BY THE WATER
Ten minutes of submerged soul and dusty loops. MIKE’s monotone reflections on grief feel like a private conversation held in a humid, late-night New York apartment.
September 6, 2017 · Marathon Artists
Ten minutes of submerged soul and dusty loops. MIKE’s monotone reflections on grief feel like a private conversation held in a humid, late-night New York apartment.
September 6, 2017 · Marathon Artists
By the Water is a masterclass in the 'slums' aesthetic, a specific corner of New York hip-hop where the production is so lo-fi it feels tactile, like touching damp velvet or dusty vinyl. The album sounds like it was recorded through a thick layer of New York humidity, with soul samples that don't just loop, but swirl and eddy like water in a drain. MIKE's voice is the anchor, a steady, monotone presence that refuses to perform for the listener, instead opting for a raw, diary-like intimacy.
How does BY THE WATER sound next to the rest of MIKE's catalogue?
Melancholic saturates this record far more than the artist's norm.
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