Conscious Route and Wends join forces for Swaggin, a laid-back, soulful slice of R&B topped off with a sprinkle of rap. Wav Machine’s production is accented with melodic keys and saxophone courtesy of Dylan Hooper to create a soundscape that nods to classic neo soul as the crisp snares keep things ticking along.

Wends opens the track delivering the hook with a relaxed confidence as she lays back into the beat, declaring, “Been low but I’ll come back round, Got me feeling high strung til I’m in that sound, Want to lose my mind to the bass and drums I can’t come back down now, not now” Continuing through into the first verse, Wends speaks on relationships and the fear of letting yourself be vulnerable in love before the hook rolls back around to introduce a verse from Conscious Route, who brings themes of family rifts, expectations, judgement and the pressures that pile up in everyday life. However, there is a hint of a solution as Conscious Route raps, “Breathe, regulate, Karate, martial in the art, body, mind, powered by the heart, body, mind, powered by the art.” As the track draws to a close, the beat drops away, leaving the lilting saxophone, keys and bass to bring a subtle gospel edge as Wends and Conscious Route assert , “Kings and Queens round here.”

At its core, ‘Swaggin’ comes with a sense of hope despite tough times, bringing a message to carry the weight as you find your people and reconnect with the things that will help you lift your crown again. A disarmingly powerful message wrapped up in a beautifully soulful, yet street-savvy package.

Track produced by Wav Machine Lyrics by Wends & Conscious Route Keyboard & Saxophone Dylan Hooper Mixed by Mackenzie Mastered by Forest DLG Artwork by Lilr Ragaey Editorial Tom Clover

Conscious Route connects with Wends for ‘High & Mighty,’ a full-weight drum & bass sheller with production from Supermann on da beat. Opening with a stutter-step, the track hits momentum fast as Wends brings her reggae drenched vocals for the hook and switches to deliver some quick-fire toasting before Conscious Route takes up the vocals, bringing a hip-hop aesthetic to bear over the middle of the track.

The up-tempo, party-ready feel of the tune belies the deeper message underneath, as both lyricists lean into lived experience to speak on those moments when you have lost control of your emotions, your nerves are on edge and you’re moving without empathy. But this is no empty boasting, as Conscious Route and Wends use their sharp wordplay to reflect on the personal and social cost of losing control and the need to find stillness before things spiral. The production brings subtle depth as elements drop in and out of the mix to create a deceptively rich palette, switching with the lyrical deliveries to create a push-pull across the tune, as clarity and chaos clash between the insistence of the breaks and the melodic, lingering hook:

“When I’m high and mighty, Bring me back down on my two feet, Feeling every heartbeat, From my chest through my teeth.”

Bringing together elements of sound system culture and reggae with hip-hop and drum and bass, this track brings a message to the dance; It’s not just about losing your cool, it’s about catching yourself before you disappear in it.

Credits Track produced by Supermann on da beat Lyrics by Wends & Conscious Route Mixed by Mackenzie Mastered by Forest DLG Video shot & edited by Mackenzie Artwork by Lilr Ragaey Editorial Tom Clover