“Dali’s Persistence” is the very impressive debut track from Tim Akin, an artist from South London who shows an infectiously grimy atmosphere throughout his blend of hip-hop and dark electronica. There’s ample structural variation in the mere three-minute runtime as well, with every turn being unpredictable, though not jarring in the slightest bit. Akin shows a very strong rhythmic flow, with charisma in the growing development between the introductory, ominous delivery and more energetic strutting in the second half, when more vigorous click-clacking percussion combines with brighter guitar-toned synth work and a closing, effervescent synth pad. Somewhere between Gorillaz’ darker hip-hop-oriented tracks and Odd Future’s dark entrancing, Akin’s sound lives comfortably.
