Album Review: Mountain Dreams by Mic Mountain Prod. by SeenDaDream

 

Mountain Dreams

By

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/

Mic Mountain Socials:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091789921827

https://www.instagram.com/therealmicmountain/

https://www.youtube.com/@therealmicmountain

SeenDaDREAM on Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/seendadream/

SeenDaDREAM on Bandcamp:

https://chromeinfantry.bandcamp.com/music

VIDEOS

Mountain Dreams ft Bri Bri

WrestleMania Entrance Music

Smokin Da La La ft Isis Aset

Midnight Oil ft Thirstin Howl the 3rd

Album Review: Triple Piragua by Mic Mountain

 

Triple Piragua

By

Mic Mountain

 

Having been away from the music for a couple of months for personal reasons, it feels only right to kick off my eighth year of reviewing by clearing up some projects that I did not get round to doing in 2024, and to kick of 2025 I am bringing you an emcee from Washington D.C.

Mic Mountain is an Afro-Latino emcee and producer who comes from Native American decent. From a young age he spent time in local studios in the Washington area, honing his craft. His inspirations come from the likes of RUN-DMC, A Tribe Called Quest, and Redman, to name just a few. He blends his multi-cultural heritage with clever wordplay and striking metaphors that span Hip Hop’s past and Future. He already has three mixtapes and eight solo albums to his credit, including the one I will be reviewing here, with another in production and slated for release later this year. Along his journey he has collaborated with some of Hip Hop’s greats, including Mellow Man Ace, Psycho Les, Prince Po, Thirstin Howl The 3^rd, Tame One, Pace Won, Shabaam Sahdeeq, and many more.

Triple Piragua is his seventh solo album and was released back in August 2024. It boasts a Puerto Rican flavour throughout with a mixture of Boom Bap, Reggaeton and Latin Trap. The Album features production not only from himself but a wealth of other top producers including Domingo, Mr Scratch Hook, Rkitech, Hanzo Bladez, Joey Dynomite, DJ Eldermayne, Yo S Elf for TrakLite Productions, Starseed Beats, and A.J. Throwback. There are also a number of notable guest artist appearances including Psycho Les (Beatnuts), Chilo, 8ch2owens, Muñeca MC, The Microphone Prince, Thirstin Howl The 3^rd, godhead the General, Jigsama Bin Rhymin, Aïda, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Nujericans, Fantazma, Kalashnikov Red, and Daso AfroCaribeño.

This album is some eighteen tracks deep so, its time for me to get into this one and bring you my thoughts…

Triple Piragua is the third album in a series from Mic Mountain (the former being Piragua and Mas Piragua) and gets its title from the name of the Puerto Rican shaved ice desert. The album kicks off with the Triple Piragua Intro (La Rhumba), Bringing in elements that celebrate the classic dance, Mic Mountain drops a mixture of native Puerto Rican tongue alongside the usual English rap vocals. Domingo provides a banging boom bap beat that, alongside the vocals, immediately gets the blood and adrenaline pumping, making want to move in an infectious way. Psycho Les of the legendary Beatnutz joins Mic Mountain (who also produces) for Mucho Swing. This one brings a horn heavy vibe over a solid drum beat and cuts which brings a smile and more movement to your body. This one really gives you a huge party vibe as Psycho Les and Mic Mountain go all in bringing you that Hispanic vibe, showing that these guys are as at home swinging in the club, on the mic, and will also get to swinging should you get out of line. Next up is Pastelones which features Chilo and 8ch2owens with production from Domingo. Now, if I have got the translation correct here, then this one translates to Paving Stones. The beat has a heavy boom bap feel, some solid cuts, with the horns and percussion than gives it that Puerta Rican edge. The pace of this one fuels the adrenaline levels once more as the track celebrates life, honing your craft, and making that money. Walking the path of life means there are a lot of stepping stones you need to negotiate, and you can do it with a little heart and confidence in who you are.

Puñetazo sees Muñeca MC feature with production from Domingo. This one translates to Punch, and you can feel that vibe in the way Domingo has crafted the beat and the horns, all of which have a punchy feel to them. This one is all about those who act up, thinking they are more than they truly are. The message here is that if you gonna act all macho, then you better be able to back it up because the punches that follow don’t always come from a fist. Calle Soul is produced by Domingo and sees Mic Mountain on the first of several solo tracks. This one has a real infectious vibe fuelled by piano, horns and wealth of percussion, all of which come together into club infusion. If you look at the translation of Calle, it means Street, so this one brings you that Street Soul. When you truly listen you feel that come directly from personal experience, something that adds that feel of authenticity to things. The soul of the streets means many things from country to country and this one brings you a glimpse into that life through he eyes of Mic Mountain. Next, we have the short Prince Po en La Casa (Interlude) (or Prince Po in The House) which features production from Mic Mountain. Double Bass, castanets, and a funky beat provide the backdrop for Prince Po to drop some knowledge on you.

