Jean Grae & Quelle Chris: Everything's Fine (Colored Vinyl) Vinyl 2LP

"Frank is currently flying high on every drug imaginable just to cope with the day-to-day stresses of surviving in modern times. How are you doing, Frank? / Everything's fine." Jean Grae & Quelle Chris understand that everything is NOT fine, and the duo offers biting commentary on the "dystopian zeitgeist" via Everything's Fine. Full of dark humour and sarcasm, the collaborative album is complex, both lyrically and musically. "Careful construction, slick wordplay, and esoteric allusions" abound as the two rappers, who showcase phenomenal chemistry, trade bars on topics ranging from politics to "bran warp rot of social media," and contributions from Denmark Vessey, Anna Wise, Your Old Droog, & Big Tone as well as comics like Hannibal Buress and Michael Che add to the dynamics of the 15-tracker. On the production side, the duo favors a dense, experimental mishmosh of samples, instruments, and various leftfield sonics, and there is a lot to be explored through repeated listens; "so while listening, pay attention to the subtleties, the nuances, the dissonance and the harmony." Highlights include "Gold Purple," "Scoop of Dirt," "My Contribution to This Scam," "Ohsh," and "Breakfast of Champions."

• white colored double vinyl pressing
• music label: Mello Music Group 2018

reviewed by pocari papi 09/18