7/10
With his latest LP 'June in February', London-based rapper and producer Charles Edison closes the door on past turmoil and steps fully into the glow of self-assurance. The album sits as a statement of intention, equal parts personal and polished. As the final chapter in a deeply introspective trilogy, this record trades grief and reckoning for gratitude and clarity, offering a bright and soulful send-off to a darker time.
Built during the year’s coldest stretch, the record pulses with warmth; an inner fire sparked by memory, loss, and resilience. Edison’s signature conversational delivery remains intact, guiding us through stories that feel lived-in rather than dramatised. There’s a casual eloquence in the way he builds his bars, placing him in a lineage with artists like Loyle Carner and Akala, though his tone here is gentler, more like a friend with hard-won wisdom than an interrogator.
Standout track 'Florence' is the emotional heart of the project. Rather than dwell in sorrow, the frontman offers a bittersweet celebration of the grandmother who helped raise him. The tenderness of the writing is balanced by an undercurrent of joy, avoiding sentimentality in favour of something deeper and more enduring.
On the flip side, 'No Love Lost' throws elbows. It’s loud, swaggering, and utterly unapologetic. A moment of catharsis where Edison draws a line between past compromises and present purpose. This is no longer an artist begging to be heard; it’s one speaking directly from the centre of his own world.
The production across 'June in February' is rich with colour, with beats dusted in soul and shaped with a careful hand. Edison’s attention to texture, inspired in part by beatmaker Marco Polo, shines through in the layered samples and subtle embellishments. Tied together by Chemo’s crisp mix and master, the album feels simultaneously grounded and expansive throughout.
Ultimately, 'June in February' is about realignment. It’s the sound of an artist stepping back, surveying the wreckage and the triumph, and choosing to move forward with intention. Charles Edison has never sounded more assured or more at peace.
