Chicago emcee Novatore returns with the 12th solo record in his catalog. As a member of the Inknown Crew, he has also built an impressive solo career over nearly a decade, releasing 4 EPs and collaborating with the Stu Bangas-produced AM Early Morning, among all previous LPs. to critical acclaim, titled “Kingdom of Crimeity.” Other highlights include Louis, Louis II, Embracing the Dark, Portrait of a Madman, Embracing the Dark II: The Experience Seeker, The Morbid Master of Creation, and The Last Days. He just released Alchemy & Black Magic last summer and made his Goon MuSick debut with 87 Arsonists.
Following the “Ronald Bartel” intro, the first song, “Flammable Material,” is a dirty boom opener produced by C-Lance, who talks about how he feels like he’s showing off every time he writes while collaborating with Lord Goat “Backdraft” finds 2-bit cold-blooded instrumental music with kick drums and snare drums, and they hope to burn everyone out in a lyrical way. Origins: The Biography of John Leonard Orr charts the life of the titular serial arsonist and mass murderer leading up to his 75th birthday, coincidentally with the help of Stu Bangas down, but then Pyromania, titled by Self, jumps on the piano/boom bap crossover talking about their name rising to the top.
“All Consuming” featuring Daniel Son finds the pair locked in a battle over more keys, kicks and snares from Johnny Slash, while “Burning Monk” featuring Moecyrus features some jazz Horns and a vocal sample speak to the theme of feeling like a monk setting himself on fire to address self-destruction. “Wakeing Up to the Fire” is an operatic boom beat about a rhyme he concocted in his sleep, culminating in “Incendiary Device”, in which AM Early Morning revisits the work they collaborated on a few years ago magic. “From Hell,” starring Benny Holiday, ends in a dusty atmosphere with a naked snowman burning his hoe.
It’s great to see this guy getting progressively better over the past 3 years, and his Goon MuSick debut here is, as I expected, another fiery offering from the Novatore discography. Traditional boom bap production dominates his entire catalog and only gets stronger each year, with a more consistent roster of guest MCs to match his lyrical abilities, portraying himself to around 27 minutes of arsonists.
Score: 8/10
