By the time “Reactivated,” the first track on Ferment & Rot by Des Moines-based producer AGED and Georgia rapper Malik Grey, is over, you will only have a vague sense of what awaits you for the remainder of the 20-minute project. The production starts out with lo-fi bass and snares carrying an unsettling synth and Malik’s laid-back flow, but glitchy percolations and waves of white noise work their way into the beat. I had little doubt in my mind that AGED likely has a collection of obscure noise tapes.
Don’t let that scare you, though. While Ferment & Rot fits nicely into the vague “abstract hip hop” genre, there are enough influential touchstones to not feel entirely lost in their sauce. This is more Earl Sweatshirt abstract than the industrial hip hop of clipping. or Dälek, but AGED’s dense synth textures and snappy beats are juxtaposed with enough pops and flourishes to startle listeners out of the hazy, heady meditation that would overtake otherwise.
This rare feat manifests as an atmosphere that is encompassing and heavy while simultaneously playful. “Get some noise and drone/put a clap on it,” Malik spits in a moment of self-awareness on “SHIPWRECKED 64”, “you jealous/just act honest”. The rapper’s hushed wordplay dances between braggadocious trash talking and reflective self-consciousness, mirroring the interplay of intensity and quirkiness of the production. On “Guernica” he raps, “I’m on the B-sides but I got better beats/give a fuck about these lines, I really bring heat,” displaying confidence and humility at once.
The duo isn’t interested in party tracks, trap beats, Soundcloud clout or anything danceable. This is music to vibe to, preferably in an indica-induced couch sink with your eyes closed. If the psychedelic mushroom and visual trail cover art is any indication of what Ferment & Rot is offering, it arrives on “No Victory Lap” which employs crossfades mid-track to disorient your psyche.
This is immediately followed by “Ethanol” featuring Lou Murk, which stands out as the most traditional feeling track, albeit traditional in the context of this already delightfully bizarre album. When the beat hits, an 8-bit synth lead carries a playful melody as the bars follow suit. “The illest writer since the Iliad, but I ride a Honda Odyssey that’s my minivan,” makes a strong case for my favorite line on the album. Lou Murk’s verse shines as the most aggressive on the album channeling Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA.
There are few albums this year that display the abstract weirdness and aural economy that Ferment & Rot presents. In less time than it takes to stream an episode of The Simpsons, AGED & Malik Grey pack an astonishing amount of creativity into this album.
This article was originally published in Little Village’s September 2024 issue.
