The Alchemist has returned with Flying High, an eight-song EP featuring Earl Sweatshirt, billy woods, Boldy James, and more. Listen to the EP and check out the music video for the opening track “RIP Tracy” below.
With soulful samples galore, Flying High shows off The Alchemist’s ability to craft velvety, lyric-centric hip-hop. “RIP Tracy,” which features Earl and woods, places the rappers’ calculated flows in the spotlight, while tracks like “Bless” boast melodic, jazzy arrangements. T.F, MIKE, Sideshow, Larry June, and Jay Worthy all appear on the EP as well.
Like previous Alchemist releases — such as Lunch Meat, Bread, and This Thing of Ours 2 — Flying High begins with four tracks featuring lyrics, followed by instrumental versions of the same four tracks. Splitting it up this way, it makes it all the more easy to appreciate the balance between lyricism and sheer musical prowess that The Alchemist has perfected. Listen to the EP below.
The Alchemist first teased the release of Flying High on Instagram, sharing the album art earlier this week. The EP’s artwork comes from a ‘50s United Airlines poster advertising Southern California, The Alchemist’s home turf.
In 2021, The Alchemist and Boldy James teamed up for the album Super Tecmo Bo — earlier this year, it was announced that The Alchemist would be opening for James for European dates of the latter’s 2023 tour. Check out the full list of dates, and grab your tickets here.
Flying High Artwork:
Flying High Tracklist:
01. RIP Tracy (feat. Earl Sweatshirt and billy woods)
02. Trouble Man (feat. T.F. and Boldy James)
03. Bless (feat. MIKE and Sideshow)
04. Midnight Oil (feat. Larry June and Jay Worthy)
05. RIP Tracy – Instrumental
06. Trouble Man – Instrumental
07. Bless – Instrumental
08. Midnight Oil – Instrumental