Mitch Nick Raps is an 18-track project from emerging rapper  Mitch Nick. As the title suggests it focuses on several things ranging from the art of rapping, and boombap soundscapes to capturing the golden era of rap and Mitch’s outlook in life.

 

The album opens up with “The Beginning”, an aptly titled track that introduces Mitch to his audience with a short story of his journey as a travelling creative and his love for all things music. Lines like “Thanks for tuning in, kick them feet up,relax/Sit back and listen/To your average run off the mill dude/Go above and beyond” help set the tone for listeners as we slowly unravel the who, why’s and what behind this album. Next is the reflective “Holes in the Box,” which starts with a solemn piano riff and punchy drums. Here, Mitch talks about aspirations, self-purpose and the essence of staying true to one’s nature. “In Retrospect,” Mitch talks about his travels across the globe and his pending trip back home. It is an open letter to his loved ones back home and listeners get a glimpse into Mitch’s background as he runs through a list of characters that add colour to his life. This is followed by “So Long”, a lofi-soul piece comprising pulsating basslines, punchy drums and melancholic textures. Mitch talks about his self-development and his experiential learning through the cycle of life.

 

Things get more exciting as Mitch goes for gold with “With Stories,”  an 8-minute-long track that showcases his storytelling skills. Over a moody and laidback soundscape, he paints a story involving a large cast of characters that recount their respective experiences from travelling the world. As a concept track, Mitch pulls it off with a twist as each character is a different version of himself with a different story to tell. Next is “I’ve Been Walking,” a heartfelt tune that sees Mitch as the quintessential rolling stone whose life is on the road. This is followed by the sombre “Loose Thoughts” and the oriental sounding “Let You Know”. The former digs deep into Mitch’s thoughts as he tries to find his true purpose in life, while the latter is a fiery lyric-dense track where Mitch flexes his verbal muscles over a cinematic soundscape.

 

Continuing with his conceptual theme, “Beyond Colossal” stands out with its take on historical fiction focused on Julius Caesar. Over the sparse and gritty backdrop, Mitch reimagines what Ceasar’s last speech could have been if he wasn’t assassinated. Mitch adds that he read Adrian Goldsworthy’s book on ancient Roman history as a source material. Next is “Eminence,” a tri-lingual track that sees Mitch rapping in English, French and Chinese on 3 different verses. The result is quite commendable and shows a lot of dedication from the rapper as he tries his best to get the subtle intonations and cadences from the other languages. “Too Tidy” is a testament to Mitch’s expressive flows and tight rhyme schemes while “Iconoclastic” is ladened with -what I call SAT words- that Mitch pulled from some books he read. It’s pretty much a verbal jousting track that displays his knack for wordplay, inner rhymes and large vocabulary. This is also exemplified in “Eager,” a jazz-boom-bap tune underpinned by Mitch’s go-getter-spirit and no-holds-barred rhymes.

 

The project closes out with the jazzy “Stickin’ to the Code” and the summer-drenched “Still Here Vibin’,“ these tracks help close it out with the essence of Mitch’s message. Mitch is a guy who loves to rap, and that is exactly what he does. He sticks to what he knows and delivers engaging rhyme schemes and a touch of reflection on each track. Other dope tracks to check out include the laidback vibes of “My Drift”, the nostalgia-inducing “Let Me Demonstrate” and the ATCQ-esque “Easy Vibes”.