Mykki Blanco – Stay Close To Music

A project that could rank as their masterpiece...

“I got to fight for every little queer, every kid alone with fear, every kid that’s dressing up and dressing out just being them”.

These are the words that draw Mykki Blanco’s latest album ‘Stay Close To Music’ to its conclusion, pushing the force beyond their artistic influence, tightening its grasp around the generational. Once birthed from an adolescent video art project, it’s the same voice that whittled its way through New York’s underground scene over a decade ago. The urgency in Blanco’s message hasn’t flinched, yet there has been a shift in the artist’s approach to their sound, feeling all the more mature, refined and, from start to finish, deeply moving. ‘Stay Close To Music’ is a big wake up call for anyone who let Mykki Blanco slip through their radar.

Opening track ‘Pink Diamond Bezel’ is a lustful taste of Blanco’s more experimental work, enchanting in its sonorous bass, airy flutes and the hypnotic scrapes of a guiro. Sprinkling quirky one-liners that dabble between the conversational and melodic, the single foreshadows a strong leaning into the musician’s glam and punk rock inclinations, framing the record as a whole.

Followed by the confessional self-awareness of ‘Steps’, the tracklist spares no time for filler material, allowing the stripped-back cuts to promptly take centre-stage. Similarly tapping into the introspective, ‘French Lessons’ showcases a beautiful crossover between the revered ANOHNI and Kelsey Lu, now under a fuller, drum-lead production. As Blanco’s wispy entrance details the all too familiar, either met with eye-rolls or tell-me-more nods: “I told the girls ’bout my man”, they pave the way for a track that gushes infatuation, haunted by this feeling of drifting away. It’s worth mentioning the weight of talent, relevance and variety across ‘Close To Music’s’ 13-tracks, spanning from legendary figure Michael Stipe to the lo-fi flurry of Slug Christ.

The likes of ‘Lucky’ feel like a return to the initial blueprint, repping vengeful trap beats and snarling verses from Blanco. It’s a razor-sharp track that feels like high-fashion. It is of no surprise that Gucci previewed its live performance last year, summoning the equally powerful choreography work of Blackhaine.

Between close proximity and transitions, Blanco masters an ability to navigate contrasting emotions and delivery across an eclectic pool of genres and sonics. Honesty stands at their core, with the momentous ‘Carry On’ serving as a stark snapshot of the industry in which the artist operates. They pose the question: “Black and gay, I wonder if they’ll ever claim us, HIV, I got HIV can I still be famous?”

In its entirety, the LP observes a rapper, vocalist and performance artist inching closer to their purest and most challenging form. For all the right reasons. Once known for operating within the, at times, closed-minded realms of hip-hop, Mykki Blanco is kicking off all labels, barriers and conventions. ‘Stay Close To Music’ is, in all sincerity, a masterpiece that seeks to amplify the voices that have been pushed aside for far too long.

9/10

Words: Ana Lamond

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