This is Our Science - Astronautalis (2013)

September through the years: from my September 2013 list, also featuring Janelle Monae, Man Man, and Elvis Costello’s collab with The Roots

Astronautalis get lumped into the midwest backpack style underground scene, and it’s true that he’s a frequent collaborator with POS and the Doomtree crew; but there’s more to him. He mixes emotive soul and surprisingly complex soundscapes in underneath his mostly rap vocals with occasional singing.

His flow is always good, and his singing voice is plaintive if not great. It’s one of those hidden gems that offers a lot more than its trappings might suggest.

Tracks I Liked

Dimitri Mendeleev - a wildly imaginative lyric and a great track which–to my ear–has nothing to do with inventor of the periodic table

Contrails - a focused and polished track that hits hard

Holy Water - a gritty vocal that sounds like Les Claypool doing a Tom Waits impression, but the whole thing slaps