Saigon – “The Jordan Era” review

This is the 5th full-length LP from Brooklyn emcee Saigon. Breaking out in the early 2000s off his debut mixtape Da Yardfather, it wouldn’t be until 2011 when he would make his full-length debut by dropping The Greatest Story Never Told under Suburban Noize Records. The album would spawn a sequel to fulfill his contract with the Spade the following year & then a final installment on his own imprint Squid Ink Squad Records in 2014. He returned from a 6 year hiatus in 2020 by signing to Strange Music’s new subsidiary It Goes Up Entertainment & dropping the STREETRUNNER-produced EP 777: The Resurrection & fulfilling that deal on Pain, Peace & Prosperity the next spring. However, he’s linking up with Swedish producer Fredro for produce The Jordan Era after signing a new contract with Payday Records.

After the intro, the first song “G Miller” instrumentally kinda has this old school hip hop flavor to it talking about dressing like a tiger & biting like a killer whereas “Lyrical Genius” featuring Grandmaster Caz works in this danceable groove so both MCs can boast their prowesses together. “Think Twice” featuring Grand Puba has this prominent organ sample throughout only giving the listener advice 1 times, but then “1 Foot in the Door” featuring Big Daddy Kane points out that there’s something about the name Big whether it be the Kane himself or even Biggie Smalls & Big Pun.

“The Mobbery” picks up from there by rawly admitting that he wants to stick up the mob while the rugged “3 Digits” featuring Rock brings the 2 together explaining that this life all about the drugs, money, weed, women & standing out from the rest. After the interlude, Kool G Rap joins Saigon on “Make Money” menacingly discussing stacking up their chips just before “Home of the Wild” featuring Al Skratch finds the pair dustily talking about the wildest coming from New York.

One of my top 5 producers of all-time Pete Rock hops in the booth for “Get Loose” getting on some funky boom bap shit to show their recklessness, but then “Stop Poppin’ Shit!” featuring Craig G jumping over pianos mixed with kicks & snares calling to cease gun violence. “We Were Stars” menacingly talks about how things were back then while “Dangerous” featuring Sadat X returns to the boom bap bringing it hardcore lyrically.

“Tournament” orchestrally breaks down a tournament of torment that you can enter in for only 64¢ while the album’s proper closer “The Era” shows everyone what the real meaning of fortified is over kicks & snares. The bonus track “Sveriges Regenter (Sweden All-Stars)” featuring ADL, Ayo, Petter & Timbuktu truly wraps things up by thunderously showcasing amongst the nicest MCs that the Swedish hip hop scene has to offer.

Pain, Peace & Prosperity had it’s highlights although I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did 777: The Resurrection, but The Jordan Era has revealed itself to be Saigon’s best full-length in about a decade & almost matching the bar that 777 as amongst the 2 strongest efforts of his in this current decade. We’re taken on a journey through the culture from 84-98 seen through eyes of a young Saigon, complimented by guest appearances from the pioneers & production from Fredro paying homage to hip hop’s roots.

Score: 4/5

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GUTTR – “Everything is…GUTTR” review

GUTTR is a newly formed supergroup consisting of Ras Kass, RJ Payne & Havoc. All 3 of whom have been established within hip hop whether it be the waterproof MC’s debut Soul on Ice, RJ decimating anyone in the battle circuit that dared to step up against him under the original moniker Reignman or last but not least Havoc being 1/2 of the greatest duos of all-time Mobb Deep alongside the late Prodigy. Ras & RJ have worked with each other a few times previously, but got one of the East Coast’s most underrated producers as their 3rd member in time to put out a full-length debut.

“Roll Call” featuring Lil’ Fame & Method Manis a grimy way to kick off the album asking where all the real ones at in this bitch whereas “Nostalgia” incorporates a soul sample for the trio to pour one out for all the fallen soldiers we’ve lost along the way. The title track featuring Kurupt & KXNG CROOKED takes the cavernous route talking about how it’s only right for them to get the cheese but after the “RNR Ep. 1” skit, “Once Again It’s On” featuring Twista ruggedly finds everyone in their battle rap shit.

On the other hand, “Different” kinda has a jazzier flare asking not to be compared to any other artists out here while “Lo-Fi” right after the “RNR Ep. 2” skit soulfully talks about liking the atmosphere gritty. “Stop Playin’” featuring Freeway & Raekwon brings back the pianos to tell everyone to not fuck around with them but after the “RNR Ep. 3” skit, the final song “Old Soul” ends GUTTR’s debut warning that gossiping to them will leave you with your head blown clear.

