Milo - Milo Takes Baths

Doing this review causes me to go out of my comfort zone musically, as modern rap and hip hop are relatively uncharted territory for me. While I see Public Enemy, N.W.A., and Big L among others as hip-hop greats, I tend to avoid today’s rappers. But listening through Milo’s debut mixtape I Wish My Brother Rob Was Here, I instantly recognized the wit, intelligence, and uniqueness in a world where rap is over-bloated with petty and beat-to-death topics.

    The first, strikingly obvious trait about Milo’s 2nd effort, Milo Takes Baths, is the outlandish titles. With titles like “The Confrontation at Khazad-dum” and “The Ballad of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy,” it is sure to intrigue even the most skeptical rap fan. Rory Ferreira, aka (“Milo”) has a style that is very mellow with great instrumentals provided by beatmusic artist Baths. His delivery sounds more like he’s reciting a melancholic poem rather than trying to “flow,” which is a nice change of pace. He’s also a sober vegetarian from Wisconsin, so any fans of gangster rap steer clear, Milo is not for you.

Lyrically, his songs are filled with nerdy, odd references in one moment and in the next is witty introverted prose that convey his thoughts. These range from a less serious song like “Prince Abakaliki Needs Your Help” or his daydreams of picking mangoes to wondering what his late friend Rob would do if he were alive. His style is described as “nerd-hop,” but regardless of personal interests, the topics feel universal.

    On I Wish My Brother Rob Was Here, the instrumentals were enjoyable but they’re on another level on Milo Takes Baths. It adds an enjoyable ambience, whether it is the beautiful layered acoustic guitars on a few of the tracks or the produced sounds on the opening cut. A better way to depict this mixtape would be an experience, because it is much more valuable than mainstream rap, with too much substance not to listen to. The best part is, it’s (along with his first mixtape) available for free on miloraps.com. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys something different and unique in their music.

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