Country : United States Label : Genres and styles : Hip Hop / rap Year : 2022

Open Mike Eagle – Component With the Auto Reverse

· by CCJ Gabriel

Underground emcee and legend in the freestyle rap scene, Open Mike Eagle is back with his latest project entitled Component System With the Auto Reverse. In what is true to Open Mike and his style over the years, Component System is also seemingly an ode to the legendary and iconic MF DOOM, a clear inspiration and former peer of Eagle. As it were, you can hear DOOM’s influence in Eagle’s rhyme schemes, cadences, flows, and production, with not only Madlib producing the beat for the track “Circuit City,” but also the song titled “For DOOM” is a letter to Mike’s fallen friend. As an avid fan of DOOM myself, I appreciate this project’s efforts in that regard very much, as he was a GOAT to many of us “old heads.” RIP Villain. 

The weird, unorthodox, and often comedic stylings of Open Mike, along with his lo-fi, throwback, and simplistic beat selection, are quite refreshing in 2022. Hearing a song like “79th and Stony Island,” where Mike explains who he is and why he is the way that he is—a product of his Chicago and Crenshaw environment, told to get out there and chase the American Dream (whatever that even means anymore)—is relatable to regular people. Most rap music today consists of unfathomable, “Disney-esque” love stories or ultra-violence and gangster dealings between million and billionaires. In contrast, Mike Eagle’s songs like “I’ll Fight You” and “I Retired Then I Changed My Mind” explore his unique mentality while touching on realistic thoughts and feelings that average people have every day. 

A couple of other highlights of this project lie within the songs “Burner Account” featuring Armand Hammer and “Kites.” The former has an impeccable lyricism and a beat that really slaps. The latter song “Kites” is rather genius, consisting of a series of “letters” left behind by Mike and fellow emcees once they’re gone. It is one of those songs I feel like I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Staying true to myself, as I always do, I will offer one criticism of Component System, that a lot of the songs were fairly short and similar. Although every track does bleed together seamlessly, I can understand how these sorts of songs can be an “acquired vibe,” if you will, especially in this day and age. Still, if you’re a fan of the abstract, obscure and old school like me, and if you were a fan of MF DOOM, then Component System With the Auto Reverse is a must-listen.

Latest 360 Content

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Sparks – MAD!

Sparks – MAD!

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Cazzu – Latinaje

Cazzu – Latinaje

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Subscribe to our newsletter