As Irish rap and hip-hop continues to gain ground internationally, there are certain figures, such as Nealo, who remain quietly influential stalwarts of the homegrown scene. Neal Keating’s second album is a more personal and in-depth offering than his acclaimed 2020 debut, if you can imagine an augmentation of the Dubliner’s stark, unguarded lyrics. This is Irish hip hop at its finest – ultrapersonal tales of life in suburban Dublin, the vulnerability and self-doubt that follow the end of a marriage, and glimmers of hope in the midst of personal grief, all set against soulful, jazzy soundtracks that reel from easygoing to hard-hitting.
Traces of his former life as a hardcore-punk singer remain at the passionate conclusion to Forest, the album’s standout track. Spirit Totem is a celebration of life after the dark cloud of depression (“Couldn’t hack a single slice of life, now it’s all edible”). Rosemary, a tender tribute to his mother, is one of several emotional gut punches, while the uplifting Cereal lightens the mood, Morgana McIntyre of Saint Sister providing a sunshine-imbued singalong chorus.
Despite baring his soul throughout, this never feels like a therapy session, nor is it a cathartic vanity project. Instead, it feels like flicking through Nealo’s diary with his full permission – on some occasions, literally overhearing personal voicenotes left for friends. Here he is, warts and all, and with some crackerjack rhymes and a beautifully pitched soundtrack to amplify his perceptive proclamations.
