Infinite Sounds UK: Album Review: Mountain Dreams by Mic Mountain Prod. by SeenDaDream

Mountain Dreams

Mic Mountain X SeenDaDREAM

Back in April this year I dropped a review of Triple Piraguaby Mic Mountain. Now I have the pleasure to bring you the next album from the Washington based emcee. Mountain Dreams was originally released on March 7^th, the album is produced by SeenDaDream and features appearances from AA Rashid (who also does the artwork for the album), Thirstin Howl the 3^rd, Isis Aset, Oba Olff, and Bri Bri, with all cuts coming from Mr Scratch Hook

The album also has a theme which is worth noting here as you follow the narrative of the album, “a visionary hip-hop journey, weaving together a sequence of prophetic dreams from one fateful night long ago. Each track unfolds as a chapter in this vivid narrative, blending storytelling and lyrical artistry”.

With that said, I don’t want to keep you hanging around, so let’s dive into this album…

Strings, horns and a heavy drum beat form the backdrop to the intro, immediately getting your head nodding. AA Rashid features here, bringing us the Intro, giving us his thoughts on Mic Mountain and where he see’s the future for him. The intro does not really set the seen for us on what’s coming but, it kind of prepares us, allowing us to sit back and get comfortable.

The album kicks off with Come Back Home which continues the head nod vibe with more strings, vocal samples and drumbeat, giving us this solid sound but, with those strings adding a sound that just draws us away from our current reality. As we are draw into this Hip Hop dreamscape, Mic mountain brings us the first chapter, An overview of life and what a day might bring as it unfolds. AA Rashid returns for Da Jungle pt 2 (Interlude), guitar and a more chilled drumbeat keep us focused on the lyrics as AA Rashid gives us thoughts on the heard mentality and the power the heard has if they chose to focus their combined energy in one direction. This thought sets the seen for Da Jungle pt 2, the beat here that has cuts, keys and drums, that all come together to bring an upbeat sound that ramps up the adrenaline levels. This one looks at harsh realities of life on the streets but, here in dreamland we swap the concrete jungle for the true jungle habitat, a place where we see the threats of streets transformed into the animals and dangers that about in a place where you might find yourself out of place, and at the same time aware of the what those who are native to this place, experience on a daily basis. It might not be pretty but, it is home. Drums, guitars, and cuts are the foundation for Snakes, this sound has a mariachi vibe to it, and that story telling vibe fits so well here as Mic Mountain speaks on those snakes who hide in the jungle, but these snakes are the ones who might appear to be your friend or acquaintance, but in reality, are there to strike when you least expect it. Beware of those around you as you never know which ones might be the snakes.

From the jungle, our backdrop shifts to the desert and a Desert Sunrise (Interlude). Drums, cymbals, and guitars bring us another mariachi vibe, but this time the sound is more laid-back. This is more of an extended interlude that is a look at the story of the Mountain Dreams album from an interview. This is almost like a break in your dream where you briefly wake and blink, wondering where you have just been, before rolling over and going back to sleep…

Tornado Warning takes us back into dreamland in a big way with a heavy beat that is underpinned with piano vibes. Your head starts nodding and you realise that this is no ordinary tornado, this is a tumultuous situation that comes from the strength of the lyricism and the fact that there are no punches pulled here with a graphic look at world around Mic Mountain. Thirstin Howl the 3^rd joins Mic Mountain for Midnight Oil, where piano notes take the forefront on the beat, giving this one a deeper edge that seems made for the dark streets. Here we are treated to slick display of wordplay, similes, and metaphors as the streets are transformed into a nightmarish world where you fears come at you in many different forms.

Just as with any dream you are often dragged into an alternate reality, opposed to where you just were and that is what happens with WrestleMania Entrance Music. The Macho Man brings us into this one to a heavy sound that is heavy on the guitars, but with a beat that gets your head nodding along with more Wrestling name drops than elbows in the ring. OHH YEAH!!! This one is all about the new tag team duo of Mic Mountain and SeenDaDream, and it’s time for them to enter the scene.

