon it as it's far superior to Dizzee's. Rascal's no match for his mentor " - London Lite

" Grime Wave is so important, not just to him, but to the future legacy of grime, and what it might mean in 10 years time. Brilliantly Grime, fuelled with anthems and sing-a-longs and deserves to go down as his greatest work to date " - Independent Music Magazine

" Grime Wave is Wiley's most consistent album to date - 12 tracks of cocksure, undiluted grime with a new, evolved scope " - Plan B

" Wiley really hits his stride, restless wored agitated tracks like Grime Kid and living in London suggests the way forward for Grime full lengths to emulate a relentless Ramones-like attack " - Echoes

"A ghetto Cantona .. Honest, intense, funny, furious and tear jerkingly poignant .. The Definitive grime document. Mighty " - NME

" Will he deliver the masterpiece that he has long hinted ? On the evidence here, he might just do that " - One Week To Live

Might as well buy it init!