Neither Collar Nor Crown weaves folk traditions through hip-hop with Jackill, Iona Fyfe, Bemz and more.
POST has been following Vagrant Real Estate (VRE) for over five years now. His warm, intoxicating beats have a real pull to them, offering an escape that feels like a late night in an unfamiliar city. So when we got an early listen to the Aberdeen producer’s new album, Neither Collar Nor Crown, we couldn’t be more chuffed.
As we hit play, it was clear that he has brought new ideas and fresh sounds to his work this time around. It brings together 25 Scottish artists from across generations, genres and languages. Released on St Andrew’s Day, the album features everyone from folk singer Iona Fyfe to rapper Bemz, alongside spoken word artists, choirs, live brass players, and MCs working in both English and Gaelic.
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The album follows 2022’s The Iceberg Theory, a collaboration with London MC CLBRKS that sold out its vinyl run two weeks before release. This time, Vagrant Real Estate has turned his attention closer to home.
Jackill as primary collaborator
Aberdonian MC Jackill features across nine of the album’s thirteen tracks. The two previously worked together on The Iceberg Theory, and that established relationship forms the backbone of Neither Collar Nor Crown. Jackill appears alongside various combinations of Scottish artists throughout the album, from solo features to tracks with four or five other contributors.
The collaborations pair Jackill with folk singers, R&B vocalists, other MCs, and traditional musicians. This approach places his work in conversation with different Scottish musical traditions rather than keeping hip-hop separate from them.
Building across Scottish music
Iona Fyfe brings her folk background to the album, singing alongside hip-hop artists and contemporary vocalists. Bemz, another established name in Scottish rap, appears with musicians from traditional Scottish music backgrounds. The album spans artists who’ve been working in Scottish music for decades, alongside those just starting.
Beyond the lead features, the album draws on spoken word artists, choirs and live brass players. Some tracks feature lyricism in Gaelic alongside English. These aren’t token additions but integrated parts of how Vagrant has structured the album.
Vagrant Real Estate has handled all production and writing, which gives the project coherence despite involving 25 different artists. The collaborations span folk, hip-hop, R&B, traditional music and spoken word, united by Vagrant’s production approach.
A Scottish hip-hop project
Getting 25 Scottish artists together on one album could easily have turned into a mess, but Vagrant’s pulled it off. The fact that he’s managed to work with folk singers, traditional musicians, MCs and brass players without any of it feeling forced says a great deal about both his production skills and his understanding of what connects these different traditions.
Chelsea Frew’s cover artwork captures that same sense of Scottish life and community that runs through the album. It’s a project that feels genuinely ambitious without tipping into self-importance.
The album is released on 30th November via streaming platforms, digital download and limited edition vinyl.
