Mike Dreams - Millennial

Writing about Mike Dreams' music has become so hard for me, but when you love and care about an artist you almost feel obliged to dedicate at least three or four paragraphs to it, don’t you? For some reason, saying "it just sounds good" or "I love it" doesn’t seem to be enough. People require reasons and proof for said love.

Mike Dreams is one of the most realest (gosh! this world has lost all of its impact on any hip hop related site, due to its overabuse) artists around, with a gift for framing his journey as an everyman’s struggle to fight off the temptations delivered daily. He teeters on the brink with a desperation that has him close to the edge. But to the forces that attempt to break him he says the decision “Still Standing Here”. Amen.

Yep! It is similar to his past albums, but just with more genre-bending experimentation. Where future is still uncertain, but determination and positivity is a wave that just grows and grows. His music is straight forward, to the point and at times very personal and honest. He takes pride in making music that make people stay positive in their thoughts or reflect on their own life.

With each release Mike has become more conscious of the entertainment value of music, making his music more widely accepted while retaining his honesty and raw emotion. Production-wise, the maturity ante in this new endeavor has definitely been "upped." The horizon of instrumental selection or remixes has been broaden. The third album is often a crossroads for an artist. Mike Dreams has chosen wisely to explore different avenues and expand his musical landscape while at the same time staying true to his roots. "Millennial" bodes well for the future of Mike Dreams.

It’s a solid Mike Dreams album, and of course I really like it. But when you listen to an album where a lot of the lyrics sits in this sort of rough "aye okay, but we already know you can do this" area then, as much as you love it, it can be difficult to generate any real excitement about the record as a whole. And that’s the problem with "Millennial" for me. For some other folks it began with his last album. I mean, album is really good, and there’s loads of stuff here I really like, but it’s a little bit too familiar for me content-wise to feel any real thrill listening to it.

However, even with my reservations, I can’t escape the feeling that in some way Millennial is a step forward for Michael Hannah. I suppose it remains to be seen whether or not this album will serve as a transitional piece, but it feels like the beginning of an interesting musical phase in his career. He continues to explore new territory and stretch himself and it’s difficult to be too upset when such ambition results in material that isn’t quite as fantastic this time around as it has been in the past.

The truth is, your greatest strength and weakness are the same thing, my friend. You are too real for the genre that ironically places far too importance and praise on the authenticity within an artist's music. Both "Max Haben" and "BigBlue fo32" (check the mixtape page for "Just Waking Up" here on DJBooth) need to understand that actually criticizing the artist for its over-sincerity, since when is this a bad thing in hip-hop? Mike will himself admit, he is still in the same “optimistic sadness” phase of his life, a theme prevalent throughout his discography — a waiting for something, a confidence in finding what you’ll need, exhausted but hopeful, nostalgic about the past but looking forward to the future.

He himself will admit, nothing much has really changed on the music front, except few more twitter followers, few more local shows, blogs placements and interviews... but he is not afraid to be personal, and will ALWAYS keep it absolute real with his listeners and lay this all out in open with his honest rhymes. I truly do applaud and repect him for his continued honesty, the desire to make positive and important music, make no mistake of that — but I must say that along with this now comes a "heard-before" familiarity that sometimes makes it hard to get truly excited about some of your music, especially when the production is nothing to write home about or just lacking. Not one song even comes close to the emotional impact of "Stay Forever" or "Waiting For Something".

You know what? Eff all that! Mike, you'll ALWAYS be my favorite artist they never heard of !! Because you fully understand that crossover doesn't necessarily mean compromise. Your songs are meaningful to have real staying power, while being really catchy. That's a tricky line to walk in hip-hop music. There is that relevant message, but nothing too heavy to take away from the fun. This is that balance I crave in hip hop music. A fine balance between what a listener wants to hear and what a listener needs to hear.

I suppose it is because Michael Alexander Hannah never gives up, he continues to put all his energy and time into these albums, and even if it will probably not happen anything "more", not any worldwide recognition, any "superfame", we just have to enjoy the ride while it lasts, and it's fine that way, the message has been sent, and also been received, it's in our heart. Nothing extraordinary, and yet so complicated and refreshing at the same time. A skilled musician with the best intentions. Just take a listen and you'll appreciate it's authentic music, made for us, made with the purpose to make you feel better. Straight respect!

My Top Picks:

1. We The Ones
2. Everything's Good
3. The Lights, The Life
4. Born In 1988
5. We Live Til We Die

pretty good mixtape, deep topics but still have fun with it.

Amazing album. Love all the tracks, my favorite track though is "losing myself"