Since releasing his 2017 breakthrough Could God Bless Your Hustle, MIKE has been on a prolific run. His catalogue has continued to increase and enhance yearly, with high-quality initiatives launched constantly. Working concurrently with that inventive progress, he appears to be settling into his position as a mannequin in New York Hip Hop’s underground. After being a mainstay in the neighborhood for years, the now 25-year-old has solidified himself as a figurehead within the scene – and together with his newest LP, Burning Want, it appears he’s conscious about simply the place he stands.
The venture is a no-holds-barred effort: a lyrically dense, texturally various and unapologetically singular expertise. Moments like muffled, bass-laden “African Intercourse Freak Fantasy” or the pairing of MIKE’s uncharacteristically up-tempo stream over the sparse, ethereal beat on “Do you Consider?” see his strategy altered in new and thrilling methods.
The warped horns, soul chops and lo-fi samples really feel as comforting as being wrapped in a thick fleece blanket throughout the useless of winter’s coldest months, whereas MIKE’s laid again and conversational cadence continues to have his phrases really feel like sage knowledge from a detailed good friend. That is one among his strongest qualities, as his music might be extremely intimate with out feeling unapproachable or uncomfortable. His tendency to suit palpable emotion in a couple of phrases retains even essentially the most private anecdotes relatable sufficient that the majority can connect themselves to the sensation, giving his verses actual tangibility.
A selection instance of that is on the Earl Sweatshirt-assisted “plz don’t lower my wings” which sees MIKE opening his verse by detailing his seek for closure (“I’m sorry I didn’t name, I promised you you need to fall again / Issues by no means resolved, it comply with you on the stroll again”). In pairing his efficiency right here with one of the diaphanous, elegant instrumentals on this album and an impeccable visitor verse from Earl, not solely is that this one of many album’s largest highlights, however it additionally kicks off an unimaginable run inside the tracklist that by no means actually tapers off.
From that monitor via to the album’s somber nearer “Let’s Have a Ball” MIKE by no means takes his foot off the fuel, delivering on each single monitor. Moments like “Child Jesus” and “What U Say You Are” showcase his mastery of his signature fashion, whereas the Larry June-assisted “Golden Hour” and “Mussel Seaside” with El Cousteau and Niontay has him adapting his fashion to match up together with his visitors. The latter of which has MIKE adopting an extremely clean, hermetic stream, that sees him bouncing round a brand new pocket with such ease that you just’d swear he’s rapped like that ceaselessly.
The cream of the crop is “U assume Perhaps?” The monitor sees him reflecting on previous trauma and shifting ahead from it as he effortlessly flows over essentially the most lush soundscape current on the report. The end result of the ethereal vocal harmonies, divine horns and a twinkling glockenspiel carry you into an unimaginable instrumental break and vocal outro from Liv.e. It’s is a sincerely lovely second, and on an album rife with phenomenal highs, that is the place it peaks.
Burning Want is a outstanding effort. There are only a few releases this yr that may rival the constant high quality current via the over 50-minute runtime of this album. There’s something indescribably particular about how MIKE can maximize the affect of his work with such a minimalistic strategy to the music. Not often do the songs have a second verse, and after they do, it’s typically because of the characteristic current on a given monitor. In 16-bars MIKE constantly crafts deeply affecting lyrics, whether or not it’s common reflections on life and the world round him or detailing sincere, intimate contemplations on the load of loss or self-doubt. Not solely is that this perhaps his most definitive attribute as an artist, however it’s additionally essentially the most endearing side of his work.
Along with his continued, constant progress and no obvious signal of slowing down or remaining stagnant, MIKE stays one of the fascinating and promising voices within the panorama of contemporary hip-hop. As his voice and writing develop extra assured, he’s discovered methods to show his introspection into outward commentary and ideas that may be concurrently deeply shifting while binding the listener to his experiences.
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