Tinie Tempah: Demonstration

He was one of the brightest young stars of British hip-hop in 2010, yet Tinie Tempah still has much to prove with his second album. One valuable lesson? Throwing a host of hot names (Emeli Sandé, Laura Mvula and Dizzee Rascal among them) onto your record is no guarantee of quality. Most of Demonstration is good, but very little of it is great; even a collaboration with the Londoner's old sparring partner Labrinth on It's OK falls flat , although the pair later make amends with the buzzy, dynamic Lover Not a Fighter. The Mission Impossible-aping soundtrack of closer 5 Minutes is one of the best tracks here, unconcerned with the sort of predictable rap bravado displayed on Shapes, which is clearly aimed at his burgeoning US market. This record seems like a demonstration of style rather than substance. tinietempah.com
Download: 5 Minutes, Lover Not
a Fighter