Review by Matt Jost

Artist: Samson
Title: Call Me Samson
Label: DSR

Samson is advertised as 'one of the UK's most anticipated grime/hip-hop artists' and "Call Me Samson" 'is predicted to be a club banger and a staple anthem in the grime/hip-hop scene whilst warming up his fans for the eagerly awaited "Black Magic" album.' Maybe it is time for these and/or 'grime/hip-hop' semantics to go away, because musically "Call Me Samson" isn't so much one or the other as it is safe, standardized urban music. Slightly stuttering drums that move along at a moderate pace, lots of synths to create what apparently is perceived as 'anthemic.' It's highly conventional from a contemporary dance music point of view, and that's putting it mildly. The rapper himself is a bit stiff compared to the UK's premier league, but he has the authority and attitude to match the assertive beat. The major stumbling block, however, is the song itself. Samson is also known as Black the Ripper. (It says so in the hook.) Why he now wants you to call him simply Samson (with an album entitled "Black Magic" on the horizon, nonetheless) is explained nowhere in the song. Singles should be self-explanatory, but this one raises more questions than it answers. Too bad, because the lyrics suggest that Black hasn't watered down his content for 'his most commercial record to date.'