Change the Record: Surf Gang, Earl Sweatshirt, and MIKE – “POMPEII // UTILITY”

I feel as if I give off the vibe that I’m biased toward underground and indie releases, while hating anything mainstream or anything that could realistically chart on Billboard. That notion is unfounded; I’m just as capable of feeling scorn for even the most low-profile releases. Remember, I am reviewing music, not people. Even if an artist has all the passion in the world, that does not save them from releasing music I consider subpar.

There are three artists to cover for the history segment of this review, so these descriptions will be brief. Starting with the most prominent name, Earl Sweatshirt was a core member of the now-defunct rap collective Odd Future. He started by making hardcore hip-hop with horrorcore influences before shifting to the abstract, lo-fi, sample-based hip-hop he embraces today. This style is influenced by artists such as Navy Blue and the other main subject of this review, MIKE. In my view, Earl was the most impressive lyricist of Odd Future, and his shift into a sound that emphasized his writing was a positive change.

MIKE is a newer artist who emerged in 2015, as a wave of experimental hip-hop formed on platforms like SoundCloud and Bandcamp. He is nothing if not prolific, never going a single year without releasing a new mixtape or album. Surprisingly, for someone with so much material, he maintains a consistent level of quality across his releases.

The final member of this trio is Surf Gang, a group of producers that has been working in the underground for about a decade. They have worked closely with underground heavyweights such as Black Kray and Snow Strippers, carving out a niche as major producers in underground hip-hop.

With that covered—and all that talent behind them—I was struck by a central question while listening to this album: why did I find this record so boring?

It was a confusing situation. All the pieces are there, right? Everyone is talented on their own. MIKE and Earl have matching sonic palettes, so they should complement each other, and Surf Gang has a history with underground artists. So what is missing?

First, when examining the album’s structure, although it appears to be a collaborative project, it functions more like two separate albums by MIKE and Earl Sweatshirt stitched together. As a double album, it should, in theory, resemble “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” more than “Life After Death.” However, while “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” features two wildly different sounds split between a duo, “POMPEII // UTILITY” presents one sound, only with two different vocalists.

Secondly, the album’s sound. Despite MIKE and Earl’s primary style falling within the “lo-fi hip-hop” label—based around degraded samples and minimal drums—the sound here leans closer to “plugg,” a style built around sharp hi-hat patterns and heavy 808s that Surf Gang specializes in. While that sound works for artists like Black Kray and Lucki, it proves less effective for performers like Earl and MIKE, who lack the distinct vocal presence or punch to stand out against these beats. Many of the beats feel very spacey or barren. That is fine when the artist has the energy or rhythm to match, but against the more lethargic, monotone deliveries these two usually have, it results in an unbearably dull sound.

The production is easily the best part of the record. Tracks like “Da Bid” and “:( Again :)” feature a wonderfully potent sound, with subby 808s and dense synth rhythms that can provide an engaging backdrop even with dull performances. The writing on the record is also solid. While not as hard-hitting or emotional as previous records from these two, there is still strong wordplay and poetry to be found throughout their lines.

In terms of performances, there is still some nuance in quality: the features are solid, or at least more fitting for the project. Niontay on “F.E.A.R.,” Na-Kel Smith on “Back LA,” and Lerado Khalil on “Locusts” all feel more at home here, providing either a needed spark of energy or a monotone voice that actually fits the beats properly. On a positive note, Earl’s half of the album is marginally stronger than MIKE’s, with more variety in beats, and Earl generally matching the production more—though still not in a particularly engaging way.

This is an album I wish I liked more—so much so that I get that insecure feeling of missing something, like there’s some reason this was supposed to feel like licking drywall while suffering from a high fever. But I haven’t found that reason, and until I do, I can’t personally recommend it. Maybe if you’re a dedicated fan of the artists on display, or you just like the plugg sound, give it a shot—but for me, this ultimately falls short.