Alfred. is a Virgina based hip-hop artist who you should probably keep an eye on. They are one of those rappers with an incredibly transitive flow, sometimes sounding like a reefer reeking, sleepy eyed young philosopher, other times they sounds like an ex-lover confessing their concerns over the phone, and still elsewhere they sound like a straight hustler making bread while avoiding the cops as they scan the block for “broken windows.” They have been releasing a few records here and there over the past two years, but things seem to have really fallen into place on One Trick Pony. Produced by longtime collaborator clwdwlkr the album slips through moods and Dilla donut-shaped wormholes to take you on a weird journey of self-expression to learn the greatest lesson life has to offer: You can’t be free until you run out of fucks to give. The whole six track affair is such an easy fitting hand-in-glove situation that it’s hard to believe the beats and bars were assembled separately. Their collaboration is surprisingly the most cohesive on the more dissident tracks like the deep fried and jagged “LIKE THE JABBERWOCKY” with its clipping, moaning samples and the resin crusted, psychical spin-cycle of lead single “PRNDL/DR. CALL.” One Trick Pony is a solid Ep form a talent on the up-and-up, even if it proves that the title, is a bit of a misnomer.
Get a copy from TopShelf records, here.
