Dylan Cartlidge - ‘Up and Upside Down’ ft Jamie T

The unhinged tones of Dylan Cartlidge’s voice give you chills, and the range that he raps and sings dips up and down to extreme measures, wearing influences such as Prince, Muse, and The Beastie Boys on both sleeves.

There are certain artists able to use their unique voice to make music work by not conforming to the standards the music industry can sometimes put in place, and this is exactly what Dylan manages to do. His rhymes are fierce, and his singing is just as ferocious.  

‘Up and Upside Down’ was co-wrote by Jamie T, which is clear from the first drum patter. Both artists are distinctive yet similar, and with this track they manage to create something altogether original. Dylan’s last song ‘Scratch, Sniff’ was a weighty slice of indie and rap, but this has a lighter tone with the bass guitar jumping from note to note with a hop and a skip, reeling itself back in for the chorus.

The northern-based musician and instrumentalist rides the brash drum beat with a tight control of the bars he drops, fitting the lyrics in tightly and wrathfully. It’s Dylan’s energy that makes ‘Up & Upside Down’ such a strong track, and with the addition of UK veteran Jamie T jumping in towards the end, gives it swagger with his own brand of confidence.

If you haven’t listened to any of Dylan Cartlidge’s tracks, now’s the time. He’s a refreshing artist with a power in his voice seldom heard in the UK hip hop scene. He wants to have a good time, but he also wants to make a statement and ‘Up & Upside Down’ most certainly does that.

Words by Chris White