Analog Rascals
No Linger in the Past
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Alternative hip-hop
Chapel Hill’s Analog Rascals is definitely more than some goofy college hip-hop group, and its latest album No Linger In the Past is full of memorable choruses and humorous, nonsensical lyrics.
The duo of rapper Patrick Robinson and producer Michael Carey is a fun pairing, mixing vibrant production with likeable verses and wordplay.
“East 80th” is ridiculously catchy, and it won’t take long for the chanting chorus to stay in your head. Similarly, “ENGL 345,” the best song on the album, features a few beat changes, and the production by Carey here is inspired. Robinson mixes up his delivery, showing he can sing choruses almost as well as dropping a verse.
The best aspect of this twosome is just how different they are. They might not have any standout songs, but each has something interesting whether it is a bizarre title like “gringo starbuxxx” or the spoken word interludes of “Hex Coming.”
However, the album slows down in the middle with similar-sounding tracks that aren’t as well done. The lyrics are unsteady, and the production becomes too slow.
Luckily, Analog Rascals is able to finish with the slow-starting “Ellipses.” A hypnotic chorus chanting the title gives way to a passionate verse from Robinson as the beat really begins to pick up.
While only a couple tracks really stand out, all together No Linger In the Past will consistently have you singing along and tapping your feet.
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