Ouija Macc & Darby O’Trill’s Collab Album “Anemoia” Makes the Future, Past & Present Become 1 (Album Review)
This is a brand new collaborative mixtape from Key Largo, Florida emcee & Chapter 17 Records signee Darby O’Trill alongside C17’s founder/CEO & Psychopathic Records recording artist Ouija Macc. Both of whom have already established themselves in the underground, wicked shit scene at this point whether it be Ouija becoming the label that runs beneath the streets’ biggest solo act prior to launching his own subsidiary for Psychopathic or even Darby releasing his Chapter 17 debut Creek to widespread acclaim last summer joining his Lyrikal Snuff Productionz offering Gully celebrating it’s 2-year anniversary at the end of this month as his best full-length. Coronella with Trizz last fall became my favorite collab effort that Ouija has ever done surpassing We Never Forgot with Baby E right when C17 was established, but I had a feeling Anemoia could outdo both of those.
“Kennel Cough” is a dark trap opener calling out all the juffs who be claimin’ they been around when they’ve never seen them around once prior whereas “Wafflehouse Warlock” works in this vocal sample mixed with hi-hats talking about being dead all their lives. “Darkmoon Talisman” brings a morbid trap atmosphere to the table thanks to Devereaux so the demons in their heads can play hockey with their brains just before “Nugget Bowling” shoots for a ghostly approach instrumentally going straight for the dome.
Meanwhile on “Juggalunatic”, we have Ouija & Darby going trap metal to go unhinged leading into “Kidney Stones” talks about being able to promise something that you don’t really want over a bass-heavy trap beat with some bells. The Duke of the Wicked himself Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse appears as Anemoia’s only feature on “The Trees Have Eyes” cautions to stay out the woods over a ghoulish Shaggytheairhead instrumental, but then “Sage Allergy” continues with a fun banger about smokin’ until a motherfucker can’t see.
“Anemoians” makes a turn treading slower & cloudier waters knowing that both of them weren’t alone here while “Need 2 Kill Someone” delves further into the industrial trap sound talking about straight up murder. “Corpse01dotMDL” to me sounds like a bit of a hyphy/trap fusion being about the shit they be yappin’ & having work to do slammin’ a hammer on your skull repeatedly until it breaks while the 2nd single “Graveyard Shift” confesses to diggin’ these graves for days now over a demonic trap beat.
To start the last leg of the album, “Jokaroholio” murkily rubs in your face that the joke’s on you in the end while the lead single “Cobratoxin” is this grisly trap jurnt refusing to trust anyone who isn’t 17in’ in this bitch & Ouija dissing Lyrikal Snuff Productionz artist Cody Manson in his verse, which is a shame because I highly praised Cody’s sophomore effort E=MC Skelter couple years ago. “Worry Warts” hops on top of a sample-laced trap instrumental to not worry about the next man while “Death of a Summer” admits to feeling burnt out & hopeless taking the cloudier route once more. “Crossing Over” on the other hand finishes Anemoia with 1 last trap metal cut being unable to go home since they don’t have one.
Coronella only came out 7 months ago being completely unlike any other collab project that Ouija has done & Anemoia here already reached if not surpassed the bar Coronella had set. And when you think about them being the only 2 current artists on C17 as of me writing this, it’s an exemplification of the Psychopathic subsidiary’s strength. The chemistry between the both of them is incredibly natural as they jump over mostly trap-oriented production with additional elements of trap metal & cloud rap thrown in.
Score: 9/10