Tony Function seems to make music that skirts around many genres never quite committing to one but able to borrow from, explore and flirt with many. Zombie Boi has an urban heart, for sure, aggressively delivered raps intertwined with more pop-derived, deft and dexterous lyrics all powered on by skittering trap beats and underground grooves.
But as always, it is what he brings to the rap table, what is woven through the more traditional template that makes things stand out. Firstly there is something expansive about the vocals, often sounding as if he is shouting from the rooftops, a welcome change from the usual mumble rapped repertoires of his rivals. And then there is the sheer weight of the music which in places has the grunt and grind of alt-rock and at others is more spacious, employing almost understated R&B vibes. And it is these contrasts, the spacious lulls and the sky-searing highs which set up a wonderful musical dynamic.
Urban music, for want of a better word, has come a long way and, thanks to artists such as Tony Function, it seems as if there are still plenty of miles left for it to travel.
