In today’s climate of hyper-fast release cycles and the endless feeding frenzy of online content creation and consumption, two years might as well be a lifetime. But Brian Nasty — the London-based rapper, producer, model, illustrator, photographer, skater and amateur chess player — chooses to take things purposefully slow, focussing on creating projects that feel true to himself, without the need to rush headfirst into releasing anything just for the sake of it.

That’s not to say he’s spent this time idly. Aside from writing a trove of new music, the first fruits of which we are seeing today, Brian has spent his time collaborating with Metronomy on their 2021 ‘Posse EP Volume 1’; modeling for the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Carhartt, Crtz, Adidas Originals, Dickies and Marc Jacobs; and releasing the short film "Moon" with Luke Casey — part of a trilogy of dream-inspired shorts about wolves, monsters, and our impending doomsday — in which Brian both starred and contributed to the original score.

His last solo release, 2020’s ‘Not Here 2 Play!’ EP, and previous full-length mixtape ‘Pyjama Party’ announced Brian as a new voice in the DIY world of experimental rap. His unique style and genreless approach to music making — which owes as much to the world of guitar-led indie rock as it does hip-hop, and draws candidly on his own life experiences — was quick to gain the attention of outlets like The FADER, NME, Crack Magazine, Pigeons & Planes, Clash, The Line of Best Fit and more. With love also coming from Nilufer Yanya and Joviale at 6 Music, Jamz Supernova at BBC 1Xtra, plus Boiler Room tapping him on to perform as part of their Low Heat series, the experience proved to be a major turning point for the then 19-year-old Brian, giving him the confidence and drive to pursue music as a full time career.

On new single ‘Time I Leave’ he effectively chronicles the aftermath of that decision. That period of uncertainty and worry about the course he was choosing to take, dropping out of university and having no full-time job, and struggling with the expectations placed on him by friends and family. The narrative plays out in three parts: “The first is me coming to terms with everything going wrong, but hoping it goes right,” he explains. “The second is about managing other people's expectations of me, and the third is about, ‘what do I actually want?’”

Showcasing his talent for blending genres and decades with equal ease, the track — co produced with Jkarri — draws on the sounds of the late 70’s and early 80’s. “I’d been listening to a lot of Marvin Gaye and Herbie Hancock, thinking about what it is that makes those tracks hit so hard,” explains Brian. “Soul music for me literally touches the soul, and so I wanted to try and combine that feeling with what I was doing, for the music to exist in that world but in a way that makes sense to me”

Listen to ‘Time I Leave’, out now on Big Dada. The release artwork is created by Brian himself, and is made up of portraits from his parent’s wedding.