Steering away from releasing a conventional album, East London rapper Barney Artist has announced he is to drop his new mixtape Painting Sounds on 22nd April and has shared a new video for single ‘Down’. Bridging the gap between grime and hip hop with heavy jazz musical tones, the 24 year-old shows he’s a homegrown talent to be proud of, walking the streets of the capital as his socially aware verses flow freely. Rather than angry and blunt, he matches his raps with real musicality and there is a beautiful sample at the centre holding it all together. Already gracing some serious bills with the likes of George the Poet and Django Django, Barney Artist is on the up. - SJ