- Open Mike Eagle is far from your typical rapper. Between a successful podcasting career, cameos on Adventure Time and his recent foray into the world of professional wrestling, it’s no surprise his music is rather unique. Mike represents a new generation of backpack rappers, whose complete embrace of the internet age has resulted in some of the most unique and original hiphop around.
Back in 2014, Mike's obscure lyrical references and unapologetically quirky persona helped him stand out in the oversaturated underground hiphop scene. More recently, last year's Brick Body Kids Still Daydream showed Mike reaching for something greater, delivering both social commentary and nostalgic storytelling sparked by the demolition of Chicago’s housing projects, where he spent his youth.
What Happens When I Try To Relax is a brief six track release which sees Mike at his most brutally honest and self-aware. The record tackles a variety of topics, each one dissected with Eagle's trademark humour and dry wit. His verses rarely stay focused for long, peppering discussions on racial tensions with nerdy references, cryptic wordplay, and constantly hinted self-deprecation. If you're acquainted with Mike's past work, what he's doing here won't be unfamiliar, but there are a few changes of note.
First and foremost is the record’s production. These beats maintain Mike’s typically sample based and esoteric style, but incorporate heavy influence from contemporary Southern hip-hop. Southside Eagle sounds like the skeleton of a DJ Mustard beat, complimented by a deft stream of vague braggadocio, while lead single Relatable (peak OME) brings rattling hi-hats in full force as Mike shouts hilarious punchlines in triplet flow. This stylistic switch-up comes as a serious left hook, and it’s not without drawbacks.
I've always felt Mike's strength lies in his endearing wordplay and soft-spoken delivery, factors overshadowed by these more aggressive beats. His gently sung choruses are often in complete tonal opposition to their accompanying verses, and can, unfortunately, end up working to a song's detriment. This is particularly true for closer Maybe Gang (an initiation). Mike's deliberate vocal intonations are certainly impassioned, but the understated beat renders them sadly unpleasant.
Luckily, Eagle's lyrics are often a saving grace. The aforementioned Relatable features two utterly charming verses in which Mike lists off semi-mundane facts in an effort to prove his normality. Elsewhere, standout cut Single Ghosts outlines Mike's unusual relationship with an ethereal being.
I’d also like to highlight a line off Southside Eagle, in which Mike raps"Trying to reach black kids through a room full of whites". To me, this represents a dilemma many 'conscious' or 'experimental' rappers face with their target audience, as well as being a possible allusion to the project’s trendier sound.
Overall, I'd be hard pressed to class this as one of Mike Eagle's better moments, but at least he's trying something different. A few small tweaks in production and delivery could have really enhanced the impact of this sound, but as it stands I can’t see myself revisiting Relax often. Still, if you're a fan of hip-hop's weird online underground, I wouldn't let what Mike is doing pass you by. He's definitely proven himself as one to watch.
- Boddhi Farmer.