I woke up this morning excited to listen to Sli’merre, the hotly anticipated collaborative album between Young Nudy and Pierre Bourne, but could not find it anywhere. Not Apple Music, Spotify, or Soundcloud. There was a glowing Pitchfork review giving the album the same score they gave the new Vampire Weekend album, and yet no album to listen to. That is until Nudy’s manager came through assuring us that it was to come.
Nudy does not stray from that ethos on this project, talking shit and repping his city as you’d expect. His rapping really is most useful in how it provides subdued vocal instrumentation, really allowing for those Pierre beats to shine, and boy do they ever. Where some of Die Lit did feel like Pierre and Carti were searching for that ever illusive Magnolia follow up, here Pierre is all over his sonic palette here and Nudy is along for the ride. Where Mister feels like Pierre making something that’d fit on the Mr. Roger’s Soundtrack, Dispatch sounds like if Pierre took a two second clip of an Earthbound villain taking damage and tried to make a grime beat around it. Meanwhile Call Dat Bitch Homicide sounds like what I’d imagine a slot machine on the Jetsons might sound like. Each beat is gorgeous, futuristic, and completely its own.
Sli’merre’s success feels akin to the success Kenny Beats and Key! had on last year’s stellar 777. Pierre and Nudy know what to expect from one another and what their respective role is in the process. Nudy is the steady conductor and straight man, providing the bars and keeping things rooted in East Atlanta. Pierre meanwhile is the mad scientist, bringing the bleeps and boops, the 808s and the bass, and is making sure that you’re on your toes at all times. Only thing the tape was missing was a Carti feature.
check out Sli’merre on Soundcloud, Apple Music or Spotify.
