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The New York rapper MIKE has long been at the forefront of the bleary, impressionistic, loop-driven hip-hop that’s widely celebrated underground. Almost all of his albums have come out on the summer or winter solstice, and he’s got another one today, his first since June 2021’s great Disco! (though he did drop an EP with Wiki and the Alchemist last month).
On Beware Of The Monkey, Mr. Bonema continues to be a mesmerizing presence, deploying his deep, blunt voice in quick bursts of rhythm and melody and fitting together phrases that knock your imagination slightly off-kilter. He’s chosen some of his most engaging production to date here; as heard on the advance Sister Nancy collab “Stop Worry!“, it’s brighter and more melodic than your average MIKE LP without undermining his grainy, meditative signature sound. (That jazz piano loop on “Swoosh 23” hits MIKE’s woozy sweet spot exceptionally well.)
Listen below.
Beware of the Monkey by MIKE
Beware Of The Monkey is out now on 10k Projects.
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