Hitting our radar through his new, cinematic concept album, Dark Was The Night, NovA is a Philadelphia, USA-based hip-hop artist who I’m looking forward to getting to know better.

By Graeme Smith

Dark Was The Night is an ambitious collection of 25 rapped riffs, each unveiling a different scene in a wider story. That story is one of a loss, grief and darkness, set against a gritty backdrop of mean streets. The tracks’ instrumentals do well to create the atmosphere while NovA’s expressive flow tell the story.

After Left on Red and Origin Story draw us in, Pocket Rocket provides an early, hardcore highlight rich with big bass beats and edgy wordplay.

Other highlights include the timeless No Where To Run, quickfire team up with Styles P, Hell On Earth, the soulful and delicate Oh God, Good Lord, the romantic, electronic-infused Risk It All, the introspective and simmering Eye Wonder, spicy collabs with Dev Hoc and Freeway, Sweet and Marvel, and the smouldering and heart-breaking Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground.

With his new album, NovA shows us he’s a rapper that’s a cut above. While we get plenty of the familiar features of the genre, his storytelling and clever lyricism sets him out from the crowd. It’s an album that has something for everyone.

Dark Was The Night is out now, available to buy as a digital album on Bandcamp. You can give it a listen below.