Novelist and Skepta linking up is always going to attract attention, but the Brazilian funk influence behind their new single “Diamonds Dancing” makes this collaboration particularly interesting.
The track is the first official release from Novelist’s forthcoming album, Scenes, and takes inspiration from the infectious rhythms of Brazilian baile funk.
Interestingly, the idea came from Skepta showing Novelist a TikTok video of footballer Lamine Yamal dancing. That moment eventually led to the pair recording together in Ibiza, with Novelist building the track around Skepta’s verse.
What I like about this collaboration is the willingness to explore something outside traditional grime. Both artists have played important roles in the genre, but there’s no reason they should remain restricted to the sound that established their names.
Grime has always benefited from experimentation, and “Diamonds Dancing” is another example of artists looking beyond the UK for inspiration.
With Scenes set to explore everything from personal relationships to political unrest and everyday life, it’ll be interesting to see how Novelist brings those different influences together across a full album.