The hardcore hip hop fans are really gonna find themselves gravitating towards GUTTR’s introductory album & hopefully this is only the beginning of more to come from what is recognized as hip hop’s very first unionization. Primarily due to Ras Kass & RJ Payne paying homage to Prodigy by channeling that old Mobb Deep energy, Havoc setting the musical canvas on an entire album for both lyricists to paint their bars, the guests all matching their intensity

Score: 4/5

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Ibibio Sound Machine – “Pull the Rope” review

Ibibio Sound Machine is an electronic afro-funk band from London, England, United Kingdom consisting of frontwoman Eno Williams, guitarist Alfred Bannerman, percussionist Afla Sackey, drummer Joseph Amoako, bassist Philip Ambrose, trombonist/keyboardist Tony Hayden, trumpeter/keyboardist Scott Baylis & saxophonist/keyboardist Max Grunhard. Introducing themselves a decade ago on the eponymous debut, they would show some growth on the sophomore effort Uyai & Doko Mien would go on to be just ok. Electricity couple years ago on the contrary surpassed Uyai as the band’s crowning achievement in their discography & went into the band’s 5th full-length debut maintaining that level of quality.

The title track starts by fusing mutant punk & electro with dance-punk & indietronica repetitively encouraging to pull the rope regardless of how eager we are to go for it whereas “Got to Be Who U Are” treads the synth-funk waters with additional elements of electro-boogie & disco not-disco singing about always being the same no matter where we are. “Fire” moves on from there cautioning not to get burned by experimenting with alternative dance a bit, but then “Them Say” futuristically lets y’all know who they are.

“Political Incorrect” continues the socially charged themes from the track before mixing dance-punk & even a hint of synth-funk in comparison leading into “Mama Say” blending electro, mutant disco & even a hint of electropop seeking to empower & uplift the women in our lives. “Let My Yes Be Yes” puts her own triumphant spin on Matthew 5:37 while the synth-driven “Touch the Ceiling” passionately talks about making it to the top when it’s all said & done. “Far Away” has this soulful, funk rock flare to it addressing those who see from a distance & “Dance in the Rain” ends on some electro-highlife shit for you to vibe out to during rainy weather.

Eno & company maintain the hope, joy & sexiness that they became known except they further honing the edge Electricity. This is done by expanding the sounds of electro, afro-funk, synth-funk, afrobeats, electro-disco, dance-punk & mutant disco carried over from the predecessor by throwing in influences of highlife, synthpop & alternative dance. The connection that the bands aim to foster has shifted venues from the sunny buoyancy of a sunlit festival to a sweat-soaked, all-night dance club & you’re still having a good time even with the atmosphere changing.

Score: 3.5/5

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Pro Dillinger – “Reasonable Dirt” review

This is the 6th full-length LP from Haverstraw, New York emcee Pro Dillinger. A member of the Umbrella collective as well as 1/2 of The Steiner Brothers, he has released a total of 5 mixtapes along with his last 5 albums & even 7 EPs. Favorites include the Finn-produced debut Pray for My Prey, the Machacha-produced Dirt Don’t Hurt, his 3rd EP MOSFoul, the Sting vs. Flair collab EP with Mickey Diamond & The Steiner Brothers’ eponymous debut. And with Dirty Work celebrating it’s 1-year anniversary this summer, the dirtiest of the Umbrella has brought Sean Kelly back to handle production for Reasonable Dirt much like Forever Foul.

“Bad Business” begins with a grand instrumental refusing to let anyone throw him off his focus whereas the funky “We Don’t Believe You” featuring Substance810 warns all these foul muthafuckas that there ain’t no more hiding & it’ll be lit when they catch ‘em. “So Guilty” goes into a jazzier direction with the beat talking about having murder on his mind, but then “Fall for Nothing” soulfully discusses wanting it all.

Blokkito joins Pro Dillinger for “Someday” jumping on top of this harmonious sample talking about being body snatchers & that they didn’t want them succeeding while “Home Team” delivers a smoother vibe overall to the beat telling everyone that they rockin’ with the best & he’s a part of bringing back the culture. Instrumentally, the song “Last Days” has this trippy mood to it so he can talk about becoming rich & going broke twice just before “The Change” incorporates another soul flip admitting that he’s caught up in the game.

