Well, this is a new experience for me. I’ve never covered this man without Sabio being involved, and so I find this an interesting change of pace to see what he makes himself without the effect of the ‘duo’ handling things.
So, without further ado, this is
DRIFT WORK! A project by MC MISKEEN HALEEM and Producer Nav Sagan.
And together they drop a fresh eight tracks with 18 minutes of new material, and what would be a MISKEEN project without Sabio to be somewhere on the project! Helping to close the EP off!
This project production is unlike anything I’ve heard all year! It has a Lo-Fi/Ambient/Noise cut then most! I’m talking those long manipulated keys, those engulfing synth chords, atmospheric pressure that this album provides!
It runs like a consistent score with no clear moment of starting or ending, just runs through like a beautifully morphed piece of alternative hip hop, and it’s something that will warp your mind and leave you feeling a certain way after listening to it!
So many times during this record, I had to stop relaxing so much and pay attention to the music for review’s sake because of how mesmerising the record was! It’s so eccentric and moody while being equally crisp and clean at the same time! In parts, it reminds me of ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ in its overwhelming vibes and jazz samples, but for the most part, it’s definitely in a league of its own!
From never hearing his beats to now, I gotta respect Nav for the work he put in, for the sonic world he created, and the score he so masterfully executed and built that is truly one of a kind! Respect to him!
As far as the MC goes, as I’ve heard from many other experiences, MISKEEN is definitely a beast of a rapper! He brings forward his no-nonsense, raw style of rapping that is savage and powerful, and he doesn’t miss a step!
He has sharp wordplay, a killer pen game, explosive flow, and clever vocabulary, and bars that are filled with catchy phrases, smart one-liners, and intricate puns that make a man think!
I’m sure he’s done plenty of stuff solo, but this is the first full project done with just him, and I love it! To hear his boss-level charisma and tough cadence come through as he steals the show by himself over these crazy beats really brings joy to my soul!
Of course, as mentioned, he has only one feature, being his brother from another mother, SABIO, Mr. Sunshine Rap himself, and he goes OFF as expected. As good as MISKEEN is solo, he’s 10x more thrilling with Sabio as they bring out the best of each other (especially to close the project off).
Overall, this is one fantastic EP! From MISKEEN stealing the show to those interesting and original beats to the surprise feature of Sabio to close the project up, this one is for the record books, and I hope everyone can give it a chance!
https://open.spotify.com/album/69MM8YDtWPB3IDfoOYzzig?si=SYtlllNbSQK4fbQzy1drWA
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