Mike37 has made some titanic waves by dropping his debut album, 'HOT AIR BALLOON'. The independent, Milan-residing DJ, producer, vocalist, and hip-hop fusionist already has the chops to slice through genres and moods with the cultivated command of a veteran, which is affectingly exhibited in the vibe-driven 12-track LP.
The LP is a bold blend of soul and sharp-edged rap, straddling a dozen tracks that venture from intimate soul outpourings to spitfire spoken word, all dipped in the hallucinogenic haze of dreamy trap. Using hip-hop’s sonic playground for the foundation of the album didn’t get in the way of Mike37 casting the genre net wider into the domain of pop to implant pop hooks into his wavy hits which resound with seraphic semi-lucid euphonic euphoria.
To juxtapose the soul in the former and subsequent singles, the standout track, 'PUT YOUR CAMERA DOWN', throbs with aggressive synths and heavy 808s, setting the stage for Mike37’s incisive lyrics that slice through the superficial sheen of social media facades. Mike37 may have been a beat maker first, but this track is evidence of his command over metrically kinetic bars and his ability to lay bare a narrative that’s both raw and refined.
Elsewhere on the album, Mike37 lets his soul influences shine, delivering tracks like 'I WANT TO KNOW', 'PAGE Of The DIARY', and 'WHO AM I?'. Perfect blends of soul and hip-hop, they also showcase Mike37's more introspective side, balancing personal, expressive flourishes with more universal sounds that bind us.
It all goes perfectly with the ethos of the album, As Mike37 explained, "My main mission with my music, and this album, is to let people know that music can unite everyone, it doesn't matter where you come from or what language you speak. I would also like to teach people how to deal with problems and inspire people to keep following their dreams."
The album’s diversity is kicked up a notch with contributions from a variety of artists like Skyler, Uno Hype, Tiffany Evans, and Amy Fitz Doyley, each adding a distinct flavour to the mix without overshadowing Mike37’s own stylistic imprint.
Crafted in Italy’s Fiery Water Recordings Studio and given the final polish at Abbey Road by Alex Gordon, the technical execution of this album is nothing short of stellar with very beat and note was engineered and destined to resonate.
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