Same. This is everything that makes both AH and Alc amazing. Forward thinking as f***. Beautiful and ugly at the same time. They do not miss. This is gonna be a grower I’m sure, just like Shrines for me. But damn so so good.
Super excited for the CD as well. Knowing fully what both of them are saying with 100% certainty >>>>>
Beautiful and ugly at the same time is putting it perfectly.
And yeah that lyric booklet is gonna be invaluable.
Armand hammer albums are always growers for me but I love this s*** form the start
Same. On second listen it’s already getting better.
Washington Post piece
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/armand-hammer-the-alchemist-haram/2021/03/25/b8a14154-8bf1-11eb-a730-1b4ed9656258_story.html
NPR review
https://www.npr.org/2021/03/25/980818615/review-armand-hammer-alchemist-haram-billy-woods-elucid?t=1616764578470
Brief review from Clash
https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/armand-hammer-x-the-alchemist-haram
Ima update the media section in op w these
This album is the reason why AH ruins all other rap for me lmao
Like after listening to this I just had to sit in silence for a few minutes
finally back from my parents place listening on my own speakers and wow, huge difference lol. Alc production is surprisingly subtle on here
Just finished my second listen. Many thoughts swirling.
For starters though, I think at least the opening of woods' verse on Stonefruit is actually referring to his mother as opposed to a scorned lover. Although I'm sure the meaning is layered intentionally.
Said "okay" to save face but she never forgave
Its only so many ways you can say Grace
In truth she rather cry at your grave
All black regalia
We back not speaking
Back behind bougainvillea you can't peek in
Marginalia, busy with symbols and equations
The story too simple to calculate it, payment post dated
The pavement gave way to a thicket of thorns
Where the body lay naked as the day I was born
I think Grace is referring to Grace Mugabe and the suspicion that his father was ordered to be killed and it made to look like a car accident. Something mentioned before in other tracks.
i.e: the story too simple to calculate it, payment post dated, pavement gave way.
And the 'we back not speaking... back behind bougainvillea you can't peek in' bit referring to the ostracising/hiding their family away in the aftermath.
damn i don't even understand their lyrics till the fifth listen, please share more of your thoughts, this was really something mind-blowing to me.
Ima update the media section in op w these
someone should go through all the pages and gather all the links, cause i have definitely posted all the interviews available on internet from billy and elucid in this thread.
I think I heard that "what's going to be your next film" - "I don't know, but I'm definitely going to do it" s@mple somewhere before.. (Mach?) Anyone know where that's from?
damn i don't even understand their lyrics till the fifth listen, please share more of your thoughts, this was really something mind-blowing to me.
Will do as they click into place
To be fair, initially I did think that was referring to his ex-wife or the like but something wasn't sitting right.
And the mention of Grace just had me thinking of that 'survived by the grace, Grace Mugabe' bar in Spider Hole. I think my interpretation is correct but its deceiving for sure.
Ah the fun of untangling these albums
Peppertree outro is so cool
In love with that whole track. Proper cutting edge beat.
I wasn't immediately blown away but wow Falling Out The Sky is so damn good
straight up just put it on repeat because that beat is so addicting
falling out the sky is SOTY
I typically don't come back to AH projects all that often because I prefer instrumentals that are more like this to the industrial experimental stuff
need to hear them on more stuff like this because I can't stop listening to this song in particular
In love with that whole track. Proper cutting edge beat.
tbh I'm not loving it yet tbh
but I can see it growing on me, this is just my second listen
gq.com/story/armand-hammer-the-alchemist-haram-interview
GQ article wow this is big
I'll be honest Wishing Bad is the type of beat like Mach's Eedeot Bwoy or Clout Dracula which I just find a bit straining/boring to listen to, always when the beat is supposed to sound sinister but the same creepy sounds loop for more than a minute it just sort kills the vibe for me
I feel like you could make such a smooth transition from Squeegee to Hooligan by Baby Keem
because of that piano in the background I had to immediately think of that lmao
Already feeling comfortable in saying Sir Benni Miles and Stonefruit is now their strongest set of opening and closing tracks.