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In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. Here's a mini-review of a top-notch hip-hop album.  Written by: The Administrator Today, we slumbering scribes reject the "metal review site" tag by publishing a mini-review for a rap album. You can't stop us. One of my favorite hip hop albums of the year thusfar, Champagne For Breakfast positions the magnetic Meyhem Lauren as a paragon of New York rap. Equally luxurious and menacing, Lauren's flow is sublimely confident. It feels like he's been strutting across beats like these for decades. Boisterous aggression isn't necessary, and as a result the self-assured nature of his raps feel relaxed and refined. He's working hard but everything appears casually effortless. His delivery is calculatingly laissez-faire, yet never lacks punch or gravitas. That's a perfect combo, as far as I'm concerned. Madlib and DJ Muggs handling production in dual fashion is a real treat as well. The entire album is delightfully cohesive without eventually feeling stale or overplayed, which frankly feel decently rare in the world of Griselda-adjacent psychedelic boom-bap. Champagne for Breakfast is a smooth album that feels both understated and simultaneously larger than life. Lauren operates at a very high level, and despite absolutely bodying a braggadocious air, his showmanship and persona is never alienating. While there's not a bad track herein, if you're looking to sample, "Fresh Out The Water," "Big Money," "Dom VS Cris," "One of Them Ones," and "Szechuan Capital"--the latter complete with an excellent Action Bronson feature--are all fantastic places to start. In sum: highly recommended! Meyhem Lauren x Madlib x DJ Muggs - Champagne For Breakfast was released April 7th, 2023 via Soul Assassins
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Written by: The Administrator
Each year, I inevitably spend a whole lot o' time with EPs. Is this due to my bafflingly short attention span? Yes. Is it also because EPs often feel like the perfect vehicle for a band to flaunt their strengths in a concise and well-trimmed manner? Also yes. Listening to a well-constructed EP is perhaps my favorite way to spend time with music, and so here I am, an eclectic collection of favorites gripped in outstretched grubby fingers. But first, some housekeeping! There are, assuming I counted correctly, 30 entries. I was planning on 20, but have no real interest in trimming a list of untrimmable favorites. In that spirit, hopefully you find something here that worms its way into your favorites as well. This list is not sorted by genre despite featuring a lot of different genres. I apologize for the whiplash, but sorting feels antithetical to the overall notion that listening habits should not be confined for the sake of convenient lists. And lastly, this is utterly unranked--if something appears here, please know that it comes highly, highly recommended! Anyways. Let's get into it. |
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