“Selling Hope” featuring Big Trip weaves some pianos into the fold refusing to back down from any smoke that heads their way along with having the city on their backs & the squad chillin’ on a boat with everyone else bitterly watching from the background prior Reasonable Dirt’s title track finishing the album over synthesizers talking about rising from the soil, his amazing lineage & pouring beer on the flowers that’re growing from the sidewalk to make them stronger.

What we have on Reasonable Dirt is Pro Dillinger & Sean Kelly making a sequel album to Forever Foul that takes everything from the predecessor & turns it up to 11. Sean’s production still has the jazzy undertones from previously except you can hear that he’s grown as a producer over the course of these past couple years, Dirtius Jackson goes harder on the mic, there are a lesser amount of guests & Futurewave killed it with the mixing.

Score: 3.5/5

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Brother Ali – “Love & Service” review

Minneapolis, Minnesota activist & battle emcee Brother Ali teaming up with Oakland, California producer Unjust for his 8th full-length LP only 4 & a half years after the Evidence-produced Secrets & Escapes. Exploding within the underground off his 2003 sophomore effort Shadows in the Sun & of course his 2007 follow-up The Undisputed Truth, he would continue this string of acclaimed releases with Us as well as the Jake One-produced Mourning in America & Dreaming in Color and All the Beauty in This Whole Life. Can’t forget to mention Ali’s debut EP Champion turning 20 in a couple weeks & his debut mixtape Left in the Deck either. It’s been a few years since we last heard from him on his 4th EP Brother Minutester which marked his departure from Rhymesayers Entertainment after nearly 2 decades. So with Love & Service being his first album through his very own label Traveler’s Media, that & seeing some of the features nevertheless kept me interested.

After the “Chapter 1” intro, the first song “Ottomans” is a boom bap opener welcoming y’all to the extravaganza & informing everyone listening that they’re now rockin’ with a true & living master except the “mumble rap” jabs are cringe since this isn’t 2016 anymore whereas “Awaken” mixes together these woodwinds & strings talking about sleepwalking through our days. “The Collapse” calling out those who were dazzled by the warning signs flashing continuing to dance in the midst of it all collapsing over an instrumental with a summertime-flare, but then “Manik” featuring Aesop Rock & Casual brings the trio together getting in their battle rap bag for 4 minutes.

“Nom De Plume” kinda goes for more an uncanny atmosphere talking about part of dues having to be paid in order for him to even offer you this news making it rain blood & tears on any stage he rocks while “Cadillac” fuses these organs & guitar licks discussing his father-in-law’s titular yellow tinted whip. “Gauntlet” featuring Roc Marciano goes into a jazzier direction talking about both of them being on some other shit their whole entire lives pretty much leading into “Howlin’ Wolf” hopping over a brass sample to rock & moan much like the blues icon of the same name.

Quelle Chris joins Ali Newman for the spacious “Ghosts” pleading to not let them walk on their own just before the title track smoothly talks about how it’s all simply Love & Service at the end of the day. “Worthy” continues near the end of the album by affirming that every single one of us is worthy of love accompanied by a peppy beat & lastly to finish up Ali’s first full-length in nearly 5 years as of this upcoming fall, “Inside” finishes up the album by vulnerably talking about being unable to hold his tears back.

A good majority of Brother Ali‘s discography is exceptionally high in quality & although this isn’t one of my favorite projects from him, I still find it to be absolutely tolerable. Unjust provides a warm & unquantized sound chopping & flipping educational children’s movies from both the 70’s & 80’s using an ASR-10 sampler cohesively bedding Ali’s dense & poignant musings on God, death, empire & beauty in the process.

Score: 3.5/5

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Stanwill – “4ever $hittin’” review

This is the 3rd proper solo album from Detroit, Michigan rapper Stanwill. Coming up as 1/3 of the ShittyBoyz with Babytron & TR Dee signing to Lando Bando’s own The Hip Hop Lab Records, he eventually branched out on his own during the COVID-19 pandemic off the debut EP $camwill as well as it’s successor Gifted & the debut mixtape Van Gundy. He also went Full Auto for his 3rd EP making his full-length debut with Big $hitter followed by the 4th EP Big $hitter: Lost Files & of course the sophomore Still $hittin’ celebrating it’s 1-year anniversary last weekend, it makes sense for him to clarify that he’s 4ever $hittin’.

