Ever since they first shared the stage on Earl Sweatshirt’s 2019 tour, fans have only been anticipating when the eventual collab album would be released. Now, seven years later, that record is finally out, and it did not disappoint.
They went for a ‘Speakerboxx/The Love Below’ style double album, with MIKE occupying the first disc (‘POMPEII’) and Sweatshirt taking the second (‘UTILITY’). An unusual approach for a duo that is so used to releasing high-quality material together, but this didn’t hinder the experience at all.
One of the main points praised in MIKE and Sweatshirt's music is their unbelievable beat selection. With underground producer group SURF GANG (SG) taking the reins for this album's production, that praise is only further justified. SG goes beyond the standard underground trap style beats, always incorporating some futuristic, video game-style synth or unconventional drum patterns into their production.
As for the album itself, the two sides contrast each other as much as they flow together.
MIKE’s ‘Pompeii’ starts cold and bizarre with the opener ‘The Fall’. The spitting high-hats of SG’s production drown out whatever soul sample they loop, giving a haunting feeling to start the record. This tone is quickly abandoned, though.
MIKE’s delivery is naturally eerie. His monotonous voice, mixed with his often mumbled delivery, can put listeners off; however, this album had the opposite effect. He hits out with a lot of fun and colourful flows across his 15 solo tracks. Combining that with SG’s lively trap production makes for some really exciting songs like ‘NOT 4TW’ and ‘Minty’.
The production seamlessly blends into the second disc of the album, Sweatshirt’s ‘Utility’.
The tone is still the same as ‘Pompeii’ - exciting, yet calculated and direct. However, Sweatshirt would lean towards the latter. Where in his solo work he engages in experimentation with abstract sounds and samples, here he sounds so focused with his rapping. There’s less rambling and more intentional focus on sharpening his flow. His lyrical stability works in perfect contrast with the production’s structural ambiguity.
That isn’t to say he can’t have his moments of explosivity; ‘Chali 2na’ is one of the most exciting songs Sweatshirt has released in a long time. Just in comparison to ‘Pompeii’, it feels a lot more premeditated on Sweatshirt’s half.
With all this focus on the soundscape, they are both still some of the most prolific writers in the world.
MIKE’s range with his writing is elite. Whether it’s cutting threats such as “When it's beef know the serpent my pseudonym” or hard-hitting thoughts of introspection like “I couldn't crush my mother joy / she shouldn't trust my stubborn love, they never gave your son a choice”, every lyric leaves you pondering.
Then Sweatshirt is just as lyrically potent, especially with his imagery. Ranging from braggadocious lines like “I'm stuffin' the vase with stems / got my flowers, but I wasn't dead” to more shocking introspection, such as “In the beautiful part of the crash / poke the bruises and peel off the scabs / you know how I know I get under your skin”.
The sheer ambition of this record may be its only true weakness. 33 songs uninterrupted is a lot to digest, even if it is barely an hour long. This leaves room for a lot of filler to make it to the tracklist, stemming more from a lack of song variety rather than a lack of quality.
Out of those 33 songs, MIKE and Sweatshirt only share the mic on two, ‘Kirkland’ and ‘Leadbelly’. The latter might be one of the best tracks on the entire double album, with the two going back and forth for two-and-a-half minutes straight. It’s just a shame that there wasn’t more opportunity to show off their undeniable chemistry.
Even with its flaws, this release ultimately rewards the listener’s patience. MIKE and Sweatshirt prove that their artistry expands beyond the underground label they’re often caged into. It’s not quite a masterpiece, but it’s a damn great album that is still extremely satisfying for long-time fans of the two.
Nathan Kelly
Image: ‘POMPEII // UTILITY’ Official Album Cover
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