Eidola: an apparition or phantom, and the title of the new Flooded Hallways offering.

Flooded’s producer and MC Nemrot elaborated further on the title: “We called it that after the first skit about a man walking the earth trying to rectify a mistake not knowing it’s already too late for him. Desperately trying to hold on to life, unaware he’s already a ghost at the behest of the devil”.

A ‘Cristal-rhymed-with-pistol / Hennessy / blunts / gangster & stripper’ opus this most certainly is not. Deeq & Nemrot have been quietly going about creating their hip-hop sound for well over ten years now, resolutely following their own artistic impulses with no concession to musical trends.

Sonically Eidola echoes the mystical, gospel blues of The RZA and the viciously abrasive sounds of El-P. Although the lyrics are full of dark imagery, a twisted humour and a love of real hip-hop shines through: “if Biggie was your God, I declare you the antichrist” is one of many cool quotables on this mini-album. Seven tracks may seem a little stingy, but its brevity is its strength – every track is solid and characterised by intricate sonic details.

Flooded Hallways continue to be two very distinctive and original wordsmiths, with a passionate and off-kilter flow. Although they’re very different from each other, each complements the other perfectly. As a soundtrack to the apocalypse, this is a playground of weaving, vexed sounds on which to swing.