July: 18 albums you need to hear this month

J Hus 'Common Sense' (Black Butter)

When footage of teenagers singing ‘Dem Boy Paigon’ as police tried to shut down a Hackney house party went viral, it was clear J Hus had become one of London’s leading voices. Now, as debut album ‘Common Sense’ drops during a sold-out tour, it’s obvious he’s at the fore of UK rap. Lyrically, this LP hits the same themes as on his breakout 2015 mixtape, as he opines on street life, sexual encounters and life as a 20-year-old on the come-up. But what has changed are the beats. Thanks to producer Jae5, Hus is now hopping across G funk, UK garage and r’n’b, as well as banging rap and Afrobeats. Of course, his unique cadence and cheeky-wink swag bind it all because, despite his moniker, he’s “really a big kid, Capri Sun and Wotsits”. Seb Wheeler

9/10