New Music: Chris Orrick & the Lasso - I Read That I Was Dead

Coming out of Detroit, Chris Orrick (fka Red Pill) has been making a splash on Mello Music now for a few years both as a solo artist and a member of the Ugly Heroes trio with Apollo Brown and Verbal Kent. He has been particularly prolific over the last five years and following May's release of Out to Sea Chris Orrick has returned again with I Read That I Was Dead, a collaborative effort between himself and fellow Michiganite producer The Lasso. The title is a reference to the recent death of the cryptozoologist of the same name, and the surreal nature of reading about oneself in the obituary pages. Hearing this story I was reminded of the anecdote behind the Nobel Peace Prize, in which Alfred Nobel, a manufacturer of munitions is mistaken for dead, and upon reading what was said about his life, realizes the legacy he's leaving behind and decides to change it.

Whether intended or not, this story fits with the music of Orrick very well in my opinion, he has never shied away from revealing the most disturbing aspects of his own character (Instinctive Drowning, put out under the Red Pill moniker contains some of the more disturbing material I've ever encountered in rap), often with a dry wit and a notable lack of emotional self pity. He is wise to the parts of himself he most struggles with, and has managed to turn them into something that can be both brutal and beautiful. I enjoy that about his music, and I was excited to hear his newest offering.

I Read That I Was Dead is probably the most interesting release I've heard from Orrick as a solo artist, and anyone who might have read my posts here knows that to me that means a lot. I attribute some of that to the production by The Lasso, which at times is unique yet dope enough to draw comparisons to El-P. Orrick's past work has included beats that were beautiful, intricate and catchy but not always particularly abstract or experimental. The closest I've heard him come to abstract hip hop was on 2017's Instinctive Drowning, although he always remains soulful and jazzy to a certain extent. This newest album has that edgy, at times harsh sound that Ill Poetic used to help illustrate the dark and depressing landscape of Drowning, and I would say for those who know Chris Orrick but haven't yet heard this new one that this is the closest he's come to that disturbing work.

Tackling subjects like mass shootings, capitalism and alienation (from others as well as from self on "Specimens" the only song to feature a guest verse by Quelle Chris who's unusual voice and style fit so perfect over The Lasso's beat that one wonders if a full length collabo is in order...), Orrick's lyrics are as cynical yet human as ever. He raps about the things most of us have felt and thought, often at our lowest but sometimes simply as an exasperated response to the state of daily life. I feel like anyone could relate to his poetry, especially with his later work that moves a bit farther away from the suffocating world of alcoholism and into a sort of twisted whimsy. I Read That I Was Dead is stated to come from the perspective of "a man who chooses to live in exile like an artist escaping a successful coup", and that separation from, and ascension over reality allows Orrick to examine everything at one remove, building on the distorted eeriness of the production to establish a palpable sense of surrealism and confusion.

If I had to make one criticism of this album it would be that it's a bit short. That seems to be something I run into a lot with his solo releases, I don't believe any of them have over 12 tracks. When working with a single producer, especially in a collaborative atmosphere like the one behind I Read (apparently the pair set up in The Lasso's lab and hammered out the album together) it's understandable that the final product will be a tight and concise piece of music. However I would absolutely love to see Orrick put out a longer work, maybe even a mixtape. It could be a great introduction to his music and showcase the many different subjects and themes that make up his artistic persona, not to mention the opportunity to experiment with all kinds of different production and rapping styles.

All in all I think if you like indie rap enough to have found this blog and waded through this review, you'll like this album a lot. I'm always excited to hear more from Orrick, I believe his music can be a one of a kind experience for the vigilant listener.


Get I Read That I Was Dead at Orrick's Bandcamp here, out now!