Man, what an opportunistic time to get to realise this one! I still remember when I did the review for the 5th one earlier in the year and how much of an impact it had and the strength of this duo, but now they are back and the question is ‘how do they fare this time around?’ Let’s talk about it!
This is the brand-new record by MC Vic Spencer & August Fanon and together they drop a fresh 14 tracks and 39 minutes of content that is sure to explode the culture one last time before the new year!
If we are talking about the rapping aspect of this album, we hear Vic pull off one of his more focused and methodically charged works we’ve heard him on in a minute!
He’s always been the type of rapper to make every word feel heavy and important. Never an author to waste a single breath on a track, and we hear him on this one utilise patience, take his time with the enunciation and pronouncing of each sentence and bar to make sure it’s felt in full force and sinks into the instrumental as smoothly as it can!
He comes packed with his trademark raw charisma, his technically proficient rhythm and surreal flow and pen game that has him compelling the audience with his self-reflecting verses and in-depth imagery that is so potent and powerful that you feel like you’re listening to a collection of mini novels taking place over a series of luscious and beautiful productions!
I know I said this above, but I love artists of any genre (but especially hip hop) who emphasise ‘patience’ and take their time doing the rapping. Take an artist like Billy Woods for example, a man who’s critically acclaimed for his storytelling and verbal demeanour, and I feel the same qualifies for Vic!
He has that same rich sense of timing and complex lyricism that forces you to hang on every word he says and writes down, and that’s (above all) makes me love him as an MC
Now onto the second half of the equation, August Fanon. The man who I recently covered for his work on the new Kendall Spencer record, and just as frequently as he is a collaborator with him, he’s also the same with Vic. The bond these two share is rare, and you can hear it in the production on this very album!
Across these 14 tracks, we hear August go back to his more mellow, relaxed, and yet more atmospheric takes that feel equal parts minimal and grand in stature (a balance that isn’t easy to pull off, but once that a legend like him pulls off exquisitely!).
Very similar composition as the Kendall Spencer take, we hear a score that works best when listening in order. Sure, picking specific songs would naturally sound good individually, but it doesn’t give you that ultimate feeling of overpowering sense of artistic expression without it being listened to as a whole!
These are the kind of instrumentals that pair perfectly with the nature of Vince’s rapping preference and style, and in turn, make this whole record a phenomenally blissful listen!
That dreamy, soulful, almost ambient-like texture fused with the best and most potent elements of underground hip hop, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for success. Combine this with the originality and vivid lyrical performance of Vic, and you’ve got yourself not only a fantastic album but a brilliant further sequel on an ever-growing list of a series that’s underrated but has all the right elements to be considered among one of the best series in the game, period!
Make sure you give it a listen below. If this is your first time hearing this series, make sure to back to the others and experience the magic! If you are aware and have been keeping track, this one is bound to impress you just as much (if not more) than the others did!
https://open.spotify.com/album/6g8eP6xKinNVB2cbQDFtBH?si=ATgvAWmkS_ywNG3lWkuYWg
The Serpent Tongue Reviews 