‘Letters To Home’ is the brand new album from Jon Phonics. Since last appearing on First Word with his ‘White Neckle’ EP in 2014, the London-born/Glasgow-based producer has spent the intervening period becoming one of the UK's most versatile contemporary rap producers, as well as enhancing his reputation as a club DJ to be reckoned with (check his riotous Boiler Room set from 2015 for evidence). Alongside this, he’s busied himself running the critically acclaimed Astral Black imprint / clubnight, home to some of the country’s most exciting talent in Hip-Hop & Grime, releasing music from JD. Reid, Drae Da Skimask, Dressin Red and Jaisu.
On 'Letters To Home', his first full-length since 2010, Phonics further explores what has become his signature brand of deep textured field recordings, sample chops and rolling bass lines. Across 16 tracks - the album, much like his DJ sets, ducks and weaves through moods & BPMs whilst maintaining an obsessive focus that is uniquely his own. With 'Exotic Wall Furnishings’ & 'P_O_V' Phonics nods to the sleazy 80s synth-pop influence of his early production sound, whilst the slo-mo trap of ‘Nagasaki’ & 'Gut Splash' (a collab with Astral Black label mates DJ Milktray & Dressin Red, commissioned by Fact TV) and the club destroying 140bpm Bollywood flip 'Seeta' hint at where this producer’s head has been at recently. Elsewhere, the dynamic instrumental Hip Hop of ‘Sunshine Emoji’ & 'Black Russian' are fine examples of his effortless MPC work.
Though largely instrumental Phonics tastefully peppers the offering with a handful of vocal contributions - High Focus’ Dirty Dike rides high on the typically futuristic ‘Live From The Hypocrite Fest’, whilst Blah Records head honcho & Cult Mountain leader Lee Scott channels Nate Dogg to surprising effect on the lo-slung 'PPLPERSON' (a video for which will be dropping soon courtesty of NTS Radio). Phonics teams up with his UK stalwart M9 for the firs time since his acclaimed 2011 single Strange Fruit on the deceptively melodic ‘Cheatin’. Most surprisingly though, Astral Black producer Dressin’ Red makes the move from behind the boards to in front of the mic for the first time on record with the twisted synth-pop of ‘P_O_V’.