Nu Brand vocalist Lickle P tells MATTHEW JENKIN why his band’s sound is the future of grime.

WRITING an anthem for a political party’s election campaign is usually career suicide for a musician or band.

While D:Ream’s hit song Things Could Only Get Better may have worked for New Labour in 1997, things could only get worse for the Irish pop group after Tony Blair grinned his way into Number 10.

But when the BBC’s Newsnight programme asked Greenwich grime act Nu Brand to write a song which summed up the Tory manifesto in this year’s nailbiting election, the trio jumped at the chance.

“It was a musical challenge,” band member Lickle P said.

“It didn’t necessarily mean we supported that party but we were up for it and did it.”

Lickle P admits they usually shy away from politics and prefer to keep their music feel-good.

News Shopper: Nu Brand. Lickle P (centre)

However, that’s not to say their combination of slick urban beats, eclectic melodies and sharp vocals is in any way bland or generic.

The former Blackheath schoolboy said: “Our sound is very much something new, fresh and exciting.

“I know it sounds cliche to say but if you listen to our music you can hear it’s something really different.”

With infectious lyrics inspired by everyday life, a distinctive sound and high energy live shows, they have not gone unnoticed.

Bands such as dance outfit Basement Jaxx and electro rockers Pendulum are both queuing up to work with them.

The trio are also geared up to support Gorillaz and N.E.R.D on tour this year and their debut album will be released early next year.

But despite the buzz surrounding the group, they have yet to storm the charts — unlike former band member Tinie Tempah, whose single Pass Out recently shot to number one.

Lickle P says any rivalry between the two acts is entirely friendly and Tinie will be collaborating with them on their new album.

He says it was a mutual decision for Tinie to leave the group.

He said: “We went off to university to do our own thing, but he carried on making music.

“When we finished our studies we got back on the music scene and hit the ground running.

“It’s great to see him so successful because we’re really good friends and we’re happy for him.

“It’s only a matter of time before we join him up there.

“It’s a bit of friendly competition really, like when you race your friends at the school sports day.

“You get an adrenalin boost but you still shake hands at the end.”

Tinie’s success is evidence of grime’s emergence from a purely underground genre to a mainstream musical movement.

Lickle P is pleased people are finally taking notice.

He said: “It took a lot of time for people to accept what the grime scene was actually saying but now they seem to understand it.”

Lickle P was in no doubt about Nu Brand’s chance of success.

He said: “Not to blow our own trumpet, but I don’t think it was that hard for us.

“We were so diverse and different.

“Our grass roots were performing in youth clubs in the borough and then we started to get bigger and performed in clubs and got some radio time.

“We built up a buzz and eventually someone took notice.”

And that momentum looks set to keep building with two new singles in the pipeline.

Nu Brand are definitely ones to watch.

Nu Brand’s single Runway is out now.