Within the realm of American indie rap, Aesop Rock has proven to be a reliable force. For more than 20 years, he has continually released milestone-marking records. His latest release, »The Impossible Kid«, is another instant classic. It presents a music producer and a rapper who sticks to his style while developing it further, drawing his innovations from this very process. Aesop Rock keeps doing what he has always done, but somehow manages to not repeat himself. This time, he is more specific in terms of content, more substantial.
Bizarrely abstract images and associations keep badgering you; however, this time, his urge to communicate finds concrete words in order to turn his inside out. By placing his inner self at our disposal, he raises various questions about himself while still cutting off each and every way towards finding simple answers. Of course, it fits just fine that he’s in the mood to joke around – in contrast to his previous record, »Skelethon«, the jokiness gets through to the listener, despite the record’s deepness. Hence, it’s even possible to interpret the agitation transported through the beats on »The Impossible Kid« as a positive spirit of departure, even though the soundscapes Aesop rushed through the consoles in an isolated forest cabin come across as more cloudy than sunny. But let’s be honest here: That’s exactly what we want from him.
The Impossible Kid
