Self Titled (Kae Tempest album)

Self Titled
Studio album by Kae Tempest
Released	4 July 2025 (2025-07-04)
Genre	Spoken word conscious hip-hop
Length	40:26
Label	Island
Producer	Fraser T. Smith Kae Tempest
Kae Tempest chronology
The Line Is a Curve (2022) Self Titled (2025)
Singles from Self Titled
"Statue in the Square" Released: 19 March 2025 "Know Yourself" Released: 30 April 2025 "Diagnoses" Released: 23 June 2025

Self Titled is the fifth studio album by English poet and spoken word artist Kae Tempest. It was released on 4 July 2025, through Island Records. The album features collaborations with Neil Tennant, Tawiah, Connie Constance and Young Fathers.

Promotion

Singles

On 19 March 2025, Tempest released "Statue in the Square" which would become the album's first single. The track was premiered on Nick Grimshaw's BBC Radio 6 Music show. ^[1]

The second single "Know Yourself" was released on 30 April 2025 alongside the album's announcement. ^[2]

"Diagnoses" was released as the album's third and final single on 23 June 2025. ^[3]

Critical reception

Self Titled ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.9/10 [4]
Metacritic	84/100 [5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Clash	8/10 [7]
The Guardian	[8]
The Independent	[9]
NME	[10]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Self Titled received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 84 out of 100 from 7 critic scores. ^[5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Kae Tempest and Fraser T. Smith, with additional writers noted.

Self Titled track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I Stand on the Line"		3:38
2.	"Statue in the Square"		2:54
3.	"Know Yourself"	Tom Rowlands	2:40
4.	"Sunshine on Catford"		3:10
5.	"Bless the Bold Future"	Tawiah	3:42
6.	"Everything All Together"		1:52
7.	"Prayers to Whisper"		3:34
8.	"Diagnoses"	Rowlands	2:53
9.	"Hyperdistillation"	Constance Power	4:09
10.	"Forever"		2:28
11.	"Breathe"	Kayus Bankole Graham Hastings Alloysious Massaquoi	5:53
12.	"Till Morning"		3:33
Total length:			40:26

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. ^[11]

• Kae Tempest – vocals
• Fraser T. Smith – keyboards, piano, production, mixing (all tracks); bass programming, drum programming (tracks 1–11); bass guitar (6, 9, 10, 12), electric guitar (6, 10)
• Matt Colton – mastering
• Louis Rogove – engineering
• Scott Barnett – engineering (1–5, 7–12)
• Raven Bush – string arrangement, strings (1, 3, 4, 6–10)
• Giles Kwakeulati King-Ashong – drums (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9–11)
• Isabel Gracefield – engineering (1, 3, 6, 7, 9–12)
• Sheila Maurice-Grey – horn arrangement, trumpet (1, 6, 10, 12)
• Chelsea Carmichael – saxophone (1, 6, 10, 12)
• Anoushka Nanguy – trombone (1, 6, 10, 12)
• Theon Cross – tuba (1, 6, 10, 12)
• Molly J – background vocals (2, 6, 7, 9, 10)
• Tom Rowlands – production, bass programming, drum programming, keyboards (3, 8)
• Neil Tennant – additional vocals (4)
• Tawiah – additional vocals (5)
• Connie Constance – additional vocals (9)
• Alloysious Massaquoi – additional vocals (11)
• Graham Hastings – additional vocals (11)
• Kayus Bankole – additional vocals (11)

Charts

Chart performance for Self Titled

Chart (2025)	Peak position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [12]	50
Scottish Albums (OCC) [13]	3
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [14]	41
UK Albums (OCC) [15]	25
UK R&B Albums (OCC) [16]	1

References

1. Dunworth, Liberty (19 March 2025). "Listen to Kae Tempest's striking new single 'Statue In The Square'". NME. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
2. "Kae Tempest announces fifth album 'Self Titled' and drops new single 'Know Yourself'". DIY. 30 April 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
3. Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; Hussain, Shahzaib (23 June 2025). "Kae Tempest Shares New Single 'Diagnoses' | News". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
4. "Self Titled by Kae Tempest Reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
5. "Self Titled by Kae Tempest Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 11 July 2025.
6. https://www.allmusic.com/album/self-titled-mw0004520076 . Retrieved 11 July 2025.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
7. Su, Yu An (3 July 2025). "Kae Tempest – Self-Titled". Clash (magazine) . Retrieved 11 July 2025.
8. Aroesti, Rachel (4 July 2025). "Kae Tempest: Self Titled review – the rhythms in his lyrics are still so distinct". The Guardian . Retrieved 11 July 2025.
9. Brown, Helen (4 July 2025). "On Self Titled, Kae Tempest delivers power and truth in his weary clarity". The Independent . Retrieved 11 July 2025.
10. Garratt-Stanley, Fred (3 July 2025). "Kae Tempest – 'Self Titled' review: an inspiring reflection on identity and self-discovery". NME . Retrieved 11 July 2025.
11. "Self Titled / Kae Tempest / Credits". Tidal . Retrieved 4 July 2025.
12. "Ultratop.be – Kae Tempest – Self Titled" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
13. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
14. "Swisscharts.com – Kae Tempest – Self Titled". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
15. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
16. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 July 2025.