If It's Too Loud...

2019 was the year I rediscovered my love of hip hop. If you had told me last year that I would become obsessed with a hip hop concept album about the effects of modern war on soldiers, I doubt I would have believed you. But Complicate Your Life with Violence is brilliant on all levels. Broken up into three parts (recruitment, war, and the aftermath), this album is obviously best listened to as a whole, but the individual songs are highly listenable on their own. I was somewhat familiar with L'Orange before this release, but had never heard of Jeremiah Jae before. The pairing is perfect. The duo have crafted an album that has a laid back vibe while still being intense. Complicate Your Life with Violence is perfect for lapsed old school hip hop fans without being a throwback at all. It's both smooth and perfectly produced while being more than a little uncomfortable. It's like a more smooth and modern version of classic Public Enemy. Songs of note: "Behavior Report,...

The latest single from the collaboration between L'Orange and Jeremiah Jae looks at a returning veteran's post war flashbacks and every day life back as a civilian. It's a very little looked at subject in the music world. "After Alley Life" makes this dark subject matter into a fantastic hip hop track. Somehow the song reminds me if Puff Daddy and the world of Bad Boy made a completely serious and dark song, and somehow succeeded. It's a perfect blend of L'Orange's minimalist yet flush production and Jeremiah Jae's laid back but intense vocals. You can watch the brilliantly animated video for "After Alley Life" below. The animation is done by Eric Power. Complicate Your Life With Violence , the upcoming album from L'Orange and Jeremiah Jae, will be out October 4 on Mello Music Group. You can pre-order the album here . The album is divided into three parts: recruitment, war, and the dark effects this causes. For more on L'Orang...