Review: Headie One’s ‘Edna’ Deluxe Edition
12 Feb 2021
Currently sat at the forefront of British Rap is no other than the UK’s very own hit-maker Headie One. Earlier last year he unveiled his highly anticipated debut album ‘Edna’ that saw him fly to number one in the Official Charts, amassing over 25.5 million streams within its first week it became the first Drill album to reach such a huge milestone! Cementing himself as a house-hold name and staple figure within the game, the Tottenham native has undoubtedly grown leaps and bounds over the last few years with a string of game-changing tracks and boast-worthy appearances.
No stranger to experimentation and pushing his artistic boundaries, Headie One has returned with the Deluxe edition to his chart-topping album ‘Edna’, and in turn added an additional 8 drops to the 20-track body of work. Housing production from Kenny Beats, Ghosty, Nyge, ADP, K Tokyo, N1 and Mikabeats, alongside features from Burna Boy, Rich The Kid, NorthSideBenji and RV – we have given our take on the fresh set of tracks below! قمار اون لاين
“Hung Jury”
“Have you ever felt guilty for being free?” The reality of this question, is no. Most of us would never resonate with this experience, but never fear Headie One is here to show us exactly you how it feels.
The Elements and AOD come through as a trusty team once again on “Hung Jury”. Together they provide a flawless backdrop fit for a suspense-filled moment in a gritty action flick. Following their lead, Headie plays on the atmospherics building across the production. As he uses his pen to direct the mundane consequences of living life as a trapper, creating a gripping street movie for our ears. His flow navigates listeners through several scenes. The main one, the unfortunate and “bittersweet” event of walking free after being tried in court, for the same crime as a friend who is found guilty. The lyrical depiction was done to perfection and will most definitely become a staple on U.K. rap playlists for the foreseeable. – Rehana Harmony
Rating: 7/10
“Bussdown” ft Rich The Kid
From the jump, Headie swoops in and lands with a hook that will ring in your head for days. He utilises his signature tone and a relentless flow which is lined with braggadocio and “rack”-centric soliloquies. This makes way for a short – 20 seconds of speedy mumble, to be exact – and not so sweet appearance from Rich The Kid. If I was Headie’s label I’d want a refund for his verse – if you can even call it that. Although the cosmic-sounding synth arpeggio – provided by Nyge – screams for the Atlanta-impersonating New Yorker, his presence still felt unnecessary. In a nutshell, “Bussdown” largely focuses itself on the trappings of wealth and fame, and the bubbly beat meshes well with the shallow subject matter. On a more positive note, it was enjoyable to hear Headie One switch up his sonic slightly; however Jay Critch would have added way more substance to this offering and probably would have saved Relentless a lot of money. – Rehana Harmony
Rating: 6/10 (but we were here for Headie.)
“How Much Times” ft NorthSideBenji
Headie One and NorthSideBenji on a track? Let’s face it, it was always going to hit! Each reputable for their contrasting styles; Headie’s assertive delivery and raw pen game paired with NorthSideBenji’s slick auto-tuned vocals and effortless approach take centre stage from start to finish. قواعد لعبة البوكر Housing an atmospheric production, the Canadian native introduces the track with an infectious hook: “See, I can’t trust no more / I only trust my money machine / Because the only ones who doubted, ones who came up with me / One inside the hand, gotta keep this gun where I sleep / Ain’t no coming ‘round these sides / N***a we ride out”, he raps before the UK hit-maker pierces through with a choppy flow and self-assured bars. Although the track is just under 3 minutes long, the pair compliment each other’s styles perfectly, and I would love to hear these two on a track again! – Elle Evans
Rating: 8/10
“Siberia” ft Burna Boy
A gorgeous acoustic sound enriches the Atlanta trap influence in the production of “Siberia”. As usual, Headie coasts effortlessly with his style of delivery and the track serves as an excellent example of the rapper’s versatility, because not only is the sound unique, but so is the choice of artist who he has collaborated with. Burna Boy’s touch holds a strong presence in the song and that’s due to the distinct nature of his voice which can’t go unnoticed. Listeners of Burna’s music are probably more accustomed to his bold tone matching up to a mellow Afrobeat, but “Siberia” will definitely come as a pleasant surprise when they get the chance to listen as sonically, it is soothing. Headie’s use of a hook provides the right kind of flare and this, coupled with the contribution of his counterpart, scores Siberia a perfect 10. There’s no doubt that it’ll go on to be the next “Met Gala”. – Amanda Da Great
Rating: 10/10
“Level Up”
Headie One’s album seems to be the soundtrack to quite a pivotal moment in his life. His brand-new “Level Up” record touches on that theme, which has been a common thread in his recent music and lyrics. Complimenting the riddled beat with a wavy-trap approach, the motivational track also works out as a subtle brag: “All those negatives turned me into a perfectionist” he beams. تنزيل العاب اون لاين Headie is making his elevation clear, as fittingly put in the song title. The rapper aces the melodious flow he light-heartedly experiments with and long-time listeners can enjoy the display of growth in his artistry. Want to know why? The lyrical content never fails to hit. – Sweeney Gloria
Rating: 7/10
“Dressing Gown”
“Dressing Gown” is the perfect definition of a slowed down, solo sequel to Headie and Huncho’s “Bumpy Ride” as he adopts a similar flow in the verses he’s serving away from the main chorus. The deep base drops go hand in hand with the eccentric flute sound, and hint of auto-tune the artist has gingered this song with. Listeners will be all too familiar with the ‘turn turn’ adlibs that creep up at the right time, to create the right effect. Contrary to “Bumpy Ride”, “Dressing Gown” doesn’t have the same fast paced rhythm, however lyrically it does have a comparable structure which has worked in the track’s favour – except this time, Headie has the honour of taking on the role to bounce off his own hook; using those alternate lines as an opportunity to really shine. – Amanda Da Great
Rating: 8.5/10
“Zodiac” ft RV
Gear up for classic OFB energy. They say you can’t forget your roots… but when the OFB duo link up, how could they? Move back and make room for the trappers-turned-rappers because – as Headie announces from the top – this is real road rap! Between Headie One and RV, the track is laced with maximum greaze and dark stories from the past. The thrilling drill production welcomes a signature hard-hitting and menacing verse from his partner-in-crime. To seal the genre-bending deluxe album, the Tottenham-hailing star brings it back to his initial grittiness and even reignites the infamous ‘bad b come to the nizz’ bar. If you’re a fan of simply hearing Headie spray rhymes into the mic, this is the one for you! – Sweeney Gloria
Rating: 9/10
“Yet”
Posing as the outro for the album, Headie One ends the 28-track project on a sound we are all too familiar with! Accommodating a skittering Drill backdrop courtesy of no other than Ghosty “Yet” is a hard-hitting and vigorous cut that boasts his renowned explosive flows, signature ad-libs and fierce pen game. Clocking in at over 3 minutes long, the gruff-sounding hook poses as the perfect amount of charged-up energy that would easily see drink’s flying if it were to be played at a function. Standing as a personal favourite of mine, “Yet” takes us back to the Headie One that we all grew to love at the early stages of his career. – Elle Evans
Rating: 7/10