- Culture
- 24 Nov 21
Inspired by Nas, Tupac, DOOM and Wu-Tang, Paul Alwright (aka Lethal Dialect) has been active as a rapper since 2006.
North Dublin’s homegrown Irish hip-hop pioneer Lethal Dialect has returned today with sixth studio album Songs of a Dead Dreamer.
The 10-track project was produced by G.I/Bobby Tuna and features assists from Costello, Monk, Mouse, G.I and 4Real.
Known as a leader in the Irish hip-hop scene, Lethal Dialect was one of the first artists to combine an East Coast boom-bap sound with a North Dublin accent - inspiring a remarkable new language for his fellow artists to follow suit. Lethal Dialect has championed the sound since his debut LD50, which saw him tackling the bravado, paranoia and instability of his experiences over a sonic amble that both grates and glitters.
Following five albums and the end of the LD50 trilogy, Alwright has had numerous breakthrough achievements. Appearing on the hit television series Love/Hate and Netflix's classic film Cardboard Gangsters, his versatility and cultural relevance cannot be understated.
Songs of a Dead Dreamer sees Lethal Dialect reflect on past experiences:
“10 years ago I released my first album, LD50. It was just me and a few of my mates smoking joints and making the music we wanted to hear with no agenda. Then you get a couple of decent gigs and a few fans and youthful ego sets in and you chase that a bit and it ends up affecting the music. This was a return to the old way of doing things and to that pure, unadulterated sound.”
Advertisement
Touring and collaborating with Damien Dempsey and Maverick Sabre, The Game, Action Bronson and heroes’ Wu-tang Clan and appearing in films written by Roddy Doyle and John Connors; Lethal Dialect's artistry continues to grow day by day. He continues to inspire and empower acts to own their roots.
'Mortal Shell' has dark, ambient undertones with low-key backing beats. LD's laidback flow expertly touches on hardship, wisdom and escapism from life. Up and comers Mouse, Costello and Mook add their own trademark sound to the cinematic track, with an easygoing pace that allows the words to stand out.
Listen to the track below: