John Glacier’s debut album Like A Ribbon compounded her reputation as one of the UK’s most diverse voices. Utilising a variety of sounds across the spectrums of rap, electronic music, post-punk, ambient and more to provide the backdrop to Glacier’s singular, almost stream-of-consciousness delivery, Like A Ribbon synthesises a unique, developed atmosphere across its 11 tracks. Since then, her star has only continued to ascend; global campaigns as the face of Stone Island and Burberry have seen her profile rise, while triumphant performances at C2C New York, Primavera Sound Barcelona, LIDO Festival London and a defining set on The Park stage at Glastonbury this past weekend have framed her eclectic, imaginative sonic universe in a brand new context.
Today marks the release of John Glacier’s first new music since her critically acclaimed debut in February – a brand new single titled ‘Fly With Me’.
John Glacier – Fly With Me
An at once authoritative and hypnotic cut of hard-edged rap, ‘Fly With Me’ finds John Glacier ruminating on her lifestyle over a jagged, confrontational instrumental from regular collaborator Kwes Darko. Emanating the kind of quiet self-belief and poetic turn of phrase that has become Glacier’s signature, ‘Fly With Me’ bristles with confidence throughout; with John Glacier entering a true flow state with her deadpan-esque flow taking on a genuinely spellbinding new form over a bed of full-bodied low end, crackling snares, and a mesmerising synth loop.
A highly feted vocalist whose work was subject to huge demand even before her debut project SHILOH: Lost For Words was released, John Glacier has pushed the boundaries of what defines UK rap with a diaristic approach that shines a light on the mundanities of everyday life and the complexities of human emotion, all through her own unique phrasing and perspectives. This sensibility, alongside her own externally perpetuated mythology, has also provided allure for the fashion world, with John becoming one of the faces of and providing bespoke poetry for Daniel Lee‘s iconic debut campaign for Burberry, as well as being one of the faces of campaigns for Alexander McQueen and Stone Island, in addition to finding fans in the likes of Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, J.W. Anderson and so many more. Her debut album Like A Ribbon gives John Glacier the platform to explore the outer reaches of her immersive sound, traversing her own psyche in a way that’s both abstracted and wholly relatable. Her poetic style takes centre stage on the LP, defining modern life as a young woman growing up in Hackney; tied to the place she was born while existing on a whole other plane.
With ‘Fly With Me’, John Glacier begins to extend the sonic world she created on her debut LP. Still sonically beguiling and lyrically singular, ‘Fly With Me’ finds Glacier standing ten feet tall, encouraging the listener to grow with her and providing a launchpad for a brand new era of one of the UK’s fastest rising musical stars.
Praise for John Glacier
“this otherworldly British voice is in a class of her own” ★★★★★, Album of the Week – The Guardian
“A captivating honest offering from a generational artist” 9/10 – CLASH
“A masterclass in an emotional build and release.” ★★★★ – DIY
“astonishingly good and deeply immersive” ★★★★ – Dork
“There’s a sense that Glacier won’t remain a hidden treasure for much longer.” – Crack
“John Glacier’s confessional dictaphone raps sound like intimate notes to self, intended for one listener only.” – Pitchfork
“The rapper with renegade blood whose bars contain multitudes – past, present and future” – DAZED
John Glacier: Instagram
