April wasn’t as prolific a month for music as the previous three, but it still offered a few projects that I believe are more than worth your time. Among this month’s best music are the eclectic psych-rock of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard’s Omnium Gatherum and Father John Misty’s orchestral classic pop on Chloë and the Next 20th Century; far surpassing both these releases, though, is the ominous abstract hip-hop of Billy Woods’ Aethiopes.
I’ll be frank: abstract hip-hop is typically one of my least favorite genres. In theory, it sounds engaging and thought-provoking – a subgenre of hip-hop characterized by cryptic lyrics, with frequent use of extended metaphors and symbolism, should be overflowing with records thoroughly exploring specific themes (and, to be sure, there are some: Earl Sweatshirt’s Some Rap Songs and Childish Gambino’s Because the Internet are some of my favorite albums ever). But, more often than not, I find the inherently obscure nature of abstract hip-hop albums detrimental to the music’s emotional impact. Esoteric lyrics combined with excessively hazy beats typically create music so overwhelmingly atmospheric that it lacks any sort of weight.
Aethiopes stays far from nearly all the typical downfalls of abstract hip-hop. While the beats can still be hazy and seemingly lacking in direction (see: “The Doldrums” and “Wharves”), Woods’ voice comes through, sounding immediate and pressing as he raps about issues ranging from colonialism to the economic state of the world. The thematic range on the album is impressive; despite covering such a wide array of topics, the album still feels cohesive, tied together by production that maintains a consistent aesthetic and is nearly always engaging. The only slight downside to the vast thematic breadth of the record is that it doesn’t explore any single theme very thoroughly.
The production on Aethiopes is by far the most exciting of any Billy Woods album up to this point. My personal favorite track off the album, “No Hard Feelings,” features an incredibly haunting beat marked by a harsh bagpipe sample looped over dark and twinkling electronics. It’s one of the most creative instrumentals I’ve ever heard, and it fits perfectly with the album’s style. “Remorseless,” too, is an instrumental highlight as a lilting synth lead wails over muted piano chords. The synth exists in a liminal space between organic and artificial sound, furthering the chilling atmosphere of the album. Billy Woods’ Aethiopes is a step in the right direction for the abstract hip-hop scene. Doing away with much of the non-commital haziness that has plagued many of the subgenre’s projects, Aethiopes is immediate yet complex, impactful yet atmospheric. Though Billy Woods is by no means a newcomer to the scene, Aethiopes feels like a new beginning. As his first solo project in three years, it is characterized by an auteur-like vision and unflinching honesty. Undoubtedly one of the year’s best hip-hop albums thus far, Aethiopes marks the beginning of a new chapter in underground hip-hop.
