Milo – Cavalcade (Hellfyre Club)
MC Open Mike Eagle coined the term “art rap” in 2011 to help better pinpoint his musical sound. It’s a genre that is worlds away from the mainstream world of hip hop, which is held up high in public by pillars made of money stacks, gold chains, and Lil Wayne’s cheesy rhyme scheme. The art rap scene isn’t dominated by anyone in particular, but has seen artists like Open Mike Eagle, Busdriver, and even MF Doom dabble in it’s arguably more introspective take on hip-hop. Now, there is a greenhorn on the scene who is turning heads with a couple of projects released this year: Milo.
Milo – Cavalcade (Hellfyre Club)
MC Open Mike Eagle coined the term “art rap” in 2011 to help better pinpoint his musical sound. It’s a genre that is worlds away from the mainstream world of hip hop, which is held up high in public by pillars made of money stacks, gold chains, and Lil Wayne’s cheesy rhyme scheme. The art rap scene isn’t dominated by anyone in particular, but has seen artists like Open Mike Eagle, Busdriver, and even MF Doom dabble in it’s arguably more introspective take on hip-hop. Now, there is a greenhorn on the scene who is turning heads with a couple of projects released this year: Milo.
Milo released a dual EP earlier in 2013, Things That Happened At Day and Things That Happen At Night. These EPs saw Milo take a very laid back, almost spoken word approach to his lyrical content. For me, Things That Happened At Day was the better of the two, and this has a lot to do with the production, which was provided by fairly unknown producer Riley Lake. Lake produced a thick sound that showcases Milo’s voice in a great fashion, and contributes – substantially – to the the overall plot of the album.
Lake and Milo have teamed up once again on Milo’s latest mixtape, Cavalcade, released July 9th. The album starts out with a sampled monologue from philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. This is a common theme for the production of the album, similar to Flying Lotus’ project last year, Duality, under the moniker Captain Murphy. Milo uses these samples to more directly explain some of the messages he talks about, in more abstract language, in his verses.
Milo’s lyrical style has changed slightly from the TTHAD/TTHAN project. He now sounds more, for lack of a better term, like a rapper. His flow seems to have smoothed out, quickened, and he is trying new things. The combination of this new lyrical styling and Lake’s production make for a story that continues, with a few speed bumps, throughout all seven songs.
The low point of the album is Busdriver’s awkward attempt to sing the chorus on “Red Oleanders.” This is especially disappointing because Milo’s second verse on “Red Oleanders” could be the best string of lines Milo has penned at this point in his career.
Overall, though, there isn’t a whole lot bring this tape down. Milo is a rising figure in the rap community, and this latest project is yet another statement that screams to be taken seriously.
