Backed by a spoken intro from Mike Skinner, who he co-wrote the song with, and a soulful chorus from The Streets' Leo The Lion, Kano continues his charge from the underground Brit-hop, grime, UK garage, call it what you like, scene to the commercial overground.

So dextrous is Robinson’s tongue that he rhymes in double time. Kano could probably insert "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper" into his lyrics, and not trip up. That’s how precocious a talent he is.

Spotted by Mike Skinner after playing with east London’s NASTY crew as a 16-year-old, the Fred-Perry-clad one urged his record label, 679 Recordings, to sign the youngster up. Which they duly did and Kano featured on a remix of The Streets’ ‘Fit But You Know It’. Skinner returned the favour by penning the chorus for 'Nite Nite'.

B-side 'Reload It' offers another facet to Kano. With beats as frenetic as a fish struggling to extricate itself from a hook, this tune has understandably become a club favourite. As the man himself notes in the lyrics to this track: "I make love music and I make thug music.”

With the hauteur of Kanye West, the MCing ability of Jay-Z, and a Jamaican toasting heritage to draw upon, Kano is some package. He knows it. And soon shall all.
(4½/5)

Release Date: 12 September 2005

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