“Neverland” start off with a bit of a psychedelic plugg vibe talking about being the weatherman whereas “Paramount” named after the Paramount Skydance Corporation works in some pianos to discuss the only thing that he’s really concerned of is the paper. “Standing Ovation” takes the spacious trap route instrumentally thanks to Danny G & Jakesand talking about playing the dirtiest game while the synthesizer infused “Live & Learn” humorously boasting that his wrist 41 & the cougar bitch he bagged being 42 providing the clique scoring 2 pointer.

Tay B joins Stan for “Be Fr” gives off a suspense-raising Detroit trap flare to the beat talking about both of them always keepin’ it 100 leading into “Cockadoodledoo” mixing 808s & pianos flexing that he can do this shit in sleep every single day of the week. “Smithereens” brings back the plugg influences that we heard at the very beginning so he can talk about those laughing at his losses cheering for his victories, but then “Sexyy Red” featuring T Bone go back on forth on a Detroit trap instrumental wanting bitches similar to the rising St. Louis trap star.

“Whack-a-Hoe” hooks up these orchestral elements with 808s saying that if the money makes the world go round, then he’s the reason that Earth’s spinning prior to Certified Trapper dropping off the worst feature throughout the entire album on “Brothers” despite the synth-trap beat & the lyricism talking about riding & dying for their brothers. “Make It Last” going for more of an electronic trap approach with the instrumental likening his squad to a marching band with the AR drum attachments while “AR in My Goose” returns to the Detroit trap sound cautioning to duck before he taps you in the head.

My favorite feature on 4ever $hittin’ is easily TR Dee on the luxurious “Simple” talking about how simple this shit really is to them prior to “Bases Loaded” in actually serves as a solid freestyle over the “They Losing Me” by Big Homie Dre Cash beat. “Chop Suey” featuring Drego contains the LP’s 2nd best guest appearance eerily talking about the barking gonna be dead if they end up biting that is until “Ahh Haa” gets back in his Detroit trap shit laughing at one of his brodies shooting an opp.

“Nonstop” kinda has this chill mood to the instrumental refusing to stop since time is money after while the west coast flavored “Los Santos Customs” makes reference of the Grand Theft Auto V & Grand Theft Auto Online vehicle customization & repair shop of the same name. “Crunch Time” couldn’t of been a better choice of a climactic closing track to the album talking about chillin’ with a bitch that don’t know English for so long to the point now where he speaks in Spanish to the plug.

This last handful of solo projects we’ve gotten from Stanwill over the course of these past 3 years have been more moderate compared to Van Gundy, but there’s no debate from my point of view that 4ever $hittin’ is the most that I’ve enjoyed a solo project from him since $camwill when the world was on lockdown. Although only a couple features stood out, I love that he tries out some new sounds albeit primarily sticking to the Detroit trap wheelhouse.

Score: 4/5

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PARTYNEXTDOOR – “PARTYNEXTDOOR 4” review

PARTYNEXTDOOR is a 30 year old singer/songwriter, rapper & producer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada becoming the first artist that Drake signed to OVO Sound in the spring of 2013 & released a well-received eponymous debut EP few months later. His full-length debut PARTYNEXTDOOR 2 nearly 13 months later took everything from self-titled to another level & Colours that winter was noticeably more contemporary. PARTYNEXTDOOR 3 received generally mixed responses in comparison to it’s both predecessors until Colours 2 showed a bit of improvement, but 7 Days ended up missing harder than P3 did. PND’s next EP Partypack became another redeeming moment much like Colours 2 & keeping in mind that the last album Partymobile easily stands as his worst, PARTYNEXTDOOR 4 gave me some optimism that it would outdo his last couple LPs.

“C o n t r o l” gets started with this atmospheric trap soul/alternative R&B crossover with Cardiak behind the boards talking about wanting to sex up this woman whereas “L o s e M y M i n d” ruins the timeless DMX song “Party Up (Up in Here)” gratingly discussing 2 women driving him to the point of insanity. “S t u c k I n M y W a y s” takes a groovier route instrumentally thanks to Alex Lustig & 40 so PARTYNEXTDOOR can talk about never wanting to change just before “C h e e r s” brings this futuristic trap soul vibe to the table dedicating this one to all the lovers that like to turn up by consuming alcohol.

