LOUIS VI takes on the ‘Lonely Road of the Dreamer’

Almost exactly a month ago we wrote a piece (or two) on London's very own hip-hop star, LOUIS VI. Yesterday, Louis graced us with a jazzy, dreamlike, progressive, soulful, hip-hop project titled, Lonely Road Of The Dreamer.

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This October he also released a video for the intro track to his EP titled, "Outroneous", which was entirely shot on a 16mm camera and filmed by filmmaker Karol Jurga. The song features jazzy, spaceship synths and a poetic flow. "Space Dust" produced by Dozer Carter is a dreamy, Aaliyah R&B sounding production where Louis flow is reminiscent of a British K Dot. As the EP continues you realize on songs like "Question Mark" and "Chasing Me" that Louis VI has literally taken jazz band up in a spaceship to produce his tracks for the entirety of the project. On "Feelin Somethin" prod by DMobbs, the R&B/Soul/Jazz/Hip-Hop crossover artist slows it way down. Although it comes through as the most love lullaby of the tracks – it still incredibly woke. Mainly because Louis VI isn't just talking about a day at the strip club like so many new artists do inside this genre. There is far more depth to his craft. Louis VI's Lonely Road Of The Dreamer is an expressive project, conveying his perspective as a young mixed race man navigating the streets of London but he often touches on politics, love (like that real love not magic city shit), identity, extraterrestrial thoughts and depression. He follows "Feelin Something" with a lyrical heavy, educational monologue of a preach track, "Fly Pigeon Fly" produced by Louis VI and Dozer Carter. There is even a little sound of a wind chime and a what sounds like a pan shaking with rice in it. So you feel like you're at a spoken word poetry competition and you're all mentally stimulated to leave there and go make some emotionally heavy political statement. Louis then finishes out the EP with "Please Be There" produced by the man himself. The progressive hip-hop beat is a perfect soundscape for an outro that allows Louis to capture the entire story of feels that were felt throughout the narrative of the EP. Told through the metaphor of road travel, the whole EP is full of double meaning, which is taken to the next level with the backing of the beautifully crafted instrumentals (Louis VI produced over 70% of the project) & sophisticated rhythmic play.

Although this is Louis VI debut project, homie has worked with Loyle Carner, Moses Boyd, Denai Moore and Tom Misch as well as Elhae and Soulection. He has even supported hip-hop greats like Talib Kweli, Pete Rock and Slum Village. This "newcomer" is about to take over the game in London – don't catch yourself sleeping.