Larry June & The Alchemist - The Great Escape

Hip hop – March 31, 2023 – 15 songs, 45 mins

ROZ

There is a certain music production technique that has evolved throughout the past few decades, and that technique is called “sampling”. Both creatively polarizing and legally questionable, sampling has completely changed the way that music can get produced and has not only been the backbone, but also the heart of ever-evolving genres such as dance music and hip hop. Throughout these genres, pioneers have risen through the ranks; individuals with not only the golden ear for finding ways to chop, bend and manipulate sounds but also the technical prowess to create original arrangements that stand on their own, elevating the source material in the process. Look no further than this week's TSR review for one of those individuals; let’s deep dive into Alchemist's newest collaboration project with talented hip hop artist Larry June with The Great Escape.

The minute that the beat kicks in on Turkish Cotton, the canvas is painted almost instantaneously. The soft trickle of summer rain, the smooth jazz brass, the pitter patter of a closed cymbal; Alchemist teleports you to a coastal road in the south of California, cruising along with the top down in your car as the warm breeze hits your skin. The man’s mastery of sample selection and sonic transformation is rarely matched; his pure skill on the Akai APC is highlighted in all of its glory through The Great Escape’s mini-documentary which can be found on Youtube and is certainly worth the watch (not only for the sneak peek at Alchemist's technical workflow but also Larry June’s overall good vibes and BBQ recipes). Standout beats include the likes of Orange Village, Ocean Sounds and Left No Evidence, with the last of the three packing an especially hard punch. A complete hip hop masterclass.

Alchemist is of course only one piece of the pie. Larry June - a complete unknown to me at the time - completes the record with a flow that perfectly matches each track's laidback SoCal approach. Skillful wordplay with the singing chops to match, Larry ensures that the listener does not walk away with only Alchemist's beats on their mind. If, like me, this is your first experience with the artist and, like me, you want to dig even deeper then look no further than his Tiny Desk appearance which is an absolute treat. Throughout The Great Escape the collaborations are plentiful, with Larry taking a step away to allow a multitude of performers leave their own personal mark on the record. Unfortunately it just so happens to be the only negative takeaway I have for this album, as household names Big Sean and Wiz Khalifa underperform on their respective tracks - unnecessary star power that could have easily been fulfilled by Larry’s impeccable performance throughout.

The Great Escape is the product of legendary beat making and silky smooth rhyme crafting. Alchemist is in top form and Larry June rises to the occasion to bring out a laid back vibe that is sure to lift your mood no matter how you feel.

Overall Rating: 8.2/10

Favorite Song: Orange Village

LUNDI

While Newfoundland continues to be haunted by iceberg spring, this weeks artist helped mentally transport me to warmer and simpler times with its easy breezy ways.  Rapper Larry June teams up with producer Alchemist on their debut album The Great Escape. Let’s breakdown the duo’s joint effort. 

The Great Escape is fronted by Larry June whose lyricism falls within typical rap tropes that are injected with a feeling of positivity and encouragement. This change from the expected invites intrigue and develops interest in the project. June is not beating down the walls of public reform at large but instead promoting a feeling of singular self improvement. He raps in a small vocal range register tagged with smooth flow and clear annunciation to form a very solid rapper profile. June was an unknown for me coming in and while his efforts here are of good quality he never elevates to the point that I desire to discover more of his song library. 

His counterpart Alchemist is a true veteran of his craft with beats flowing seamlessly across the entirety of the album. It’s easy to get lost in the dreamy progressions and song mixing. Whether Alchemist is finding the perfect sample with impeccable ear or adding his own flare to the mix he flawlessly sets the perfect table for June’s relaxed flow and the accompanying features. He is the straw that stirs the drink, the primary factor that makes this album and project work. 

Theres also a mixtape effect that’s small but noticeable on Escape. The tracks are linked together with fades and voice overs that offer a complelteness to the 45 minutes while the song features create necesssry diversity to June’s subdued vocal. The Great Escape is well crafted and has an excellent creative direction. While the album never does anything special to elevate it to greatness there are plenty of redeeming qualities. In the large musical scheme this one won’t go down in history but for the duo, it feels like they’re at their best. 

Larry June and The Alchemist kick back with their feet up on the duo’s smooth debut The Great Escape. Backed with an array of prime features the duo forego rap’s aggression and showmanship to just enjoy the moment. 

Overall Rating: 7.7/10

Favourite Song: Solid Plan

REID

Following up a nostalgia-filled week with Metallica, TSR flips the script again to hip hop. California rappers Larry Eugene Hendricks III and Alan Daniel Maman are no strangers to the game, with careers spanning 13 and 19 years respectively, since their first releases. Both have been incredibly active, releasing a high volume of material on their own and in collaboration with others. But you know who they are new to? This guy. Larry June and The Alchemist join forces on The Great Escape and I’m coming in fresh.

 Let’s start with a shout out to the hip hop community. Of the fifteen songs, nine offer features with names like Action Bronson, Big Sean, Ty Dolla $ign, Slum Village, Boldy James, Evidence, Wiz Khalifa, Jay Worthy, Joey Bada$$ and Curren$y. Appearances on other albums definitely boost an artists’ legacy but at the end of the day, these songs are on June and Alchemist’s record. The ability to collectively share the wealth with the ‘I’ll scratch yours if you get mine’ attitude, maximizing the product for their fans in the process is admirable. Another shout out goes to those replacing the ‘s’ with the dollar sign ($). Curren$y even threw away the dictionary and sounded it out to fit his in. Dedication.

It's always a treat to throw on a brand-new artist and Turkish Cotton opens the album with a surprisingly chill vibe. Seductive horns, relaxed paced and monotoned, methodical rap set the tone. This carries over to the keyboard and female backing vocals in 89 Earthquake and the duos’ vision seems clear and effective. June and the Chemist celebrate their rewarding lifestyles and do so with class. The bluesy guitar in Summer Reign, sitar in What Happened To The World, reoccurring ocean theme and heavy bass sprinkled throughout are several examples of a sound you’d appreciate most in a lounge setting. Even if June may prefer it in one of his cars, potentially the one illustrated on the eye-catching album cover. Favourite tracks include Solid Plan, Ocean Sounds, Left No Evidence and Margie’s Candy House.

This record would have higher marks if it wasn’t for the lull at tracks eleven to thirteen. Exito, 60 Days and Barragan Lighting stall the momentum, even with a Joey Bada$$ feature on the ladder. Cut these three and your left with an excellent twelve song, 38-minute runtime.

The Great Escape is classy gangsta rap to enjoy over a drink and smoke of your choice. Larry June and The Alchemist will leave you full of envy as they, along with a stacked list of features, casually rap about their lavish lifestyles over tasteful beats and melodies. 

Overall Rating: 7.4/10

Favourite Song: Solid Plan