Live Review: Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn @ Heartbreakers, Southampton

Proving to be one of Brighton’s most esteemed hip hop acts, Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn are a rap, production duo who specialise in intelligent lyricism and innovative beats. After embarking on their UK tour off the back of their latest project ‘The Lakes’, I was eager to see how they translated their sound to a lively sold out crowd at Southampton’s Heartbreakers.

Stew introduces the pair’s most recent single, ‘Black Water’. Bearing an old-school feel, the track’s punchy bass and fluid percussion prompts a harmonious two-step from the crowd, before Stew interlinks with his carefully crafted rhymes. Reflecting on his personal experiences, the humility carried in Stew’s storytelling is as eloquent as it is infectious, and it's not long before he gains Heartbreaker’s full attention.

As they delve into their back catalogue, tracks ‘Put it on me’ and ‘Sometimes’ beautifully illustrate the chemistry that cements their eight year old friendship. The experimentation in Gunn’s production as he shifts through a variety of influences, styles and tempos makes for an admirable DJ set; chopping samples and cutting into tracks as he lays down the groundwork for Stew, who is encouraged to boast his vocal creativity. Its Stew’s competence to pair his flow with Gunn’s beats however, where the duo’s dynamics are best exemplified. His confessional raps and picturesque depictions are humbling and honest; carried in a breezy delivery that sits comfortably atop each track’s silky instrumentation.

As energy levels reach their peak, during a performance of ‘Grey’ the crowd unite to punctuate the hook, “I can’t wait for the day that my bro gets better”. This is shortly followed by closing song, ‘Bjp’, a UK dance inspired track featured on their 2014 debut album, ‘The Morning’. As the tempo increases, so does the movement of the crowd, who plunge into a mosh bit in one last bid to savour the electricity of tonight’s performance. Providing a suitable conclusion, it was a pleasure to witness a bond between two artists who have a shared desire and passion for the music they are producing. I hold no doubt that Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn will continue to flourish as they make their journey to the forefront of UK hip hop.