Track of the Day: Alan Newman - ‘Drown The Sound’

Al-Go-Rhythm is the debut album from Dublin-based rapper and producer Alan Newman. Alan has been involved in the ever growing Irish hip-hop scene since his early 20’s.

After 10 years of making beats for other artists, putting on shows, and managing artists, this is Newman’s first release of his own music.

He says, “The whole time I was working in the industry, I didnt realise I had been, but other people told me I always had been rapping or mumbling rhymes to myself.”

“All of a sudden, when listening to some old beats, something clicked. I started writing stuff down. Conversations I overheard over the years from working with countless artists about syllables, rhyme schemes etc, it all came together for me. I didn't quite know what I was doing at the start, it started as just lines in my head that I wanted to write down.”

Newman describes the driving force behind the album as his personal experiences and things he has been through. He says: “It became therapeutic, I didn't realize it was about stuff I had to write about until it was done. Looking back, I know what the songs are about now, but I didn't know at the time I was writing them. Each song is a different stage of what I needed to get out of my system.”

He describes ‘Drown The Sound’ as melancholy, with its own unique texture and message. The first four songs are in the stoney, dreamy section of the album. “‘Drown The Sound’ is dreamy- hipster rappy, with a pessimistic end that leads to a sharp third track that leaves listeners in the head space to think about the bigger picture,” he says.

The last track on the album: 'World is Wasted' features Newman introspectively looking at the state of the world, wondering if the world is a waste. Newman concludes that there's no need to think or worry too much about it, it’s all bad but just enjoy it. "The world is crazy, but it will keep on ticking on."

Listen to 'Drown The Sound' below.