Mic Mountain - Piragua

Mic Mountain

Piragua
​self-released; 2020

3.9 out of 5

By Matt Jensen

Mic Mountain is an Afro-Latino emcee and producer of Native American descent who is from Washington D.C. He recently released Piragua. The album to me sounded like a mix between old school rap like Run DMC, A Tribe Called Quest, etc. and influence from regions like Mexico and South America. I thought it was a nice change from the mainstream rap we hear today. It was also nostalgic in some ways because I grew up in the ’90s when artists like Run DMC and A Tribe Called Quest were huge.

The album starts with “Piragua (Intro)” and the music is festive and sort of preps you for what to expect. I found the groove fairly infectious right away and loved the horns. The rapping was on point and I was excited to hear what else the album had in store.

“La Caserio feat. Ant Milli” was great - old school almost ’70s soul sounding drums with bright horns. There is a lot going on musically and I noticed the unique panning effects when I had headphones on. The style of rapping did have more of a ’90s inflection. 

“Huka feat. Bobby Knuxx Castro” is a little dangerous sounding but also infectious. The percussive elements are dark but upfront in the mix. The vocalists played off each other seamlessly. “Piragua (Skit)” is actually a skit and worked because of the humor.

“Peligroso feat. Thirstin Howl the 3rd” definitely felt a little more modern in terms of the production from the hi-hat programming to the darker pads which reminded me of Drake. “Mire Loco (Watch Out) feat. CTRAFFIK” actually has a similar dark quality from the lyrics to the beat and elements in the song. “Mis Suenos” brings some levity and is more festive while the closer “Sabor de Abuela” is a celebration of a life lived.

​This album is eclectic and diverse yet also cohesive. There are different shades of emotion throughout but the underlying foundation and style tied it all together. Recommended.

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