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Rejjie Snow / Miso Extra @ Club Academy review – Rap’s favourite feature steps into his spotlight

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Rejjie Snow at Club Academy, Manchester - pic by Kaitlyn Brockley

Featured image and gallery: Kaitlyn Brockley


It’s a cold winter’s night, but not in Club Academy. A crowd huddles in the dingy basement venue, warmth radiating from the throng gathered underneath the hue of fluorescent lighting. Opening the night is Miso Extra: an exciting upcoming rapper, producer and vocalist, inspired by everything from UKG and R&B to traditional pop. 

Her smooth breathy vocals melt into ambient swelling synths, reminiscent of early bedroom-pop Clairo and Billie Eilish, providing a perfect tonic to a blistering Thursday night. Miso Extra is clearly destined for The Warehouse Project with her mellow, hip-hop drum patterns and trancey rhythms that run in circles like a daydream. Miso twirls on the stage, dancing under the fluorescent lights, while the crowd dances with each other. 

Rejjie Snow at Club Academy, Manchester - pic by Kaitlyn Brockley

Rejjie Snow soon follows to a screaming crowd, smoke shrouding him like a shield. It cannot hide his cheeky grin as he surveys the Manchester crowd, and the front row that beams and clamour his name. 

There is a sense of vulnerability of him standing on the stage alone, just him and a backing track. But this doesn’t seem to affect him – he immediately launches into ‘Obrigado’, before following with fan-favourite ‘Egyptian Luvr’. Surface level, his music is smooth, mellow, laidback, but dig deeper and the lyrics tell us more: the post-chorus of ‘Karen’ calls out “blonde hair, blue eyes… Privilege in denial” whereas ‘Bye Polar’ detail his mental turmoil, contrasting with chirpy major chords.

Rejjie Snow at Club Academy, Manchester - pic by Kaitlyn Brockley

‘Peace to the World’ is the shining moment of the set, a treat from his latest album, reminiscent of Childish Gambino and featuring what appears to be an elevator music sample. ‘Poofy Leaves’ echoes early Kanye, whereas ‘Rio de Janeiro’ pairs a bossa nova beat with warm, ambient synths. The night finishes with the encore tracks ‘Acid Trip’, a quintessential lo-fi hip-hop hit with a rolling bassline, and ‘Sunny California’, closing the set with a sliding guitar solo and waves of applause. 

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Kaitlyn Brockley

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