Bacardi (PR Rum) features The Microphone Prince and Thirstin Howl the 3^rd alongside production from Mr Scratch Hook. The beat takes the forefront here and is heavy, alongside the cuts and horns, as the other samples seem to be in the background. It gives the beat a laid-back live sound that you can’t help but nod to. Here you are treated to three emcees demonstrating their craft in two languages and showing just how accomplished they are, even if the fuel is that Bacardi rum. No Guantes (or No Gloves) features godhead The General and Jigsama Bin Rhymin, alongside Domingo on production. The horns take the forefront here in frantic style, firing up the adrenaline levels once more, as do the pace of the vocals. Here the gloves are well and truly off as these three emcees continue the in the vein of the last track as they display their rhyme styles with aplomb. Just watch out cos if you duck the jab, you’re gonna get hit with the hook. As we approach the halfway point of the album it’s time for Aïda and Shabaam Shadeeq to step up while Rkiteck takes over production duties on El Pasito (The Step). Once more the horns take the forefront here as the beat has a more relaxed edge to it. As you listen to this one you realise that its all about the steps you take, not just on the dancefloor but also those you take through life. Just as you need to learn and be precise in the steps you take on the dancefloor, you need to be just as precise with the steps you take in life. Can it be that simple a message? Listen and see if you agree.

Sickologia features 8ch2owens with production from Hanzo Bladez. The beat here is heavy but, there is the horns and keys underpinning it that give this one an almost entirely different vibe from the rest of the album with a far eastern edge. This departure from the album’s vibe works well here with the focus taking a look at mental health, a subject that needs to have more of a light shone on it and the more we see this, the more we are likely to open up about our own struggles. After that brief departure from things, it’s back to proceedings with What We Look Like? Where Joey Dynomite provides production and the Nujericans feature alongside Mic Mountain. This one is more upbeat boom bap with an almost orchestral edge to the sound of the horns. This one is all about another solid display of wordplay, similes, and metaphors. For me, here, its not about what you look like but, what you sound like, and this sounds fresh all day long. Mountain Time (La Fin De Noche) or, if my translation is correct, Mountain Time (The End of the Night) features production from DJ Eldermayne brings in that Latin trap sound, which for me anyway, gives this one a bit of a nerve tweaking sound. This track focuses on Mic Mountain noticing a beautiful woman and his feelings and observations about her and how he sees things going by the end of the night.

Baile Conmigo (Translated as Dance With Me) features Muñeca MC and is produced by Mic Mountain. This track has far more of the native tongue rap than other tracks on the album. Now I’m not going to say that I’m in a place to be able to translate every word but, from the title, I can guess that this one is all about seeing someone you like and asking them to come dance with you. It’s an upbeat track that has an infectious vibe and is one of those times that makes you realise that its all about soaking up the energy of the music even if you do not understand the lyrics, you can just feel it. Oye Nena translates to Hey Baby and features production from Yo S Elf for TrakLite Productions. The beat is heavy on this one and backed by this mix of flute and guitar, which, at first, seems a little like it does not work, but as the vocals come in it all just works as one, getting you bouncing and nodding along. Mic Mountain gives us an insight into what it is to truly love someone and what you do for the love of that special someone. Que Bonita Bandera, which translates to What A Beautiful Flag, features Fantasma and Kalashnikov Red joining Mic Mountain (who also produces the track). The sound of this one has horns, keys and more that reflects the sound of Puerto Rico. Its very energetic and upbeat, giving you this feeling you just wanna move to it. Again, this one has far more native tongue in the vocals but, there is a lot here about being proud of where you are from as you move through life, doing what you can to life your best life and be the best expression of who you truly are.

