AN UP-AND-COMING musician has dropped his mixtape and it is – for lack of a better word – fire.

A Conversation with Myself by Drew Iain, from Abergavenny, is a mixtape which was released today - October 28 - and - while predominantly rap - it incorporates different genres across eight tracks written by the 27-year-old.

The first six songs are recorded over instrumentals which Drew has the standard licence for and two are his own compositions – with one featuring a guitar solo by Richard Shaw, formerly of Cradle of Filth, which was Drew's debut single.

South Wales Argus:

The mixtape includes songs of self-empowerment, songs that detail struggles with addiction and mental battles with anxiety and depression. Drew self-recorded the vocals at home, before sending them for professional mixing, done by Ryan Jordan of AR Studios.

Here’s what I thought…

If you don’t like swearing this mixtape isn’t for you. If you like Welsh talent, well crafted lyrics, and catchy beats then you will love it.

Drew’s talent is undeniable and – while it’s overall a rap album – the styles and lyrics of the songs are diverse showing his range. The songs are well written and each tracks flows brilliantly; I instantly became a fan.

Watch and See and Legacy are what I would describe as “hype songs” which highlight ambition and passion for music. They’re tracks about making it in the rap world and, in my opinion, this mixtape has certainly made a mark.

South Wales Argus:

Not the Only Ones and Break stood out to me for their relatable lyrics. Not The Only Ones is one of the calmer sounding tracks, with a great beat, and could help listeners feel less alone through hardships they may be facing in life while Break is relatable to anyone who has ever felt close to breaking point.

Sit in the Rain is also a relatable track – while calmer sounding than others on the mixtape it focuses on mental health and depression, while still being a good listen and – at times – uplifting.

Although I love the entire mixtape, the other three songs were probably among my favourites and are a little more manic in their sound.

South Wales Argus:

House of a Hundred Ghosts has an almost haunting backing track which works well with the lyrics – despite the professionalism of his sound Drew makes the rapping seem effortless. There were many points of the mixtape I asked myself “when does he breathe?”

Quiet – which featured Richard Shaw – was my favourite song (although this will probably vary with more listens) and reflects Drew’s passion for rock along with rap. I loved the whispers at the start and the clashing contrast of the words with the music (the guitar solo was epic and gave me goosebumps).

Medicine, the final track on the tape, is a manic tune and relatable for anyone who has ever had a loved one struggle with addiction. It was the perfect conclusion to an epic mixtape. I’m a huge fan of this new release – and can’t wait to hear what’s next.

A Conversation With Myself is available to stream everywhere now.