Drawing near the end of P4’s first half, “M a k e I t T o T h e M o r n i n g” spaciously sings about not wanting to fight with his romantic interest wanting them to last until the sunrise while the moody “N o C h i l l” produced by Nonstop da Hitman telling the star of the show that she been acting reckless ever since he got her some ice. “H e r O l d F r i e n d s”produced by OG Parker & G. Ry was an ok trap soul/alternative R&B single talking about sleeping with girl’s old friends but after the “R e t r e a t” skit, “F o r C e r t a i n” sounds like a boring dancehall track running off from VIEWS/More Life.

“S o r r y, B u t I’ m O u t s i d e” works in luscious synths & hi-hats singing that he has someone waiting for him inside playing with their emotions while “R e a l W o m a n” is another alternative R&B/trap soul fusion showing off this model he’s dating who’s taller than him. After the “M o t h e r’ s P r a y e r” skit, “F a m i l y” stands as the most heartfelt moment on the album talking about that he misses his family & the self-produced “R e s e n t m e n t” closes shop with some downtempo undertones needing respect.

The reason both P3 & Partymobile weren’t was well received as PARTYNEXTDOOR’s first couple LPs is because of the fact that he confirmed he wasn’t using everything he learned artistically on them & cheating on the quality of the art, which P4 does the complete opposite of as the best album he’s put out in almost a decade. He cooks up 46 minutes worth of amongst the most focused alternative R&B/trap soul in his discography from a “me & her” perspective that the intimacy for the prime PND listening experience requires.

Score: 3.5/5

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Novatore – “The 87 Arsonist” review

Chicago, Illinois emcee Novatore is back with the 12th solo LP in his catalog. Emerging as a member of the Infamous Crew, he’s also built up an impressive solo career over nearly a decade by dropping 4 EPs & an acclaimed collaborative effort with A.M. Early Morning produced by Stu Bangas called Kingdom of Criminality on top of all the previous LPs that he’s dropped along the way. Other highlights include Louie, Louie II, Embrace the Darkness, Portrait of a Madman, Embrace the Darkness II: Explorers of Experience, Master of Morbid Creations & Living in the End Times. He just put out Alchemy & Black Magic last summer & is returning to make his Goon MuSick debut as The 87 Arsonist.

After the “Ronald Bartel” intro, the first song “Flammable Material” is a grimy boom bap opener produced by C-Lance talking about feeling like he’s showing off every single time he’s writing whereas “Backdraft” featuring Lord Goat finds the 2 over a coldblooded instrumental with kicks & snares as they look to burn everyone lyrically. “Point of Origin: The Biography of John Leonard Orr” portrays the life of the titular serial arsonist & mass murder on his 75th birthday coincidentally with the help of Stu Bangas, but then “Pyromaniacs” featuring Celph Titled hops on top of a piano/boom bap crossover talking about their names raising to the top.

“All Consuming” featuring Daniel Son finds the 2 on their battle shit over some more keys, kicks & snares from Johnny Slash just before “Burning Monk” by Azthmatix begins with some jazzy horns & a vocal sample talking about feeling like a monk lighting himself on fire tackling the theme of self-destruction. The song “Waking Up to the Fire” is an operatic boom bap cut about his rhymes being conceived in his sleep leading into “Incendiary Device” featuring A.M. Early Morning recapturing the magic of their collab effort from a couple years ago. “Sent from Hell” featuring Benny Holiday ends on an atmospherically dusty note thanks to the Snowgoons burning hoes naked.

It’s been amazing to watch this guy gradually getting better over the last 3 years & his Goon MuSick debut here as I expected stands as yet another fiery entry in Novatore’s discography. The traditional boom bap production dominant throughout his entire catalog continues to only get consistently stronger by each year, it has a one of the more consistent list of guest MCs that match his caliber of lyricism portraying himself as an arsonist for about 27 minutes.

Score: 4/5

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tana – “bana” review

Atlanta, Georgia up-&-comer tana coming off a string of EPs by releasing his full-length debut studio album. Starting in 2018 as a member of the plu2o9 collective under the original moniker BabySantana, he would go on to drop his first 2 EPs Recreation! & Planet Sosa alongside his debut mixtape Quan before signining to Lil Tecca’s very own Republic Records imprint Galactic Records the next fall. tana then preluded bana by putting out Gaultier as well as London & Dale. Nearly 6 months after the latter, we’re finally being treated to the main course.