French Arab Joint flips things once more back into another dreamscape. Here we are backed by slick beat that is backed by xylophone notes, guitars, and keys, with vocal samples that bring a real surreal feal to things. Wordplay abounds here in a way that takes us to more places like mixing THC into our dream journey, yeah that just happened. Still reeling from that last aspect of the dream journey, Indian Boy brings another mind-bending sound that has native American edge to it with a mix of drums, strings and keys. This one seems to relate to Mic Mountains native American heritage and how that mixes with their history, treatment in America, and how their heritage has so many prophetic aspects that relate to what is happening in the world around us. Isis Aset now joins Mic Mountain on Smokin Da La La, the beat has a very chilled vibe to it, created by the drums, guitars, and keys. This one looks at their experiences of smoking the bud and how it affects them but, also has the effect of relaxing them and taking the focus away from negative aspects of the world around them. Horns and chimes draw us into Just Like Heaven, before a classic beat drops in. This sound gives us a vibe that has an emotive edge to it, which fits perfectly with the lyrics. Mic Mountain speaks openly on the love he has for his wife, but this is more than just a love song, it is an expression of what love is, what it means, and how it truly touches us on so many levels in the time we spend with that special someone.

Summer Time Joyride finds Mic Mountain and SeenDaDream taking us on a trip in a new ride. The beat has that summertime upbeat vibe that makes you wanna turn up the sound and wind down the windows. This one has all the hallmarks of that summer soundtrack vibe, so listen in and drift of into the sunset with this one. Time for another break with the Mountain Dreams (Interlude) which features Oba Olff. The drums, bass, and keys give this one an air of contemplation about it. The message in this one is about the traits that people can have. This one speaks to me as I very much intuit the music when I am writing and so it is important to listen to those little ways that speak to you. Find what best works for you and trust in it, let it guide you in life. As we think on that short interlude, its time for the title track of the album, Mountain Dreams. Get your head nodding to this one as the drums get you moving and the strings, in the background, keeps you floating along. Here we find Mic Mountain relating a dream to us; this is emotive moment as it speaks to us on the deep and prophetic nature that dreams can have, in fact, all dreams have that nature, it is just up to us to find what each one means to us, because our dreams are as individual as we are and it is the content, people and situations within that can say so much to us, as strange as they might seem at times. With that thought still in mind, AA Rashid returns to take us out of the album with the Outro. The beat thumps once more, the piano notes bring an edge that just holds our attention for the lyrics. AA Rashid brings us a positive message to end the album, assuring us that we are doing well and all is good. To end the album with this positive message is truly uplifting and that is just what we need right now…

What is really apparent here is that, if we take into context that is all set in a dream world, then there is a lot that you can read into this. In fact, you might find that you get something different every time you listen. If you were to write your dreams down, then every time you go back and read that, it would speak to you in different ways, depending on your situation at the time of the dream, or the situation you were in when you next read about that dream, and listening to this album is likely to be just like that.

Dreams are very prophetic, even though they might seem like a random collection of weird symbolism that has no real relationship to anything in our lives. But the more to consider different aspects of that symbolism and combine it with the people and settings, you might begin to understand the meaning. Mountain Dreams is very much like that, as you listen through the album, it might seem like these are just random tracks with intelligent lyricism. Yes, they might have individual meaning but, don’t have any kind of relationship to each other.

However, the flow of the album is like a river that makes its way across different terrain and differing scenic displays but ultimately reaching the same destination. That river flows the same way in different seasons, different weather conditions. There will be subtle changes along the way, over time, but the end is always the same. So, consider this when listen to the album, you might interpret it different to me, but then you are supposed to as you are not me, and I am not you.

Overall, Mountain Dreams sees Mic Mountain and SeenDaDream bring us a solid Hip Hop album with intelligent and creative wordplay that is matched by the kind of production that has the heart and soul of Hip Hop at its core. But, add to that the depth of Mic Mountains personal experience here and you get an album that hits on many levels, inviting you to think and feel things you might expect with a Hip Hop sound. But you can bump this one in the car with the windows down and volume up or, you can sit back, chill out and let it soak into your awareness in the comfort of your own home. All I suggest is that you let it flow as was intended, from start to finish, no stopping, no skipping, just let it flow…

My huge that’s to Mic Mountain for allowing me to bring this one to you and having that faith in the intuitive nature of my words.

Mountain Dreams is out now.

I’ll see ya next time,

Peace Out,

Steve.

LINKS

Get your copy from Bandcamp Here:

https://micmountain.bandcamp.com/album/mountain-dreams

Mic Mountain Official Website:

https://micmountain.com/

Official Brand Website:

https://triplepiragua.com/