A Toothpaste Suburb, Milo (2014)
Milo’s A Toothpaste Suburb is a record that gives its listener a hell of a lot to find. It invites you to search for understanding of an immense number of subjects; from what music Schopenhauer wrote to what Kant philosophised, from learning the miserable life story of Kang Min-gyu to pondering the something so personal as the drowning of Milo’s personal friend Robert. Milo’s reference-laden lyricism delves even deeper into his personal life, development and education in dense fashion.
Yet, in many ways, it asks a bit too much. Compared to his debut compilation, A Toothpaste Suburb feels more abstract and its concept looser, and this can often make it more difficult to enjoy. Despite common themes of philosophy, modern masculinity and mental illness, underlain by Milo’s renowned sardonic humour, it seems less concise and interconnected, and a bit too scattered. This isn’t helped by the hooks – they’re noticeably less catchier and less interesting, even when they’re being performed by others like Busdriver.
There was also something a bit charming of Milo’s first compilation that was lost in the brasher beats of A Toothpaste Suburb, a record that favours many producers over the continuity of one or two. There’s less continuity and less that makes Milo different from any of the other Hellfyre Club rappers. Despite this, an exceptionally young Iglooghost produces a notable number of the instrumentally impressive tracks here, taking naturally to instrumental hip hop before being known for his more recent, wildly experimental wonky.
However, just because A Toothpaste Suburb is harder to enjoy than TTHAD // TTHAN doesn’t mean it doesn’t reward its listeners over time, at least in part. Though the shorter tracks don’t latch on to your attention first time around, over multiple listens they merge into differently-themed verses of the same abstract piece. That isn’t as good a review of Milo’s music as much of the rest of his work, but A Toothpaste Suburb is almost certainly one of his weaker releases.
Pick: ‘Just Us (A Reprise for Robert Who Will Never Be Forgotten)’
