The Impossible Kid- Aesop Rock’s 7th album and second for indie giant Rhymesayers- is a masterclass in American etymology. As with any standard Aesop release, the words pile up and demand an ear- but this time they’re illustrating an obvious distance and loneliness. Aesop carves out space for plenty of math raps, loading each verse with intricate nuances that constantly fire off. The Impossible Kid doesn’t let up- in the best possible way.
If you have the stamina to invest, The Impossible Kid is an auditory workout, working best when you dump Aesop’s imagery on the table and organize a jigsaw of a man locked in a struggle. This is Aesop’s most personal record, leaving less time for us to conceptualize while the songs stack up like a vulnerable house of cards.
“Dorks” cynically asks if we’d notice if Aesop was dead before his cat ate his face. While this record isn’t a call for help, it is a self-addressed postcard from a land of dark contemplation where you can find him across the room, scribbling his doubts in mighty fashion. The Impossible Kid ranks Aesop Rock among hip hops most technically proficient songwriters- whether the mainstream taps in or not.
