The "fuck you to the haters" track is a hip-hop staple, which means it can be a challenge to make one that sounds distinctive. For "In The Fire," the tone-setting introduction to his forthcoming album Expressions Of Now, Montreal's Speng Squire decided to avoid trends and instead leaned into his strength as a rapper; a cartoonish voice, lyrical stamina, and the ability to pull off different flows. The track starts with an eerie gospel sample of the Florida Mass Choir, before spinning out into a loop of thunderous piano and snatches of choral vocals. In the video, Speng spits impatient bars about fake friends and big dreams backed by a group of his childhood friends.
"The second DRTWRK played me the beat, I knew this would be a perfect intro for the project," Speng wrote in an email to The FADER. "From the choir to the hard hitting drums, it gave me the energy to vent and express how I felt at the moment. With the recent success of producers from my city, such as Kaytranada, Lunice, and High Klassified, I really feel like there's no better time for an up-and-coming artists from Montreal. There's a wide open lane for us, and my goal with Expressions Of Now is to fill a void of original music. In order to stand out I stuck with what I know best: straight bars, and a catchy hook that my people can relate to."
Expressions Of Now is out April 17 on iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, and Apple Music.