Sleaford Mods “UK Grim” 2023. Rough Trade Records, limited edition silver vinyl. Gritty, minimalist hip-hop inspired post punk (“punk-hop”) steeped in British working class culture. UK Grim is the duo’s (vocalist Jason Williamson, instrumentalist/loops Andrew Fearn) 12th LP; it went to #3 in the UK. Williamson’s vocal delivery is mostly sprechgesang in his heavy East Midlands accent, highlighting the Englishness of the band (and I love it) and Fearn’s computer/looping, etc. is sparse and intentionally primitive, making it anti-sleek: a great juxtaposition for electronic music. UK Grim pushes my boundaries, for sure. There’s a couple of songs I like a lot, ones that are a bit less experimental and beaty like the title track “UK Grim,” the electro-hardcore “Tilldipper,” the groovy “On the Ground,” and the fun/silly “So Trendy” (that features Jane’s Addiction Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro). However, a lot of the record becomes repetitive; I found myself spacing out/tuning out several times. That said, I have a feeling with several more listens it’s going to really grow on me.