As the we move towards the last few tracks of the album, next is the albums title track Triple Piragua. Produced by Starseed Beats and featuring the harmonies of Daso AfroCaribeño, this one has that Latin trap sound and sees Mic Mountain reflecting the flavour of the Puerto Rican shaved ice desert in his lyrics. The penultimate track is Traviesa which has a number of meanings when you look for a translation but, one of those is Naughty, which does seem to fit here. Produced by A.J. Throwback this one has a more soulful edge to it and sees Mic Mountain speaking on all the women he sees around him. There is that playful side to this one, especially as I said the translation is Naughty, which would kind of relate to the naughty side of those women. I might not have this totally right here but, it does seem to fit but, forgive me if I’m wrong here. The final track is the Triple Piragua Outro Erex Remix (Bonus Track) which is produced by Mr Scratch Hook (aka Erex). Back to the boom bap feel this one sees Mic Mountain wrap up the album in style with short little outro with plenty of energy that will either leave you wanting a rest or wanting more…

 

Overall, what can I say about this album?

Unless I am mistaken, this is the first time I have come across Mic Mountain, that I can remember anyway but, after listening through this album there are times you get a sense of the inspirations of the some of those great names that I mentioned at the start but, there are also moments when you a feel that the spirit of Big Pun is also in the house.

Mic Mountain is one of those emcees that has a way with words, similes, and metaphors. He uses his multi-cultural heritage to get effect and in such a way as it makes this album a very easy listen, even if you are not multi-lingual. Apart from the incredible wordplay, there was a lot of great references to his own personal experiences, something for me that is invaluable as it allows you to connect to him through his words and gives those words far more relatability.

Now, there are some musical styles that I’m not a personal fan of, and I did find the Latin trap to be a little outside my comfort zone. However, when you are an accomplish emcee and one of you aims is to bridge eras of Hip Hop, then branching into other styles of rap is something you will do. It might not be to everyone’s taste but, that’s not to say that the production or wordplay suffers in anyway, it does not and I am sure that there will be plenty who find that style to their liking as it does have an energy about it.

With the majority of the album having a boom bap quality to it there is something in Triple Piragua to appeal to a great many ears. The energy and sound have an uplifting quality about it from top to bottom with the energy that is fused with the sound getting you moving throughout. If you are one of those new to Mic Mountains work, then this one will give a cracking introduction to the quality of his craft, definitely leaving you hungry for more of his work and more Piragua.

The other thing about this album is something that I have said a number of times but, it shows just how multi-cultural Hip Hop is. Not just that it shows the versatility of the Hip Hop sound, in that you can incorporate music from many cultures, and it always brings new depth to the sound. Here Mic Mountain keeps that Puerta Rican Hip Hop fusion alive while encompassing the newer sounds that keep the music new and fresh for the younger ear.

 

My huge thanks to Mic Mountain for reaching out to me and giving me this chance to review his work. From our conversations, he truly is a stand-up guy and someone I have respect for off the back of this, and I for one am looking forward to hearing more from him in the future.   

A cracking way to kick off 2025.

 

Be seeing you all soon,

Peace out,

Steve.

 

Postscript:

I have decided to add an extra observation here to give you all a little more depth.

Having had some brief email conversations with Mic Mountain, it became apparent that some of the translations were not on point. Now, this did not necessarily change the interpretation of those tracks but, one is worth noting here just so you can see part of the process I go through and how the research has something of an impact on my reviews.

For the track Pastelones, Mic Mountain gave me this “Pastelones translates to Puerto Rican Lasagna made of fried plantains instead of Noodles or Pasta. It’s a metaphor I made up for stacking Cheese or Cash”. I did pick up on the metaphor of cash, maybe not in exactly the same way though. Had I got this prior to the review then it might have changed my interpretation slightly, but it would not have changed by much.

When I am reviewing music with song titles etc, in another language, I always do my best to research the meanings of those titles. Because it is important to get the best understanding of what I am hearing and how I then interpret that. It does not always mean that I nail the exact meaning of a track as intended by the artist but, what it does do is allow you to see how your own interpretations can be influenced by what you are hearing, especially once you get a better understanding from the artist and their basis for each track.

Steve, Infinite Sounds UK

February 2025

LINKS

Grab your copy of the album Here:

https://micmountain.bandcamp.com/album/triple-piragua

Mic Mountain Websites:

https://micmountain.com/home

https://triplepiragua.com/

Mic Mountain Socials:

https://twitter.com/micmountain

https://www.instagram.com/therealmicmountain

https://www.facebook.com/micmountainmusic

https://www.youtube.com/@therealmicmountain

VIDEOS

Triple Piragua

Pastelones

Mucho Swing

Calle Soul

Mountain Time (La Fin De Noche)