Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Bath-based rapper/poet Joshua Luke Smith has made a name for himself in recent times as a deliverer of flows that encourage the listener to think about spiritual matters and his second EP helps to cement this position. The first of five tracks, "All My Friends" sees Smith pay tribute to those of his nearest and dearest who stand strong in the Lord against the enemy signalling a spiritual warfare undercurrent that flows through much of this release. The likes of "Headlights" showcase Smith's skilful rapid rapping abilities - cleverly juxtaposed against a slow electric guitar part - whilst the US-style soulful hip-hop of the title track explains why the man has had chart success in the past. The title track sums up the overriding defiant feel of the EP with hook lines like "we just gotta be fearless" promoting the confidence we can have in God whilst Smith tackles issues of who or what we place our hope in in times of pressure in the aforementioned "Headlights" - all done in thought-provoking fashion. Acting as a sequel to a track of nearly the same name on his 2015 'Your Beauty' debut, the apocalyptic "Jack Of Spades 2.0" sees Smith throw everything into the melting pot from the misrepresentation of women to battling the Devil with lines like "David would kill them with a stone, I can kill them with a poem" indicating the confidence that Smith has in both his abilities and the giver of his gifts.

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