Benjamin Paul Ballance-Drew is better known as Plan B, originally a hip hop artist, who likes to incorporate elements of genres like soul and drum & bass into his music. The first time he did so, on his second album The Defamation of Strickland Banks (his alter ego), he shot straight to number one.

After the follow-up Ill Manors though, he went through – in his own words – a ‘complete identity crisis’, including drinking too much Jack Daniels and Coke. He announced a hip hop concept album of which he predicted “I know radio ain’t gonna play it”, but that didn’t see the light.

What did see the light though, was a baby girl. That may be one of the reasons his next album will be more personal than before. The record isn’t finished yet, but it does already have a title (Heaven Before All Hell Breaks Loose) and a release date: 13 April 2018.

Already available now is the single Heartbeat. A welcome return to soul and drum & bass, giving the track a sound akin to Massive Attack’s Unfinished Sympathy.

Werner Schlosser

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.