Misc. Day – Carry The Cold

There can be beauty behind this puzzling desperation, the crumbling cascade of emotional walls, and the eventual emergence through the once-hallowed ground. MIKE in any sense of the word, is an abstract and dissociative artist. But through immense strides and bounds, shows grace in overcoming pain.

The 2020 record, weight of the world was first an initial influx of 16 tracks through 35 minutes. Within this half-centered therapy reflection based on sonics, MIKE uses this period to understand and gaze into the self-appointed mirror. The introductory track “love supremacy” is a sporadic tour through highs and lows, but peaks and valleys that can become clever in the wordplay.

MIKE describes, “I need something fast, something that’ll cut the traffic. I know nothing lasts, praying that don’t bust the sadness. Keeping something stashed, ’cause I peep the love erratic.” The stance of weight of the world embraces self-prowess as MIKE produces or co-produces 12 out of the 16 total tracks.

Focusing on “love supremacy” even further into the sophisticated and often times overtly engaging movement through instrumentation, MIKE is a powerhouse on production here. The crashing cymbals work as this enticing bounce of strings culminates into a boiling point. Overhead, a lead synth cuts through the instrumental like a machete, giving MIKE’s monotoned vocal approach some vitality.

While singular in tonality, MIKE is never a dull narrator through any of their works, but especially on weight of the world. “coat of many colors” doesn’t have MIKE singing per se, but the instrumental that was conjoined by Darryl Johnson and MIKE’s moniker DJ Blackpower, there is this breath of life around the sounds.

Rain pitters, the warps of a feminine touch to the ears, and the clasp of thunder slithers into the speakers and wraps itself around the listener. Truthfully, ”coat of many colors” and other pieces like “222” show the diversity that weight of the world can string together. Similar to the overpouring showers against the MTA rails, MIKE presses on in this steel body being able to brush off the elements.

Making use of thoughtful time frames, MIKE gives one of his best storytelling experiences on “222” that begs to be revisited like an elder. Describing, “Believe I got the nerve, seeing mommy with the burden. Had to hit the curb, papa told me hit the churches. Thinkin’ got me hurt, got me emptyin’ the bourbon. Everything I earned, I was the one they not concerned with.”

Several tracks later into weight of the world, the nearly-title track enters the frame, and here, “weight of the word*” is like turning the stormy corner into a path of immense light and sunshine. Quickly one of the more outstanding displays of MIKE’s facility through production. Immensely talented in not just confining the word and sculpting a world through writing, weight of the world has some of MIKE’s most flourishing posture.

In a two-part show of a track, “weight of the word*” begins as a hymn of glorious vocal fills and emotionally attached writing to an audience. MIKE nearly shouts at this point in his delivery, he illustrates, “I only dive in when it’s deep, searching for that peace when I’m coming down… I always tell you that I’m free but seem to turn the other cheek, when that number dial, I swear these buttons never beep.”

As the track progresses, “weight of the word*” begins to form as a lively pull-up and save from a deep dive. The instrumentation becomes favorable toward glory and this jazz step into free-flowing spoken word. A much shorter verse than previously shown before on part one of “weight of the word*” MIKE on part two refrains and uses a chorus to push this method across.

MIKE describes, “Sometimes I’d rather just be wrong than to settle with it, I know my mama sing that song so I’ll never forget. And you still grievin’ over moms? No, I’ll never forget. When I needed you, you gone, but you said we was friends. This shit I’ll never forget.” Rapidly cementing this razor under the tongue for MIKE. The influence in sound and style is easy to recognize later, but MIKE created an amazing standard for sound and continues to push that barrier at each release.

Weight of the world comes a final lowering of the head with “allstar,” featuring Earl Sweatshirt. Sweatshirt who at this point has become a household name for hip-hop seemed to have learned an incredible amount from the young blood MIKE. It shows on “allstar,” where DJ Blackpower’s production can give an ethereal grasp on MIKE and Sweatshirt’s vocals.

MIKE introduces the verse that welds the entire record together, this one line that strikes the tablet and etches in stone. They illustrate, “You never feel the weight that he keep, hot head.” Weight of the world somehow almost feels complete at this point with that delivery, MIKE can orchestrate in one line the immense pressure and unknown factoring faced every day whether pavement, dirt, brick, or clouds that the feet touch.

While a man can die, be buried, and cease to exist, the image and energy of that man continue on into some cosmic where hopefully peace lies. At times, weight of the world can bring that same peace, the same handshake, and that same brightly lit smile that reminisces on just how gorgeous the pain can be.

Listen To weight of the world here!!! – BandCamp/Spotify/iTunes