Music:Music Commentary
(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro)
Famed underground hip-hop duo Armand Hammer, comprised of billy woods and ELUCID, teamed up with hip-hop producer heavyweight, The Alchemist, for the highly anticipated Haram collaborative album.
On Haram, Alc blended all of the Alchemist eras of sound into one. There are pieces of his more traditional hardcore hip-hop sound from the 90s/2000s, as well as hints of his exotic and more experimental approach that he has thrived doing during the 2010s
In my opinion, this is the best produced Alchemist album front-to-back, within his entire illustrious career. He was just so locked in and razor-sharp in every single musical decision he made on this project.
The psychedelic production and lyricism makes Haram an album that you truly will find yourself getting lost in.... but that's only if you submit to the Haram world and listen as a blank slate.
That is because, contrary to popular beliefs held by publications such as NPR, this album is not accessible... and certainly not the most accessible Armand Hammer record to-date.
ELUCID and woods get more even abstract, impressionistic, and free-form than ever before, even by their standards... in both the actual lyrics, and the overall way they communicate their messages and themes.
This less than concrete and direct approach to lyricism contributes to Haram feeling like the most obtuse, and deceptively odd album in the Armand Hammer catalogue... and an almost impenetrable first listen.
On my first listen, I felt like that Doc Rivers gif (if you know you know). I felt amazed, but not entirely sure what I just witnessed. However, many many listens later... Haram finally started to make sense, and I absolutely fell in love.
RMPP Preferred Cut: "Aubergine"
Listen to Haram here: https://armandhammer.bandcamp.com/album/haram
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