So finally, after a good 16 years after the release of his latest record Spirits, Gil Scott-Heron is back.  Richard Russel, owner of XL Recordings (perhaps the UK’s leading independent record label) has managed to track down the proto-rap godfather at Rikers Island Prison to release his comeback album I’m New Here.  Heron had been incarcerated in 2001 for cocaine possession.

Now thanks to The Guardian who’s managed to strike a deal with XL we get to hear the album in its entirety prior to its release on February 8.  It’s superb production reeks of soul, blues, hip-hop, dubstep and many things in between.

Visit the Guardian article to hear the complete preview. And to get an idea of what Gil Scott Heron is all about, be sure to see his 1970 classic The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.

Photos courtesy of Mischa Richter.