Tinie Tempah: Youth review – lots of hooks, not enough Tinie

It’s easy to forget that the only British male soloist with more number one singles than Tinie is Cliff Richard, and Cliff had 50 years’ head start. Youth won’t extend Tinie’s run, although it’s more poppy than 2013’s excellent Demonstration. Only the title track really delivers that charming mix of self-lacerating honesty and boastful sass which made him a star. Elsewhere, it’s a generic, efficient album engineered for Spotify. Too many songs begin with the hook, to get you through the revenue-generating 30-second mark without any of that scary rapping. When the hook is strong, that’s just about acceptable. Too often, it makes Tinie sound like his own guest rapper.