Having first appeared on Godknows + mynameisjOhn’s Rusangano/Family (arguably the best Irish album of 2014), MuRli steps up to release his own EP, ‘Surface Tension’. For many MuRli’s introduction on Rusangano/Family tracks Throw The Spear and Words Of Our Father were the first time we got to hear his impressive delivery and clarity. It whetted the appetite for what he could do on his own EP.

It was worth the wait as ‘Surface Tension’ is every bit as impressive as Rusangano/Family. If the formula ain’t broke, there is nothing to fix and the appearance of mynameisjOhn and Godknows acts as an incentive to delve into those wanting more of the same from Rusangano/Family. If it were simply just an extension to what went before, that would be adequate however it would be a disservice to MuRli as he’s more than just an extra ingredient to a successful album from last year.

What help elevates Surface Tension is the shared production with Naïve Ted stepping in and producing three tracks every bit the equal as those produced by mynameisjOhn. John Coffey is smoky and undulating beat and samples underpins MuRli’s precise and heart felt rhymes and story telling.  Champagne And Chinchillas has a touch of the RZA’s production haziness before bouncing uplifting beat propels the tune along. Throughout MuRli displays his dexterity, equally at ease at pumping out rhymes at warp speed (Run) as he is emphasising word play (Both Sides). Though thoroughly contemporary for hip hip, the Surface Tension EP never loses sense of its cultural heritage for MuRli with enough nods to his Togolese descent to provide its uniqueness from anything else on the Irish music scene.

MuRli recently announced that this Limerick collective are merging under the banner of Rusangano. On the basis of what they have already achieved and this brilliant EP,  the sky is the limit for them.