The Last Skeptik’s you don’t like me but i’m still here is sobering listen. The album doesn’t sugar coat The Last Skeptik’s views of the world. On the opening track “whiplash,” a tone is set. Lyrics take aim at the rich, racist, and powerful. On the following track, we learn about the issues he’s having with friends and depression. Throughout the project, we learn more and more about his mindset while getting lost in the somewhat industrial beats. I spoke with The Last Skeptik about the album and more below.
You can hear the full album on Bandcamp, Apple Music, and Spotify.
Q:
What’s your vision for your label? What does the name mean to you?
A:
My label has always just been a perfect way to have complete control (and income) from all of my music. My output is so high—it makes sense to be able to put things out as frequently or whenever I plan a release and the surrounding press. I named Thanks For Trying Records after my first solo release of the same name that I had put out on BBE Records (J Dilla, Pete Rock etc.) in 2012, and I think means something different to me now than it did back then. Way back in those days, I felt like the industry was always rejecting me—saying ‘hey, it’s not for us, thanks for trying anyway’—but now I very much see it it as congratulatory to myself and anyone else who has stuck to being fiercely independent.
Q:
This is your first album since 2019, what happened during that time that shaped your vision for the album?
A:
Of course the pandemic made everyone delve deeply in to their own forgotten thoughts and anxieties, and I think the theme of this record is very much broadly autobiographical rather than specifically about something like a break up (like my last album ‘See You In The Next Life). It gave me time to think a lot about how growing up in Finsbury Park, and being part of the London rap scene performing and DJing my whole life has shaped who I am in all the good and bad ways.
Q:
I quite like “today i’m gonna change my life”, could you tell me a bit about what went into writing that song?
A:
It is fully me trying to drag myself out of bed in depression thinking—you have to get up now or you’ll die here haha. We all get those days, so I thought id I could speak super honestly in the verses with rallying cry of inspiration on the hook then I hope it’ll help other people too.
Q:
How has the reception been to the release?
A:
Yeah, really positive. I’m always getting messages about how certain songs and lyrics have helped people process trauma or sadness, or just people on a surface level loving the songs. I can’t say fairer than that, i’m just grateful people are listening.
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