In sync with the brand-new ‘Bars Over BS’ drop, I figured it’s only appropriate that I drop a review for this one! Between a team that has more chemistry than most can hope to acquire in a lifetime coming together for one phenomenal record! Let’s go!
This is the 2021 drop by MC ‘THE HIDDEN CHARACTER’ while being produced by the iconic ‘THEMELLOS’, and together they drop a tight ten tracks that make you realise just how gifted these men are even five years ago. It sounds like they haven’t missed a beat!
I want to start with the production side of things because on this occasion (and as any other they touch), the instrumentation breathes energy, it brings accumulated charisma, raw power, and a splashy atmosphere that combines the worlds of ‘minimal boom bap’ with a more colourful/vibrant rendition of ‘Coke wave’ to create a score that’s illustrious, dangerous, and ever so fucking hypnotic!
Even though this project is less than 23 minutes, it contains a country-size amount of constructive techniques, mastery of instrumentation, and an immersive approach that makes you feel like you’re high, hallucinating, hearing and seeing all kinds of colour and sounds! It’s truly surreal to dive into!
One other thing that blew me away (which definitely isn’t exclusive to just this one) is the fluency of the record. Nothing makes me happier when I’m listening to a record for review and hear the specific artist make sure each track has cohesiveness between the ones that came before and after! The type of structure that works best as a whole listening experience than picking out individual songs!
Not to say the songs by themselves wouldn’t slap, but it’s more relevant and important to listen to the whole project as it was crafted for!
You know you’ve got an iconic artist on your hands when you can introduce the non-underground music fans to him and they all find him dope as fuck! That’s my experience with the ‘THE HIDDEN CHARACTER’ as he possesses a style that no one else has! He’s the definition of a ‘one of one’ artist!
What makes him so special is that he has somehow transformed the ‘splash/freelance’ style of rapping and evolved it into this rhythmic, dynamic and infectious technique and way with words that is literally exclusive to him. It’s as if every time he raps he has the ability to manipulate, contort, bend and twist the instrumentals to wrap around HIS BARS not the other way around!
The only other MC I knew of that could kind of do the same thing was MF DOOM but even then HIDDEN’s variety of it is a whole new creature we’ve never seen before.
His flow and rhythm are in a universe of its own! He’s always wavy and crisp, able to set up complex structures, witty lines, clever puns, gritty street poetry he’s literally equipped with every possible means to rap and he does it all exceptionally!
You don’t have to guess who you’re listening to when he’s on the mic, it’s instant. Because ain’t nobody doing what he’s doing! Not to mention that he’s out rapping everyone on the tracks at any given moment! The culture knows when he’s on the case we are going to get a theatre-level performance of pen game that we can’t get anywhere else!
Based on name-sake alone, this was bound to be amazing but I wasn’t fully prepared for just how good! Can’t believe this album came out 5 years ago now! An incredible record worth your support and purchase! Link below!
https://thehiddencharacter.bandcamp.com/album/heneryshiddenheckler
The Serpent Tongue Reviews 