Stormzy has released a new single, “Sounds of the Skeng,” the third song to emerge from the British rapper’s upcoming album. The fast-talking track, produced by Sir Spyro, follows “Vossi Bop” and “Crown.”
The single art pays homage to The Sound of Music, but “Sounds of the Skeng” doesn’t have any of that musical whimsy. The hard-punching number follows up on Stormzy’s 2017 track “Mr. Skeng,” off his debut album Gang Signs & Prayer, drawing on some of the same references in the lyrics. On the track, the rapper spits, “Five whole years on the circuit/ Every single year I merk it/ Every single year/ I switch flows, they jerk it/ I flip more, then reverse it/ Told bro reimburse it, I just hope that it’s worth it.”
Stormzy has been working on his follow-up to Gang Signs & Prayers, but a release date has not yet been announced. In June, he became the first rapper to headline Glastonbury. This month, Stormzy will be part of the judging panel for this year’s Mercury Music Prize alongside Jamie Cullum, Jorja Smith, Annie Mac and Gaz Coombes.
The rapper also recently appeared on Ed Sheeran’s “Take Me Back to London,” from the singer’s album No.6 Collaborations Project. A remix of the track, also produced by Sir Spyro, went to No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart earlier this month.