Jay Rolex & MC Almond Milk – Smell the Audi

Album Review by Andrew Gordon | 03 Nov 2016
Album title: Smell the Audi
Artist: Jay Rolex & MC Almond Milk
Label: Save As Collective
Release date: 18 Nov

'Hi, I’m Scotland’s best rapper,' is how James Scott aka MC Almond Milk introduces himself on his debut LP. 'Like Blue Lagoon are Scotland’s best chips’. As every 3am carb-seeker knows, 'best' is often a question of context, and like that notorious purveyor of drunkards’ scran, Scott finds his niche and owns it on Smell the Audi.

An introspective overthinker who mixes downtrodden existential ruminations with whimsical wordplay and pop culture references, MC Almond Milk has more in common with Serengeti or Open Mike Eagle than his fiery, more politically charged fellow nationals like Hector Bizerk or Young Fathers. When he’s not sending up his lackluster flirting game ('like Danny Dyer, but shyer though,' or rhyming 'on fleek' with 'breeks'), he’s stealthily tackling the big themes between goofy one-liners, from love gone sour, to depression, to ageing: 'men who pause pensively are not yet doomed'.

Jay Rolex’s sumptuous, classic-leaning beats reinforce the above mentioned comparisons. Built from crackly soul samples, they echo Paul White’s work with Open Mike Eagle, as well as the warm analogue collages of frequent milo collaborator Kenny Segal.

While the humour can be hit and miss – what to do with the line 'I’m at the world music night, like ‘where the ethnic girls at?'' – this is a likeable helping of quirky Glaswegian rap.

Listen to: Rob Ford, Ex-Best Friends

http://shiftcmds.bandcamp.com