The Alchemist “Flying High, Part 2” EP Review

Flying High, Pt. 2

The Alchemist

• Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
• Date: 03 Nov, 2023
• Content: explicit
• Track(s): 10
• ℗ 2023 ALC

The Alchemist has released his new project, “Flying High, Part 2,” a sequel to Flying High, which had dropped just 5 months prior.

Hip-hop enthusiasts are familiar with The Alchemist. The American musician, whose career dates back to the late 1990s, has amassed a vast discography. In recent years, he has collaborated on songs with a number of modern artists, including Larry June, Action Bronson, Curren$y, and Freddie Gibbs. He has started putting out mini EP sets alongside these musicians; the first was the “This Thing of Ours” series in 2021, with the most recent one being “Flying High.”

“Flying High, Part 2” represents a significant accomplishment for the producer, who is taking on a whole project as an MC for the first time in his career. Throughout the entire EP, he does excellent rapping, alternating between lines at varying speeds and using a variety of syllable counts. Every single one of Alchemist’s phrases stands out because of this delivery, showcasing his mastery of wordplay.

In addition to being an incredibly comprehensive demonstration of The Alchemist’s lyrical prowess, the record boasts outstanding production as always. Whether the beats are strong and menacing or mellow and calm, the theme of horns unites the soundscape beautifully. The Alchemist shows that he can hold his own as an MC by bringing his typical suspects along for the ride.

EP Cover Art

Similar to figures in a brick game, various colored shapes are used to represent tall buildings lit up at night. And flying high over all that is an aeroplane with Alc’s name attached and floating behind.

Tracks and Features

The EP opens with the sumptuous jazz-based song “Turkish Link.” Horns provide support to the song’s beat, evoking a victorious entry. The Alchemist mixes self-reflection with some self-promotion of his accomplishments in his bars. Notably, he remembers having “stayed in basements and slept on couches / Put in major pain to get minor placements.”

After that comes “Phil Drummond,” accompanied by a spooky instrumental. It has a faint background sound that sounds like a siren, which contributes to the ominous atmosphere of the song. With his audacious voice and quotes like “Every sentence in my lecture is intricate architecture,” Conway the Machine is a brilliant complement to the song. The song ends well with a slow horn passage that smoothly transitions into the next track, which is a skit.

One of the record’s most enjoyable songs is “Vertigo.” A funky, warbly instrumental opens, followed by an oscillating sonar-like sound. Alchemist offers a lively, colorful background on which he lays funny aside. Action Bronson is the ideal person to join in with such an exciting beat. Just as entertaining, Bronson’s poetry is full of his trademark culinary allusions and vivid imagery, including bringing his own food to a restaurant in a Tupperware container and engaging in leprechaun wrestling.

For the first time since 2019, The Alchemist and Oh No—together known as Gangrene—reunite in “Royal Hand.” The music has powerful, slow-tempo rhythms combined with a menacing, stuttering melody. The Alchemist effortlessly follows the beat and flows at an astonishingly fast pace. Oh No performs even more unrelentingly in the second verse, maintaining the same intensity and cutting down on breaks. Grim and hypnotic, the sound is made even more captivating by the fast-paced rap performances.

“Paint Different,” the last song, is another jazzy tune. Though considerably more subdued in style, horns are also used in its calming instrumental. The Alchemist’s glamorous verse, in which he raps about traveling to Europe, sipping wine, and daydreaming, flawlessly evokes the mood of elegant dining by the seaside on a European shore. This single, sonically reflective of Curren$y and Alc’s 2022 joint project Continuance, makes him feel right at home.

Tracklist

NO	YOUTUBE	TITLE	TIME
1	Play	Turkish Link	1:47
2	Play	Phil Drummond (feat. Conway the Machine)	2:56
3	Play	Vertigo (feat. Action Bronson)	2:57
4	Play	Royal Hand (feat. Gangrene)	3:09
5	Play	Paint Different (feat. Curren$y)	2:44
6	Play	Turkish Link	1:47
7	Play	Phil Drummond	2:56
8	Play	Vertigo	2:57
9	Play	Royal Hand	3:09
10	Play	Paint Different	2:44

EP Theme

The Alchemist displays his vast artistic range while also doing some self-reflection.

Production Credits

The Alchemist solely produced the EP.

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