They also all rely on a much harder beat where the gliding synths are still prominent, but the foundations of each track are built in the beat. “Soft Porn,” “Grace & Mercy” and “Barcelona” have a much darker and intimidating sound to them. Then we hit the second arc of sound in the album. This song is produced by Black Milk, a Detroit native, and prominent underground producer. A very light synth spreads out over the entire track, allowing Jenkins’s to easily switch between rapping and singing, his voice going deep and lifting back up for the sung choruses. This song sounds something like a Homeshake cut. An abrupt ending quickly picked up by “Gwendolynn’s Apprehension” rounds out the first arc of Jenkins’s sound. Each part weaves in perfectly over the repeating minor chords and background vocals of Mikhal Anthony. The second track sounds grittier, with laid-back rapping, occasionally accompanied by his own singing. Riding off of the opening track is the harsh transition into “Stress Fracture.” Jenkins’s ambition here is still ever present, mixing sounds way tie-dye shirts are made in the summer. For seasoned listeners, this is a familiar feel to Jenkins’s past work: an interconnected narrative deeper than just the music on a track. The first track, “Heron Flow,” opens with an extended monologue over the sound of a cheering crowd, casting somber shadows that drift into Julian Belle’s vocals and wind the track to its eventual end. But most importantly, the album showcases what Mick does best: throwing well-written lyrics over distinct beats, and combining his sound with big-name producers, like BADBADNOTGOOD or Kaytranada, to deliver a record that leaves us stuck on both his lyrics and his beats. The sound is unique, like his voice, and continues to help him stake out his own corner of Chicago. The rapper’s sound has developed notably since his last release, as he refuses to settle in the heart of a single genre, rather drawing inspirations from Jazz, lo-fi hip-hop, and rap, into one massive conglomerate. Chicago’s finest, Mick Jenkins, comes in hard with his second studio album that dropped on Friday.
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