Genre: Experimental Hip Hop, Abstract Hip Hop
Recommended for: Fans of billy woods, Elucid, JPEGMAFIA, Mach-Hommy, Earl Sweatshirt
Excusing the unusual name for the album, Armand Hammer’s We Buy Diabetic Test Strips is easily one of the best hip hop albums of the last few years. The title itself was inspired by the sight of signs advertising diabetic test strips in billy woods’ Brooklyn neighborhood—marketed at the uninsured and those who are unable to pay full price. This ties into the conscious nature of the album, marked by lines about the struggles of poverty throughout.
The underground hip hop group from New York City consists of billy woods and Elucid. Over the past few months, woods has grown to be one of my favorite artists, with his recent releases Aethiopes and Maps both being contenders for my favorite album of the decade to date. This praise does not discredit Elucid, who is a great artist in his own right—I just haven’t listened to much of his solo work. Focusing more on the group itself, previous works like Haram are fairly different from We Buy Diabetic Test Strips; the former carrying a much larger jazz influence.
In contrast, this new release is a lot more ambitious and eccentric. The beats range from hypnotic on “The Flexible Unreliability Of Time & Memory” to almost abrasive on “Trauma Mic”—a step in a different direction. I am not as high on these beats as I have been on past woods/Elucid/Armand Hammer albums, however this does not take away from the album. Instead, they help to create a more eclectic atmosphere. Some of my favorites include “I Keep A Mirror In My Pocket” (produced by Preservation) and “Landlines” (produced by JPEGMAFIA). These instrumentals, filled with miscellaneous soundbytes, do well in supporting the lyrics.
Personally, the highlight of any project involving billy woods is usually the lyrical content. This project in particular has all of the lyrical quality of past works and more. Throughout the project, the two trade complex verses packed with dense wordiness. Each carries their own lyrical style, adding on to the abstract nature of the album. Unique and specific references span across fields, from history to sports to pop culture. The duo is extremely creative in their wording, and majorly deals with issues revolving around capitalism and self-identity. There is a lot to unpack in each verse from both the headliners and features.
On an album filled with great moments, it’s hard to choose favorites. However, there are definitely a few parts that really stood out to me. The smooth sampling on the opening track “Landlines” allows the duo to establish a mysterious and eclectic atmosphere from the beginning. My favorite sample, though, has to be the late great MF DOOM on “Y’all Can’t Stand Right Here”, which contains an amazing beat switch. Later, the feature from Cavalier on “I Keep A Mirror In My Pocket” is not only a great feature, but one of the best verses on the album. The lyrics and flow mesh together extremely well over maximalist production, jumping out at you. The last track I’d like to mention is “The Gods Must Be Crazy”, which contains the best lyrical performances of the project.
We Buy Diabetic Test Strips is currently my favorite album of the year to date, and it’s hard to foresee that changing. From the production and atmosphere to the lyrics and flow, billy woods and Elucid’s latest collaboration is one for the books. I highly recommend this album to all hip hop fans.
Favorite Songs: The Gods Must Be Crazy, When It Doesn’t Start With A Kiss, I Keep A Mirror In My Pocket
Least Favorite Song: Supermooned
Rating: 9/10