MOCC - MDM - ALBUM REVIEW

MOCC

MDM

Nashville, United States

2022 has seen some great releases from some brilliant artists and Nashville’s Mocc has been no different with their latest release ‘MDM’. This 10-track album contains pretty much every single variety of hip-hop you could consider needing. This was a very personal piece of work, brought together with the view that it would give listeners an insight into the artist, who they are, and what they stand to be. With eight out of the ten beats present being made by the artist with everything other element of creation and writing coming directly from Mocc, this is truly a one-person mountain to have overcome.

Kicking off with a slightly eerie backing, think watered down Tiny Tim, and some almost humorous ad-libs we are introduced to the album with ‘Figure 8’. This track fast becomes a classic 90’s feel hip-hop rap, which kind of shocks the system after hearing such a modern intro. With a beautifully deep beat and aggy lyrical genius, the flow on this is insane!

This takes us to track two with ‘don’t owe you’ which gives an old school, unreleased Eminem vibe, from the ad-libs through to the lyrical play. This tells a deep story and gives you a great insight into the mentality of the artist, something that is important when getting to know your next favourite rapper. The violins present in this one adds a gorgeous layer of smoothness for the listener and causes you to lean in and ensure every word is heard entirely.

This throws us straight into number three and ‘I’m great, where the beat changes and we are given a cleaner piece of work that doesn’t just tell a story but provides advice, ‘how can you listen to what you don’t respect’ is the key line and it landed so well with me!

Then comes ‘Part 1’ and the jumping track sound that comes with the backing track. The flow is as clean as ever but it's almost like there is a movie jumping and repeating in the background as it reaches the pinnacle point of love in the film. Being only a one-minute seventeen-second track this fast moves into part 2, a more aggressive short track that demonstrates Mocc’s pure talent when it comes to spitting lyrics be it both flow and pure penmanship but being another short one at just one minute eleven seconds, we move into the aptly named ‘part 3’. This track gives us a much more 90s vibe with the classic hip-hop vibe oozing through the cracks. The sounds are unexplainably familiar,

with a gorgeous boombox-style beat, with an over tune which seems to loop back in with the soundtrack for part one.

Next, the vibe fully changes with ‘Shadow on the wall’ where we are introduced to the track with an almost fare ground tune and nursery rhyme. This fast enters into a deep bass but is clearly carried by the lyrical talent. This one goes into the mental health side of the struggles. This filters nicely into ‘Memories’ which is a nicer less aggy track. With a nice keyboard being played, almost has a Super Mario sound to it and an almost childlike flow. As the artist reminisces his childhood through this track we can picture exactly what he is talking about, without hesitation we can place ourselves there with him. This catchy piece is uplifting and harnesses a variety of sounds to create a unique offering.

The piano continues into ‘The library’ with an eery female singing voice and another little skit that leads into another story giving us an insight into the artist and what went through his mind as he grew up, having a view of the real world and what society really means one the childhood innocence leaves.

We are then into ‘End of side A’ the perfect name for exactly that, the end, with the lyrics to match. This one is a solid piece that leaves us waiting for more, with classic nostalgic beats and more insight into the artists' plans for what's next.

This album is a beautiful experience if you love 90s hip-hop and need help to itch that part of you that misses pure talent.