The elusive and obscure aura of Mach-Hommy is back. Off the back of a successful 2019 with the incredible albums Wap Konn Jòj! and Tuez-Les Tous with DJ Muggs, the enigmatic rapper is back with a brand new project titled Mach’s Hard Lemonade. Officially set to be released on the 15th August, the album is a Tidal exclusive, the first in a long time. After meeting with Jay-Z late last year, there was speculation over what that relationship would look like and if they would work together in the future. It’s clear that Jay has been influenced by Mach-Hommy’s sound, influence and legacy within hip-hop, and has taken that inspiration to his own work, and that just speaks to Mach’s impact as an artist. So it’s not surprising that Mach-Hommy’s new album is an exclusive, and neither is the fact that it is a well-produced, well written and memorable body of work.
Mach’s music has always been aesthetically and sonically rich. He’s worked with some of the best producers in hip-hop, and has crafted crisp, soulful and experimental production on each and every release. Mach’s Hard Lemonade is no different, with 9 tracks of pure blissful raps and production that sounds vast and eclectic, from start to finish. It opens with the soulful “SBTM (Sweeney Been Told Me)”, produced by Preservation. It’s an excellent opener, with incredible verses and flows from Mach, who really starts off spitting on this project. “You’re gonna see a lot of blood dealing with death” he states, as he flows effortlessly throughout. His introspective and conscious raps relate to his Haitian heritage, and we can see him paying homage to it on “Clout Dracula”, produced by Preservation and Navy Blue and featuring Navy Blue, Young Queenz and Tvoy aka Your Old Droog. Mach raps in Creole, Navy in English, Young Queenz in Cantonese I believe and Tvoy in Russian. It’s a cool track with a dark instrumental that perfectly captures the unassuming tone of the track. The other track that stands out to me is “Soon Jah Due”, produced by Messiah Muzik and featuring Earl Sweatshirt. Mach and Earl never miss, and this is another incredible track, with both giving short but intricate verses. The beat on “Marshmallow Test” produced by Nicholas Craven is exceptional, as his almost abstract raps are ones to sit with and digest. One of the things that I know Mach-Hommy fans are aware of is his interesting involvement with cattle. He leads a low-key, rural life it seems, away from all the hustle and bustle of the big city, staying away from people while raising cattle and making lemonade. This elusive persona has made him an such a captivating and iconic persona. The beat on “Photocopy Sloppy (Dump Fraud)” is incredible, produced by Earl and featuring this subdued, spoken-word piece from Mach. The back-and-forth between Mach and Your Old Droog on the Preservation-produced “Pour House” is excellent, both flowing effortlessly over the desolate beat. The Nicholas Craven-produced single “Squeaky Hinge” is colourful and jazzy, with gorgeous keys and an impeccable verse and flow from the talented rapper. The Tha God Fahim-produced closer “NJ Ultra” is a reflective, introspective listen, perfectly concluding this fascinating and cohesive album.
There’s obviously a lot more I can say about the lyrics themselves, and there’s a lot to digest, but with every Mach-Hommy release there are plenty of quoteables and things to digest. It’s Mach-Hommy’s continued elusiveness and incredible rapping that makes him one of the most talked about voices within hip-hop, and with Mach’s Hard Lemonade he continues to prove himself as a gifted and unique emcee. A great album that will definitely require multiple listens to truly appreciate.
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