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Beware of the Monkey
Hip-Hop · 2022 · 13 tracks

Beware of the Monkey

MIKE

December 21, 2022 · 10K

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Beware of the Monkey is a masterclass in the drumless hip-hop aesthetic MIKE helped pioneer.

The album sounds like it has been buried in a time capsule and recently unearthed: it is saturated with tape hiss, warm crackling low-end, and soul samples that feel more like memories than loops.

By removing traditional percussion, MIKE forces the listener to find the rhythm in the internal cadence of the music and his own steady, unhurried flow. It is a deeply immersive experience that feels like being wrapped in a thick, slightly worn wool blanket.

Tracklist · 13 Tracks
01
nuthin i can do is wrng
1:58
02
As 4 Me
1:43
03
Eczema
1:52
04
Light (if u can’t see)
3:37
05
No Curse Lifted (rivers of love)
1:49
06
What Do I Do?
3:06
07
Ipari Park
2:41
08
Swoosh 23
2:35
09
Tapestry
1:37
10
Stop Worry!
2:29
11
WEARY LOVE
2:11
12
Concrète
3:53
13
Closing Credits
3:54
Moments Worth Listening For
the way the soul vocal loop on nuthin i can do is wrng feels like it is being played from a distance through a heavy fog
the sudden crystalline clarity of the piano melody that emerges from the murky production on As We Enter
MIKE voice dropping to a near-whisper on Stop Worry! making the listener lean in to catch the rhythmic nuances of his flow
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Beware of the Monkey sound next to the rest of MIKE's catalogue?

MOOPROINSLYRATM

This album stays in step with the catalogue across the board — no axis departs enough to be worth its own note. Hover the dots to see where each one sits.

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