Hi everyone, Boothony Scaredtano here, the internet's busiest music nerd, and it's time for a review of this new fakemink album, Terrified .

This is the sophomore full-length album of rapper-songwriter fakemink, formerly known as 9090gate, and it's not only one of the most anticipated records of the year, but a bit of a make-or-break moment for the UK rap scene that he represents so proudly. For several years now, this guy has been building a really healthy underground buzz and is kind of putting all of his chips on this album here. But in some ways, I kind of wonder whether or not the wind has been taken out of fakemink sales before this record even got the chance to drop, 'cause fans and detractors alike have had a fair amount of criticism for some of the statements and attitudes he's been showcasing in various interviews.

Whether he's predicting he'll be making films in the next 10 years, which have made some wonder whether or not he's actually in the creative lane that he wishes he was in, or in this widely talked about Zane Lowe conversation where Mink talked about essentially being broadly unimpressed with a lot of his contemporaries on the rap scene right now.

A feeling he might genuinely have, but something that puts a lot of pressure on him to basically outdo them in a really significant way when he drops this record. He also decided to preface this new album here with an EP that had some pretty lukewarm reactions. Plus there were these recent awkward live performance clips that came out of fakemink's Rolling Loud show that had even some devoted fans questioning his talent entirely. And of course, it didn't help that in response to these criticisms, Mink took to Twitter to drop this gigantic, embarrassing essay painting any and all listeners who might not like his music or like that performance, as just being too stupid to get him or his music. Like he's just way too ahead of the curve for many to even understand right now.

And look, as much as I have enjoyed some of fakemink's stuff so far, this has genuinely had me worried about whether or not we're looking at a guy here who is just out of his depth, and also lacks the self-awareness to be able to drop a project that will appeal outside of his niche. Which does seem to be what he is gunning for, given he is one of many artists as of late who have kind of expressed aggravation over being labeled "just a rapper," as if being a rapper and being an artist are two mutually exclusive things. A concern that I think has also driven Mink to make sure this new record here is pretty much entirely self-produced, proving that for sure his talents do go beyond just spitting rhymes. But honestly, that hasn't really stopped my worst fears for this project from coming to life with the 19-song tracklist here. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I'll say this: fakemink for sure does have a distinct sound, a style that in the current rap landscape is instantly recognizable, with all of his dreamy, fuzzy production with a lo-fi edge, which of course is topped with his trademark vocal delivery that is noticeably pitched up, not quite in chipmunk territory but close. And it has a weird quality about it that feels akin to the work of Madlib when he is rapping and producing under, like, the Quasimodo name, or even nerd rap pioneer MC Chris.

However, I recognize that the similarities sonically between Mink and those artists are most likely coincidental. There are, however, some more intentional qualities to Mink's sound that remind me of the early SoundCloud rap scene. And honestly, there's just something about his vibe artistically that I think really would read well during the peak of the online music blog era of the late 2000s. Like, if I could somehow take this record back to 2007, I could easily see a glowing write-up for it in, like, Gorilla vs. Bear at their peak of relevancy.

However, we are not living in the 2000s, it is the 2020s, and unfortunately I think these days it's a lot more difficult for artists play the performative mystery card in their careers for too long, because the internet's constant demand for exposure, access, and content pretty much blasts a floodlight onto anything it touches. And because of that, I think Terrified . here is kind of becoming Mink's 'Emperor Has No Clothes' kind of moment. 'Cause while I do think this album has personality to it, as well as some highlights with some memorable hooks, as well as synth leads or beats in the production, be it either they're on "Like a Virgin," "Hard Candy," "Wrong Relief." There's also "Tell Me What You're Missing," which I think is the closest thing you're gonna get on this record to a feel-good anthem. There's also "51 Ttashpel Pony Ave," which to me has echoes of early Lil B/Clams Casino collaborations, with some Julia Wolf vocals, I believe, crooning in the background underneath Mink's rap verses and gently buzzing 808s.

But as much as I appreciate these moments on the album, there are just as many others where I think Mink sounds kind of a little far outside out of his comfort zone, or just confirms the allegations that he's not quite as deep as he portrays himself to be. I mean, the long-winded, reverb-drenched, and absolutely useless spoken word cuts strewn about this album broadcast as much. Really, just like a total waste of time on this album. And the lack of depth is further solidified by the lack of variety among these flows and beats too.

Because yeah, Mink's style is distinct, but it only takes him so far. It can't totally make up for half-hearted flows and redundant production, on tracks like "Playlist" and "Creed," a song where I'm presuming we're sort of hearing him rap at more his normal register. It's definitely a different pitch and doesn't come across quite as smooth. There are even more moments that fall short too, like "Night, Blooming Jasmine," a cute outlier when I first heard it, but the more I spun this track, the more it kind of sticks out for its overtly clubby feel. But the lack of development and super thin mix across the track kind of leads me to feel like if you want to listen to something this dancey, you could do far better.

But sometimes even when Mink is playing toward his strengths, he finds some way to get in his own way. Like on track 18 to this record, a title I will have to censor here, but, "R*tard Angel." It's a shame because musically, vocally, I would even say lyrically, this is one of the more emotive songs on the record. But frankly, what a stupid way to title this track. And no, I don't care about whatever debate might kind of outpour into the comments about like, the French origins of the word. Like, we can hear how it's being said on the track and understand what other contexts this word has meaning in. I mean, y'know, put it on a playlist for someone you like and see what happens.

And look, there are other tracks on this album where I can admire the fact that Mink does share some genuine feelings of love and fear, sadness, egotistical joy, even nostalgia for the earliest points of his career. He definitely wears his heart on his sleeve in a way that I think a lot of his contemporaries are afraid to. But he rarely digs deep enough on any of these tracks to really turn any of these feelings into a profound statement or thought, which is not a place you want to be in on a record that already is pretty deficient on the songwriting side, on the charisma side.

Again, despite there being a handful of notable highlights on this thing, Terrified overall is a pretty pretentious slog, which is why I'm feeling a decent-to-strong 5 on this one.

Anthony Fantano, fakemink, forever.