French-British rapper Octavian released two new tracks on the 27th July of 2020. The songs are the first off of his new album, which is due for release in 2020.

The tracks are named ‘Chapter 1‘ and ‘Rari‘. The first is a slow skit, which lasts just over a minute. The beat flutters around Octavian’s slow, tuned, vocals before breaking into a passionate array of drums for the final sequence. ‘Chapter 1‘ builds like an album introduction, fading out as it reaches crescendo.

‘Rari‘ features superstar Future. It crackles with energy, as Octavian’s characteristic hook flexes around Future’s verse.  Future’s flow  skips effortlessly over the high-tempo instrumental. The two songs, when played back to back, mix into one and other. This indicates that the album may play like an old-school mix-tape, in which the tracks blend together to create a singular body of work.

Excitement ahead of Octavian’s album release is palpable. However, the artist is yet to confirm the release date, or the name of the project. It is due to be Octavian’s first studio album, having released the E.P’s ‘Spaceman‘ (2018) and ‘Endorphins‘ (2019) to critical acclaim. It is also produced by British icon Skepta, whom Octavian collaborated with for the singles Bet (2019) and Papi Chulo (2020). The album is set to play through three distinct ‘chapters’, which explains the new track’s title.

Octavian also released a visual, which packages the two tracks together. The clip’s imagery seeps in artistic metaphor. It depicts heartbreak, fame and death through clashing scenes of gore and affluence. It is the work of an artist that is always looking to break boundaries.

‘Chapter 1‘ and ‘Rari’ give fans an electric sample as to what they can expect ahead of Octavian’s debut album. They clash stylistically but cohere as a sample to a larger body of work. The tracks serve as a teaser, which remind fans of Octavian’s toe-tapping talents, whilst ultimately leaving a desire to hear the rest of the album as soon as possible.