“Decatur” produced by Zaytoven has to be my favorite opening track to a tana project yet jumping over a rich trap instrumental talking about his current mentality paying tribute to the titular city in Georgia whereas “Never Sober” takes the atmospheric route thanks to Rio Leyva working in some hi-hats as well boasting that his clients are always under the influence. “Because of Me” is this piano/trap hybrid asserting his position over those who turned his back on him after teaching them everything they know leading into the pluggnb infused “Cut Ties” telling his old hoes he ain’t interested in them no more.

Meanwhile on “Helluva Night”, we have BabySantana luxuriously describing an eventful evening that he’s had just before the club banger “couple$$$” that Internet Money Records in-house producer Synthetic laced talks about the high status he’s reached as result of his position as an artist. “stfu” breaks down life on the road & being too busy to have conversations with others unless it’s about money accompanied by a harp & hi-hats, but then the heavenly “Designer Thangs” begins the 2nd half of the album by talking about tana’s commitment to his craft.

“Slide” makes it clear to his current romantic interest that he’s in her city for the night on top of a spacious backdrop & rattling hi-hats while “Jesus Piece” is this synth-trap fusion looking back on the early stages of his career since he was introduced to the industry at a young age. “YSL” playfully talks about having her leave in new Saint Laurent while “VTMNTS” mixes a guitar & hi-hats talking about the Swiss luxury fashion house. “Feng Shui” clouding prays for better days & “wake up” ends Santanaromani’s first LP by psychedelically hoping she’s still there when he gets up.

Of all 4 projects we’ve gotten from tana in the last year & a half ever since he signed to a major label, bana stands out differently than Gaultier or even London & Dale did. Not only is he continually progressing artistically here but this time, we get what could possibly be his most cohesive body of work thus far. It’s more well-produced refining his signature pop rap/trap/pluggnb stylings & as far as the subject matter goes, you get a clearer look at who tana is personally.

Score: 4/5

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Mike Dean – “4:24” review

Houston, Texas producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist & one of the greatest audio engineers of all-time Mike Dean continuing to further establish himself as an artist by releasing his 5th full-length studio album. Pioneering the dirty south sound in the 90s as an in-house producer for Rap-A-Lot Records, one may also know him for engineering nearly all of Ye formerly known as Kanye West’s output up until his 2022 antisemitic meltdown calling himself a Nazi on InfoWars. 4:20 was a 90 minute exploration into progressive electronic & the nearly 2 hour sequel 4:22 continued towards that trajectory. Smoke State 42222 went for more of a straight-forward electronic sound with additional elements of space ambient & even Mike’s last LP 4:23 went head-on synthwave, landing a spot on my Honorable Mentions of 2023 list as a result of being more well-put together than his last couple solo efforts. Considering that, I went into 4:24 expecting it to reach the bar its predecessor had set.

“Subdivision of Time” begins by incorporating these synthesizers that only get grander & grander in the span of a little over 3 minutes whereae “3 AM” goes into space ambient territory starting off reminding me of the scene in one of my top 5 shows of all-time Rick & Morty where Rick’s traveling universe-to-universe searching for Rick Prime, but feels like an out-of-body experience during the 2nd half. “It’s in the Water” gives off a straight up progressive electronic vibe that I can imagine hearing in a sci-fi movie trailer just before “Don’t Fast Forward Life” incorporates some jazz influences towards the end that I love.

Concluding the first half of the album, “Distorted Time” brings the synthwave influences back into full effect leading into “Space Brains” admirably venturing out into electronic rock a bit. “Black Holes Echoing” returns to the large, throbbing synthesizers & upbeat percussion that retro electro is known for that is until “Swimming Pools & Movie Stars” presents these cinematic synths for a minute & a half. “Fast Forward Life in Rewind” pushes near the end of 4:24 by going space ambient again for 6 minutes, but then “I Like” closes the LP shooting for a ghostly atmosphere.

Everything that made 4:23 more enjoyable than Mike’s first couple albums manages to make their way onto this new one here & I find it to be as tightly crafted as the predecessor over a year ago already. He puts a bigger emphasis on the progressive electronic style predominantly throughout his solo catalog once more in the midst of maintaining the synthwave & space ambient elements although in a lesser capacity.

Score: 4/5

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