When Rocstrong released his debut EP SOWYG (Show Off What You Got) in 2016 the potential for a disparity in sound were already being hinted at, shifting between swinging soul-pop ('Get Loose'), rock-based blues grooves ('SOWYG') and thumping pop beats ('Go Head'). In the intervening two years up to the release to his latest EP All On Black the Dublin artist was on a mini-hiatus, honing those early creative flourishes, whilst still releasing a scattering of singles.
On the surface, audibly Rocstrong's sound is filled with grit, fun and a love of life, thematically however, he covers a wide variety of topics that gnaw at him, such as the poverty gap (having to leave a resource-rich Democratic Republic of Congo with his parents as a child for a better life), seeing parallels between Ireland and his country of birth through a new lens, in his own words; "Greed has crippled where I'm from and the same will happen globally sooner or later".
In addition he covers the war in the Congo on 'Blood Spilling', his adaptation to life growing up in his hometown of Tallaght with 'Talla Boy', and his journey as an artist asserting himself on the hard-hitting 'Homicide'.
Opening with 'Blood Spilling', Rocstrong carves a slightly foreboding mood, "From a good thing, change the way I do the things I do to a sure thing, knowing well it could bring drama, swear to god Mama, I ain't yet recovered from all of that trauma..." Tribal undertones bounce off disorientating chopped beats and swirls of sound, a balance between regret and hope is struck, with Rocstrong ultimately standing tall in defiance, the past won't hold him prisoner.
Whilst much of All On Black is personal, tracks like 'Ching, Ching, Ching' are relatable, and visible in the real world when seen with open eyes. A bit tongue-in-cheek, with strong pop sensibilities, the lead single from the EP is also a sharp rebuke to the never-ending pursuit of money, and ergo, greed. In an earlier review of the track we wrote that sonically 'Ching, Ching Ching' served up; "Rock drums, ultra soul-pop vocal, humming guitar, bass, electronics that harp back to the less manic moments of The Prodigy's Music for the Jilted Generation or Massive Attack's recent jams." The tempo and drone of the music reflects this soulless obsession perfectly.
My favourite track on the EP comes via 'Homicide', instantly gripping, and fresh-sounding, it shows Rocstrong punching in the arena of established alternative pop and hip-hop acts, a mini undertow of something you might expect from Glasgow's Young Fathers. Again that hummed drone sound plays such an important part to the mood and energy, the tightrope between brevity and sinister walked with ease.
The rock-fusion of parts of SOWYG rear their head full force on 'Talla Boy', chaotic pounding drums and guitar riffs reflecting a chaotic landscape, where safety was expected, the artist is faced with a new and alien kind of survival. Just in case you were forgetting the importance and vibrancy of Rocstrong's revelry, he pulls the pop card from the back pocket to close All On Black with the grinding pop of the highly enjoyable 'Gold Glow', funk, dance, electronic, all in the mixer.
At times on both EP's the overall feeling is that Rocstrong is engaged in the most unconventional type of experimentation and song-writing, his palate is so broad in terms of influencing styles you wonder can he pull it off, but also, I feel like we're still waiting for him to truly zone in on who he is as an artist. This is not a negative, it's a positive, it's always beneficial to spread your wings wide before landing, and there's plenty of time for that, the longer he spends circling in the air, the better the destination will be.
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