One of the most important ‘summer-y’ releases of 2022 has dropped. ‘Beanna’ is elevator music for the soul. It follows in the quietly shuffling, lo-fi, ‘chill’ hip-hop rhythm, but diverts in innumerable microscopic ways to form a cohesive, fresh whole. The result is a cinematic, mid-century aesthetic that evokes sunken living room floors and the sound of ice slipping into an Old Fashioned. More than that, it is positive without feeling gimmicky and transposes a poignant, restorative hope. It might be a Madlib/Freddie Gibbs collaboration in another world. In this one, however, Mejiwahn offers a canoed glide down a gentle river.
24/30
A favourite: ‘Lumaby’
‘Beanna’ is out now via Hot Record Societe.
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