When you think of rap, you don’t expect it to be about postmodernism and the Hagakure, but Wisconsin rapper Milo covers both before the third song even hits on his latest EP “So The Flies Don’t Come.”
It’s clear throughout his latest release ythat Milo purposefully rejects all common schemas of rap in order to make a fresh, endlessly clever form of his own. After all, on the track “An Encyclopedia,” “no one taught [him] the language of the rap song / [he] was born speaking it.” He reminds listeners of all the untapped potential in rap, and the budding intellectual facets it can possess.
Before even considering the constantly inventive and dynamic lyricism present in the album, a listener has to marvel the canvas it is laid upon. The album’s beats match all the strengths of Milo’s past work while eschewing the minor downfalls. While always catchy and unique, beats on past releases like “Cavalcade” occasionally used sampling as a crutch, as opposed to an accent.
“So The Flies Don’t Come” features glitchy, almost Shlohmo-esque beats that sculpt a soundscape that is somehow just as cozy as it is stimulating. You won’t find any lazy Fruity Loops presets on Milo’s new EP; every single element — from the bass kicks to the soaring string sections — is mixed and modulated in a way that commands listeners’ attention. The album features a quirky, laid-back sound without sacrificing uniqueness from track to track.
The verbal aspect of Milo’s wordplay and flow does not have a similar parallel in the current world of rap. His rhythm actually brings about images of prog-rock in ways — from one verse to the next Milo drastically shifts both dynamics and time signatures in a way that makes each second interesting.
Lyrically, Milo is more than distinctive. He playfully takes words and ideas and flips them on their head, making common feelings and ideas seem foreign and thought-provoking. Though his references can be esoteric at times, his verses feel like the nonchalant musing everyone does in lonely walks to class and on lazy afternoons. “So The Flies Don’t Come” manages to be clever and expansive in its subject matter, and still is intensely relatable and comfortable all at the same time. It’s not to be missed.
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