The Alchemist may hail from Beverly Hills, but the prolific producer’s moody and cinematic beats have helped define significant swaths of the New York rap scene, from Mobb Deep, Nas, and Dilated Peoples to Armand Hammer, Action Bronson, and Roc Marciano. For his latest album, he links with MIKE and Wiki, two of the New York underground’s sharpest talents, grizzled veterans despite having yet to graduate from their twenties. Twinkling piano keys and sweeping strings make for a vibe complementary to MIKE’s emotional intelligence and Wiki’s battle-earned wisdom, sure to appease each artist’s fan bases.
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Loraine James: Gentle Confrontation [Hyperdub]
Loraine James was envisioning the album she would have made as a teenager when she cut her latest release, Gentle Confrontation. With song titles like, “I DM U,” “One Way Ticket to the Midwest (Emo),” and “2003,” you can glimpse a bit of the musician and producer’s inspiration. The 16-song LP features guest spots from the likes of Marina Herlop, KeiyaA, Ritchie, Contour, Corey Mastrangelo, and others. James accents her subdued vocals—and those of her contributors—with bracing beats and glimmering washes of synthesizer.
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Föllakzoid: V [Sacred Bones]
