Ill Vibe & Ordeal "Michael Jackson's Milk"

When I saw the album title "Michael Jackson's Milk" I wasn't sure what to expect. But as they explain on their bandcamp page "The name of this album is in no form of disrespect to the late Michael Jackson, more a TRIBUTE." Once I got that explanation I was able to put on my headphones and check out this album. As I have said numerous times on here (mainly on my review of "Lobotomy Music") I am a fan of MC and producer collaborative albums, they help to form a cohesive feel and mood for an album, really holding it together. "Michael Jackson's Milk" is no exception, Ordeal and Ill Vibe compliment each other incredibly well and while there are different sounds to each track you can hear the connection throughout. But enough of my rambling let us get on to the actual review, so here we go.

"MJM Intro" certainly features a little quote from Michael before Ill Vibe lays down a chill beat while looping the words in the album title, just a little taste of what is to come, in other words a solid intro. The listener is first introduced to Ordeal with "On the Block" a beat that sounds like a full blown orchestra, chopped up. But Ordeal steals the show here with rapid line after line of multisylabolic rhymes. I've heard the track about 10 times now and still hold on tight trying to hear each line, got most of them but damn impressive to have that speed (not over the top cannot understand speed) and still have every word hit.

On "Personified" Ordeal slows down his delivery but keeps his lyrical content, "Tell me you're not fundamentally twisted I'm gifted, you may think you're the present I'm the fucking ghost of Christmas." The piano, horn, and drum beat crafted by Ill Vibe create an atmosphere of people reminiscing over the old times while pour their hearts out, the ideal sound for Ordeal's flow of self-confidence.

Ordeal proclaims "Music is for grown-ups" on "It's a Shame" which features Phil G the Knowbody. Both MCs go after those who get into the music before having the talent and knowledge required The beat is rather cloudy with a soft mix of piano, drums, and horns. The horn actually acts as the dominant part and actually provides the rhythm, a nice twist by Ill Vibe.

The piano jumps out of my headphones on "Riddle Me This" while the drums provide a great beat for Ordeal and Nobody Cares to spit over. What is really odd to me about this track, is I found it really difficult to say much more about it and when I went back to pick out some of the lyrics I like (there are a good amount) I found myself listening to the whole song and realizing I forgot to type those lyrics, so I listened again...same thing. Not sure what this means but just thought I would share it with you, maybe you will have better luck than I did but make sure you peep the lyrics, both MCs kill it.

In what sounds like the drums of a upcoming battle (or the hollow ticking of an echoing clock) "All Night Long," tries to shut off his mind and just relax so he can go to sleep. "I just want to get along be my integrity is egging me on, begging me to deaden these pawns and finish strong," the life of an artist, never being able to rest especially when an idea comes into their head. The clock sound continues with "Timeless," but this is more of a music box sound, actually a dream (nightmare) music box. Along with Ordeal (who keeps up the horror ideas dropping a nice Freddy reference) Eyenine is featured with the opening line "excuse me avid listeners I need your undivided attention I'm questioning the very structure we're standing on in this dimension." Reading that line it does not seem like it would work, but Eyenine's phrasing and cadence make it sound so very right and spot on as if we have said these words wrong.

When I hear "I've Been Alone" I picture Ordeal walking through the streets on a cold and snowy winter night with headphones as he gets many of his personal obstacles and grievances off his chest while running down his life's struggles. It may just be the sampled chorus that sounds like a muddy, high pitched Dido. Electric guitars and drums hit you hard as "6 Feet Deep" begins. Madness 2012 starts the first verse with "We're standing at the edge of history about to leap face first into the unconsciousness without being asleep," so as you can tell this is a very upbeat and lighthearted track.

Cubbiebear spits the first few bars of "Insensible" over just few simple piano chords but as his verse gets more emotional, the drums and harps pickup until they continue throughout the track. In a great move, Ordeal gets the same treatment but in reverse, in fact the beat drops out entirely for his last 2 or 3 words.

BOOM...that is the feeling of "Verbal Stardust" starting with Ill Vibe's beat featuring chords that sound like Jason is coming for you and heavy drums (but still squeezes in a great little soul sample) to Ordeal's verses, but the BOOM is more of an explosion of thoughts and ideas. Probably the least structured and most relaxed vocals. The album closes with "MJM Outro" which uses some great background music (I'm sure you will know it) over a news report on the cause of Michael's death and just where Ill Vibe and Ordeal got the idea for the album title.

There is no doubt that Ill Vibe and Ordeal created a damn good album with "Michael Jackson's Milk" and it is not just the unifying underlying sound of the album. No, to me what really makes it shine is its reply value, not just because it is quality but due to the layers of it, especially Ordeal's lines. I swear, each track he has more rhymes than I can actually hear, on each listen I pick up more and more and then I wonder why I didn't notice them before. Upon discovering each new rhyme and phrasing I notice how well he works around and with Ill Vibe's beat, you can tell the two made an effort to create music and not just an MC over a beat, so kudos to both of them for working on crafting songs that are cohesive enough to form an album but not so similar that you get bored, I highly recommend you check this album out now.


Stream and Download the whole album for free here

PS: I apologize if this became incoherent at anytime, I just seemed to zone out to the music and lose track of my pace of writing. I always love when I can lose myself in an album but not always a great idea to write the review while stuck in the music.