Woodlands, Texas rapper, singer/songwriter & producer Matt Champion releasing his full-length solo debut LP. Someone you may know for being a founding member of the now defunct BROCKHAMPTON collective alongside Kevin Abstract, Ameer Vann, Merlyn Wood & JOBA. He also released a solo EP Harley in the spring of 2017 right before the classic SATURATION trilogy but now that the best boy band since 1 Direction broke up a couple years ago already, Matt’s stepping up to the plate by releasing Mika’s Laundry following Slime in the Ice Machine & Blanket.
The self-produced “Green” starts us off smoothly talking about that Alabama blue whereas “Aphid” featuring Dijonfuses neo-soul & alternative R&B with additional elements of pop rap, psychedelic soul & even bedroom pop asking if one can say hallelujah for him to know they’re wild. “Steel” featuring Dora Jar brings a funkier groove to the table instrumentally not minding if his lover asks him to hurry, but then the vibrant albeit woodwind-driven “Gbiv” talking about blowing the paint like a piston.
Meanwhile, “Purify” groovily asks if he can trust this individual just before “Dogfish” mixes indie rock, art pop, slowcore, neo-soul & experimental hip hop all into 1 talking about the kind of smile people say he has. “Code Red” gives off a melodic trap flare thanks to Jabari Manwa hoping his lover is ready to go leading into the synth-heavy “Aren’t You Excited?” talking about wanting to be a part of her world except that he’s stuck inside a video screen.
“Slug” crosses over electro-disco, neo-soul boogie, synth-funk, synthpop & psychedelic soul desiring someone he’d never leave no matter what he does while the summery “Everybody Likes You” asks his partner what they do when no one else is around. “Project” acoustically gets reminded why he let an ex of his go while “Slow Motion” featuring JENNIE dabbles with atmospheric liquid drum fusing that with adult contemporary, art pop & alt-pop talking about moving slowly. The delicately-produced closer “Meetin’ You” finishes Matt’s first solo album never needing another thing.
Kevin went for a completely different sound on Blanket last fall & for anyone who liked the alternative R&B/neo-soul direction that Harley took months before BROCKHAMPTON’s popularity skyrocketed, you should know what you’re getting yourself into on Mika’s Laundry. Matt’s continuing to reveal his artistic range with his passionate songwriting/vocals generally going for a predominant alt-pop feeling with undertones of alternative R&B, neo-soul, pop rap, art pop.
Score: 4/5
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