DJ Muggs has been on an absolute tear of late, to the point where everything he’s been touching has turned to gold. Only not a pristine sort of gold, but rather a grime-coated, cursed sort of gold — but gold nonetheless, with every bit the same amount of value as the shinier sort. Between albums like Dies Occidendum and Yelawolf’s return to backpacker hip-hop Mile Zero, Muggs’ stride has brought delight to everyone who spent some time digesting his work.
Now, the legendary beatmaker has returned with another collaborative album, this time teaming up with Action Bronson-affiliate Hologram. Blessing the emcee with a slew of dark and absolutely filthy instrumentals to destroy, Hologram rises ably to the task, doing so without having to raise his intensity levels. Lyrically, his bars are razor-sharp, if occasionally addled by a drug or two, and there are plenty of clever punchlines and comedic moments to be found throughout.
“Smoke Weed And Figure Shit Out” finds Hologram seeking purpose over a sinister Muggs piano dirge, while the amusingly titled “Traditional Bull Shark” plays out like a hallucinogenic jam band of the dead. Though it’s likely this one will mainly please a niche audience, those who can appreciate the simple pleasures of an underground emcee putting in work over stellar sample-based production would be wise to queue this one up immediately.