The Four Owls burst on to the scene with their debut album ‘Natures Greatest Mystery’ a couple of years ago, which proved to be one of the most hyped debut releases we have seen in recent years (in no small part due to the groups members, the well respected veterans Leaf Dog, BVA, Fliptrix and Verb- T, and their close links with label of the moment High Focus).

2015 sees the return of the Owls, complete with their trademark masks, with the new album ‘Natural Order’. The expectations for this album have been building and building, especially since it was announced that the legendary DJ Premier would be producing a track on the album, making the Owls one of the elite few UK artists to ever work with Premo.

As with anything that is built up in such a way, at first the album seems like a bit of an anti – climax, however the more listens you give the album the more you forget the hype and appreciate what a well rounded release this is. When you have MC’s of the calibre of these guys the lyrics will never be lacking in quality, each of the Owls displays great verbal skills,  and it is easy to distinguish who is spitting due to the great contrasts in styles and voices between the 4.

Throughout the album the Owls cover a variety of topics, including a warning to those not staying true to themselves on ‘Pay The Price’ , the struggles of staying sane in a mad world on ‘Control’ and reflecting on lost loved ones and times gone by on ‘Old Earth’. There are, of course, some straight up bangers thrown in to the mix, including the DJ Premier produced ‘Think Twice’ , the triumphant ‘Feels Great’ and the menacing ‘Assassination’, which features a typically graphic guest verse from Dirty Dike and possibly one of the hardest Fliptrix verses ive heard.

These tracks are only a small example of the goodies to be found on this album, and although the general feel of the production (provided entirely by Leaf Dog, apart from the afore mentioned DJ Premier production) is a bit more mellow than their debut, the beats are varied enough to ensure there isn’t one track that will have you reaching for the skip button. It is also a huge credit to Leaf that every one of his beats stands up to the DJ Premier production, and gives the album a really nice 90’s nostalgic vibe without becoming boring.

For those looking for the next big sound, or those favouring the more electronic, trap style production of, say, Foreign Beggar’s recent stuff, this will probably not be for you, however fans of that classic boom bap sound will embrace this album.

With the masses coming out in force to support the project upon its release (the album claimed the number one spot on the iTunes Hip Hop chart days after its release, ahead of Drake, Kid Ink etc.) and a tour about to begin, it is fair to say that the Owls stock is continuing to rise, and they are steadily becoming ambassadors of the UK scene in the US.

To summarise, this is an important album for a number reasons, but if you look beyond that, it is a well crafted sophomore release that will only add to the growing legion of Owls fans.

Words; Chris

‘Natural Order’ is available on CD, limited edition vinyl and on all good digital platforms.

The Four Owls – Silent Flight (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

The Four Owls – Old Earth (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

The Four Owls – Think Twice (Prod. DJ Premier) (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

The Four Owls – Defiant (AUDIO)

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