Steve 'Flash' JuonAlthough YUNGMORPHEUS gets first billing of the duo, Eyedress is arguably the better known of the two on “Affable With Pointed Teeth.” Known as a rapper, singer and producer with a stint as a fashion designer to boot, Eyedress has four studio albums to date with Lex Records and a slew of mixtapes and singles running back to 2013. There’s much less info about YM online, but from what little I can gather, he was born in Florida and his rap career started blowing up when he went to Boston College. If there’s more to tell either no one has told it yet or YM is purposefully keeping his intentions well hidden, much like his Matrix namesake.
That would certainly fit the image he presents on the double video for “Candyman/Four Week Cure.” It feels like he’s walking around in a virtual world filled with nothing but street thugs, goldfish bowls and poker games. His delivery is as deliberately laid back as the Eyedress beats, but his words are still loaded with menace. “Who you hiding them scars from? Little nigga, don’t you know the tough bleed?” It may be obvious to compare them to Freddie Gibbs x Madlib, but if the shoe fits, put the fucking shell toes on. “I was mashing on the gas with a deeper focus.”
There’s a lo-fi, chill aesthetic that YM x Eyedress cultivate throughout “Affable With Pointed Teeth.”Songs like “Reverse King’s Gambit” float over instruments seemingly pulled from 1950’s or 60’s jazz records, while YM reminds us “this chess, that’s checkers” to explain that he operates on a higher level. In another nod to Madlib, the song randomly segues to a stand up routine about marijuana, turning the duo into American’s Most Blunted. I’m guessing if I sped it up to the right speed it would be Hannibal Buress.
Going in the ALL CAPS name didn’t make me think of MF DOOM. The short song length and large letters in his name made me think YUNGMORPHEUS would be on some AutoTune croon shit, but he stays “at the spot spliffed, bumpin on Coltrane” without needing any sizzurp or pitch correction. Songs like “Bunchy Carter” are a whole ass mood. “I don’t like to kick it with niggaz, they lie in they raps/All these niggaz think it’s just a lil’ game until they wires get tapped.” The instrumental is too chill to be hardcore, but YM is spitting like a wizened O.G. who has been down in the dirt a long time.
I’m a bit torn on recommending “Affable With Pointed Teeth” because it’s definitely MY thing, but I don’t know if it would be YOUR thing. It feels like this should be a separate genre called “gangsta chill” where hard rocks get as mellow on weed as they possibly can, then spit laconic lyrics over smooth instrumentals. You can’t snap your neck to it, but you might snap your fingers to it. There’s no boom bap, but there’s plenty of cool raps. YM isn’t dropping gems of knowledge or bars with big punchlines, but he tells his stories in a mesmerizing way that draws you into each verse. If you’re too amped up off energy drinks, try “Affable With Pointed Teeth” to bring your heart rate down. Afterward you might find you enjoy being mellow more than the adrenaline rush.