Sharp bars and haunting trap production lay down the essentials of the most impactful indie rap – the UK’s own Smoke&Bones delivers a poetic and gritty set of ideas, for the simple yet striking Roar.
Built around a classic beat with just enough contemporary clarity to pave its way into the modern scene, the peak appeal of Roar is undoubtedly the leading performance from Smoke&Bones. The music sets the ambiance, prepares the room for the mood and sentiments to follow, but just as it should be, the rapper at the forefront takes the wheel and naturally captivates for his organic flow and consistently smart, original rhymes and topical reflections.
Intertwining political integrity and conscious bars both confronting and personal, Smoke&Bones essentially achieves a fine balance between the sheer confidence of Hip Hop and the more purposeful undertones of independent rap and songwriting that stands the test of time. Roar is a modest arrangement in many ways, not flashy nor overly attention-grabbing, but it does what it needs to do through that simplicity and the snappy conviction of the writing.
By his own admission, Smoke&Bones is not a mainstream rapper, the sound is fit for the underground but also holds the potential to really connect and start shaking things up across the global rap scene. Roar is the kind of track that’s easily recognisable once it’s reached out to engage with listeners, and it’s also one that offers some new glimpse of insight and something new that impresses you each time you revisit.
The bars are quirky to complex but relatable, even inspiring at their core – loaded with darkness and depth that’s undeniably real and poignant. That honesty and fearless realism makes all the difference in today’s Hip Hop scene. Smoke&Bones is easily a rapper worth following as 2025 closes in on us.
Find Smoke&Bones on TikTok.
