JPEGMAFIA - LP!

FUROR IN THESE STREETS OVER RIP-ROARING BEATS

JPEGMAFIA is a better producer than he is rapper. LP! confirms that. For what it lacks in lyrical substance, balancing volatility and vulnerability between aggro braggadocio and sloppy courtship, LP! more than makes up for in sound. The samples slice between incisive and soft, Glitch malfunctions puncture any indication of dead air, and audacious variety helps expand Peggy's already-ambidextrous skillset to new horizons. Really, there's not much to comment on in terms of verse. Perhaps due to JPEGMAFIA's growing frustrations with his label, resulting in an offline "true" version (that, frankly, doesn't change much), his traditional characteristics on the mic find monotony. And that stands in direct contrast to his boundary-pushing ways, especially within the context of Experimental Hip-Hop. There's funny one-liners, sure. Occasionally bouts of introspection ('TIRED, NERVOUS & BROKE!'). But on the whole, LP! is an exercise in gasbag loquaciousness. All talk, however spoken-well, goes unrivaled with its lack of consequentiality. For that alone, masterpiece is out of the equation.

That is, however, LP!'s one pedestrian facet. Everything else is spectacular. As always, Peggy's erratic flows and vocal viciousness are nonpareil, matched only to MC Ride, who still escapes his equal for being more coy and abstract with his blustery bombast. Candidness has its merits though, allowing for a more relatable sense of aggression, something JPEGMAFIA flaunts with ease. Tracks like 'ARE U HAPPY?' and 'BMT!' burst with combativeness, the former wafting through the haze of Memphis Rap, the latter eagerly curb stomping over blown-out 808's. The confidence exhibited early on, on 'TRUST!' and 'DIRTY!,' cleanses the palate by thrusting JPEGMAFIA's unflinching browbeating to the forefront. Though not as sporadic as All My Heroes Are Cornballs, his no-nonsense personality traits are unceasingly on display.

But back to what I said on top; the production is immaculate. For some reason, proper praised is bestowed upon Tyler, The Creator, Big K.R.I.T., or El-P for managing both essential halves of Hip-Hop, but not JPEGMAFIA himself. For shame, for LP! eclipses all those aforementioned artists' recent output in terms of arrestive quality and heretical innovation. There's 'END CREDITS,' with its surreal Progressive Metal which matches surprisingly well with Hardcore Hip-Hop barking. 'WHAT KINDA RAPPIN' IS THIS?,' which expands on the lush psychedelia of Tyler's IGOR era. Even the instrumental 'NICE!' overshadows any would-be vocal appearance with a gruff and grizzled beat made for prison riots. And for serious cuts, like 'UNTITLED,' Peggy finds emotional comfort in density. Details perforate an ominous foundation magnificently.

And the samples. So sharp, distinct, and palpable. The contrast between LP!'s rough exterior - choppy, irascible, and indiscriminate - and the drawn-out Soul samples could not have been handled better. 'DIKEMBE!' who uses the unmistakable 'Saudade Vem Correndo' sample (made famous by Pharcyde's 'Runnin') so precisely that one would question if it weren't originally made for him. The shouting Gospel on 'THOTS PRAYER!' brings about comparisons to Kanye West's recent work, while the brief 'GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY!' uses Thomas Whitfield's 'Psalms' in a way all-too familiar with Earl Sweatshirt, Navy Blue, and other likeminded Lo-Fi Hip-Hop purveyors. But no song defines the whole of this aesthetic better than 'HAZARD DUTY PAY!,' which damn-near perfects everything JPEGMAFIA's about. It thrives in simplicity. Hard beats, meticulous flows, and a sample chopped to bits, so much so that the ensuing brew feels Vaporwave by nature. It is irresistible, with endless replayability and far-reaching accessibility that, had the sample clearance not stifled its ambit, I'd make a safe guess it would've been JPEGMAFIA's most popular song to date. On an album that, more or less, finds comfort in the grind.