(Photo By Sound Cloud)
“Purple Space” (previous review)
“STFU” (previous review)
Meditation In London (listen/download)
After building up much anticipation for the project, Milwaukee native Philly Anderson finally dropped his long awaited Meditation In London EP. The album contains 10 total tracks and enlists guest appearances from the likes of: Mad Static, Pharaoh Mac, Lyrically Poetic, etc. Continue reading below to see which songs out of the bunch spoke to The Illixer.
“Keep God First”
This marks the very first song on the EP. The production here is down to earth. The featherweight bass, soulful groovy musical components, lax rhythm, and nonchalant vibe come together nicely. No hook is executed on this track. But the verse is layered in a manner where one isn’t really needed. The uninterrupted spitting is choice. Philly brings a neat flow, practical wordplay, and real rhymes. He gives the listener a deeply personal look into who he his while at the same time giving a nod to the man upstairs. A couple of lines worth remembering include: “Mom’s hit me with a black book. And no she not a mason. But a book we never took time to look. Sitting on ya dresser, coffee table, collecting dust (…) and growing old. I never paid attention until I did. It happens when you going through some serious s–t. Like losing jobs to bs break ups to pockets getting thin to you get jumped by thugs that’s young to be in the All That cast. Almost got a neck-brace with my foot up their a**. But somehow it didn’t break me.” Those are some honest thought provoking bars right there. Overall, this song was a well-bred way to kick things off.
“Sippin”
The production here is intriguing. The full quiet infrastructure, labored background ingredients, slow tempo, and somber vibe make for a four star combination. The hook is fresh. The delivery is appealing and the lyrics are slick. The verses are proper. Philly exhibits a breezy flow, prime wordplay, and opulent rhymes. He discusses various struggles he faces as well as how he deals with them in a very relatable fashion. Some noteworthy lines are: “Wifey calling me but the phone went dead. Suicide in a glass and took one to the head. She could sooth my disturbed soul. But what we got in common is we both take time alone. I’m tired of not trying in fear of success. Would it change me when it all gets different? I see my man Static got the church to say amen. So I apologize for my sin of being distant.” Those words are deftly packaged and paint quite a stirring picture. All in all, this selection is a hit and the site favorite.
“Beautiful Emcee”
The production here is quality. The easy going foundation, free spirited secondary elements, consistent pace, and affable vibe mesh superlatively. This is another record that was completed without a hook. But it’s nicely spaced out to where the hook isn’t missed at all. The elongated verse is refreshing. Philly doles out a warm flow with the occasional melody, sprightly wordplay, and fitting rhymes. He pens a very sincere ode to the female emcee. Peep a snippet from his dedication: “The opposite sex of poetry is what I miss. Her elements of thoughts in the form of a kiss. Her lips soothe my soul like it’s a trumpet. (…) I have dreams to have an emcee wife. Our freestyle battles is our sex every night. If not, Lord let me be there when she’s writing. Create this beat in the back of my mind and hear her voice on that microphone. And flows like water. Fresh and dirty but cold or warm.” One has to appreciate the tasteful and expressive nature of those words right there. In the end, this is a flattering effort.
**My Two Cents: Meditation In London was worth the wait for sure. Philly served up a strong variety of content in a grade A manner and the sound was top of the line too. I believer readers will dig it no question. He already has another project in the works and promises it will be even better than this one. That’s going to be quite a feat to accomplish. I can’t wait to check it out. Salute to Philly for being a positive example of what the Milwaukee Hip-Hop scene has to offer and for always showing love. -MinM
