9/10

Throughout the last few years, Glaswegian artist Joesef has been working hard to build a warm and embracing allure around his sound. With a flurry of fresh and enticing offerings under his belt already, his reputation for shimmering neo-soul grooves has quickly made him one of the most exciting names rising on the UK scene right now. And just as he reaches the zenith of his popularity to date, he returns to deliver his eagerly-awaited debut album 'Permanent Damage', a record that perfectly cements his vibrant legacy to date.

One of the most notable takeaways from Joesef's first full-length is just how clean and polished it comes across. Never needlessly filling the production with unnecessary fanfare to give the illusion of depth and texture, 'Permanent Damage' is a beautifully refined outing that perfectly reflects his own euphoric persona. With his sweet and humbled voice taking centre stage throughout, each one of these tracks acts as a distinctive entity unto themselves, making for an incredible diverse yet succinct listen.

There was never any doubt the quality 'Permanent Damage' would present given the run of releases behind it so far, but hearing it all together makes for an incredibly enjoying listen. Sprawling, heartfelt, and adventurous at every turn, Joesef could find himself one of the most in-demand names doing the rounds thanks to this release.