Open Mike Eagle
's eighth album is inspired by his formative experiences as a young hip-hop fan, particularly the myriad late nights he spent listening to rap broadcasts on college radio and making cassette mixtapes from them. Backed by smudgy, lo-fi beats from producers like
Madlib
,
Quelle Chris
, and
Illingsworth
, the majority of the album's rhymes sound raw, off the cuff, and unfiltered, resembling particularly inspired freestyle sessions. Right from the first track,
Eagle
throws out too many sharp quips and clever references to list, requiring multiple listens and possibly detailed annotation to connect all the dots, but his subject matter generally remains down to earth and relatable. Following the cathartic
Anime, Trauma and Divorce
Component System with the Auto Reverse
feels more whimsical, yet there's still several moments that are highly personal, particularly "I Retired Then I Changed My Mind," which expands on some of the same subjects as his previous album. Acknowledging some of his primary influences, "For DOOM" is a moody, haunting tribute to the masked villain, and several tracks feature lush production by
D.I.T.C.
's
Diamond D
, including the reflective "Crenshaw and Homeland," which contains references to
Wu-Tang Clan
Guru
Talking Heads
. Guest emcees
Video Dave
and
Still Rift
turn out be the album's secret weapons, particularly on the
R.A.P. Ferreira
-featuring "Multi-Game Arcade Cabinet" and the breezy, surreal "Kites." Both of these tracks appear during the album's looser, more stream-of-conscious second half, which also includes a
Serengeti
interlude and a typically freewheeling
Aesop Rock
feature. Filled with casually brilliant moments,
is easily one of
's most enjoyable efforts. ~ Paul Simpson