Humble Pi

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Endlessly creative MC Homeboy Sandman and multi-talented psychedelic rap maestro Edan first collaborated on "Talking (Bleep)," a playful standout from Sandman's 2016 album Kindness for Weakness. Two years later, the duo teamed up once again for Humble Pi, the first studio album to bear the name Edan since 2005's cult classic Beauty and the Beat, which pre-dates Sandman's entire career. Both artists are in top form on the brief but explosive release. Edan's fetish for echo and obscure acid rock records is as evident as ever through his mind-bending productions, and Sandman's effortlessly complex lyrics are typically biting as well as insightful. While he handles most of the lyrics, he trades off with Edan during the sun-splashed psych trip "Rock & Roll Indian Dance" (which features a beeping frequency loop reminiscent of "Talking [Bleep]") as well as the Moog-tastic "The Gut," which houses the delay-heavy chorus "Believe what's in your gut and not what you see." On the Latyrx-esque "Unwavering Mind," Edan's ultra-choppy production (filled with gated drum sequences and glitches) perfectly matches Sandman's breathlessly rapid yet casual verses, and the effect is nothing less than exhilarating. "That Moment When," a rap about sexual tension over ethereal guitar fuzz and rolling drums, seems like a breather compared to the rest of the album. Then the duo drop the hilarious "#NeverUseTheInternetAgain," a vicious yet oh-so-true invective against social media, dating sites, online journalism, and even GPS devices. Instead of sounding like an old man shouting at clouds, Sandman makes entirely valid points about how modern technology has weakened our real-life social abilities, and Edan's hard drums and jazzy basslines back up his vitriol with great elan. The release is way too short, but all 23 minutes are strictly dope.
© Paul Simpson /TiVo