ALCHEMIST ‘FLYING HIGH’ RIDES THE SAME TRICKS TO SUCCESS

Emcees’ ability is put to the test when they are assigned to an Alchemist beat. It’s a test of your skill and a confirmation of your pen’s worth. Lil Baby 3D printing the same song, Drake tickets costing a fourth of rent, and Lil Uzi dropping the Pink Tape are just a few examples of how the rap mainstream has suffered.

However, there is a vibrant collective of artists in the underground who are increasing their reach and accessibility with high-caliber releases and affordable events. Alchemist, one of the best producers to ever cut a sample, mostly collaborates with these musicians in the mid- to late 2010s. Al’s willingness to collaborate with rappers that exemplify creative lyricists is evident in the fact that rappers like Earl Sweatshirt, Roc Marciano, Action Bronson, Freddie Gibbs, Boldy James, and more receive his finest work.

Alc is now a cult icon thanks to this precise ambition, which gives him the freedom to collaborate with anyone and whenever he wants. As a result, if Alchemist decides to include you on his upcoming tape, you will feel immortal.

The structure of his most recent EP, Flying High, is similar to that of earlier works like This Thing of Ours 1 and 2. In order to create vivid new songs from the ashes that include the greatest pure rappers in the game right now, Alchemist chops and loops cinematic samples and splices together transitions that are so flawless that they feel connected. The Great Escape by Larry June and Alchemist, which was outstanding and important for enabling Alc to return to his poetry book, was followed by the EP by a few months. He continues his rap comeback on the EP, contributing a respectable verse to “Midnight Oil” with Larry June and Jay Worthy. Hearing the producer rap while bemoaning his way of life as if he were Tony Soprano causes a mixture of amusement and discomfort.

The obscure collaboration between Earl Sweatshirt and Billy Woods, “RIP Tracy,” is without a doubt the album’s best. Earl and Billy both have thick, lyrical pens that should be browsed through and taken in gently. The one anchors himself in actual life and fact, while the latter employs beautiful words to envelop his bars in a touch of mystery. The soundtrack for Alchemist has a cinematic quality, with the synthesizers building to a crescendo as the tale reaches its conclusion.

On “Trouble Man,” Boldy James collaborates with South LA rapper T.F., and Alc creates a setting that makes you feel as though you are in the thick of a bank heist. As the beat goes on, the drama and tension intensify. The song “Bless” by MIKE and Sideshow is a welcome change from the mafioso atmosphere. With smoking cigars and cognac, this seems more like a jazz lounge. On Flying High, one of MIKE’s verses stands out because he reflects on the challenges he overcame and sings, “Where I slept is where callous grew/A rat, some Bombas for my breath I gotta travel trough, laughed so much, dread.”

The Flying High EP by Alchemist is a good listen, but there’s a nagging impression that the iconic producer has become complacent artistically. The venue might be made available to other performers in addition to the customary “Earl and friends.” You want more from Flying High, and that is a good thing.