This album was released on February 2nd this year. Jay Cinema is an artist I’ve been covering since 2021 when he dropped the collaborative album with WilfMerson, What You Need Ain’t What You Want!, which was pretty good. I went on to enjoy Out the Loop, which featured a variety of different producers, which is starting to feel more and more rare these days. I was pretty indifferent towards most of the material I heard from Jay Cinema after that project, but this latest release is a different story. I have no idea who Chow is, but this collab really worked in my opinion. This is easily the best project I’ve ever heard from Jay Cinema.

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The album starts with the title track, Alchemy, which is just a quick instrumental intro. When I first listened to this album, I kinda had a slightly negative opinion of this track as an intro because I didn’t think it added much to the overall album. However, I feel the complete opposite way now. I think this track works really well as an intro. I like the voice of whoever that is defining “alchemy” at the beginning, and the instrumental that eventually comes in sounds really great. This track is fantastic. The first actual song is called All on Me. The first thing that really stood out to me is just how comfortable Jay Cinema sounds over this beat. His flow is nowhere near as rough as it used to be 2 or 3 years ago. I’d still say that it’s his greatest weakness at this point, but it’s worth noting that he’s improved drastically on that front. The writing has definitely improved a lot too. I was actually interested in everything Jay had to say on this track and on the album in general. It’s not like, super thought-provoking, profound stuff, but it’s still interesting enough to keep me entertained.

Not the best, but I'm not the worst
The way my brain work a gift and a curse
Nigga like me been hurt since birth
Probably will be in the dirt, or even in the hearse
Ain't got time for the what-ifs
Gotta make my music & dip
You niggas wanna be rich, that's it
I'm tryna make sure crackers don't fuck with my people again
It's been too long with the bandages
Decades of the damage
Look how we manage, rather graceful
Can't blame me for not being faithful

The production from Chow is a big part of what makes this song and album so much better than all of Jay’s other stuff too. These are the best beats Jay Cinema has ever rapped over. This beat in particular has a really stellar vocal sample. The more I listen to this track, the more I love it. The production is dope as fuck, and Jay fits over it like a glove. It’s a dope song. The following track is called How Do I? This was one of the weaker songs on the album to me on my first listen, and I’m still not totally in love with it. I do like it to some extent though. I just don’t love the beat as much as most of the others. It’s a bit too straightforward and repetitive for me. Some would call it “minimalistic.” Personally, I would call it undercooked. Jay sounds nice over it though. I like how he refers to himself as a Backyardigan. That was funny to me. I loved that show. The song is pretty good to me, but perhaps my least favorite on the album. It’s followed by Drum Me (Look at Me), which has a crazy ass beat. This beat sounds like drowning in the form of music. It’s super bizarre. I really fuck with it though. I think this song has some of the best lyricism on the album too.

All I see changes in the world I don't agree with
It's egregious
Breathing in marijuana 'cause I don't want to be sober 'til my plight is over
But I can only watch it expand
My pupils bounce and dance
In attempts to find something secure on this broken land we call home

This is honestly one of the better tracks on the album to me. Maybe top 5. At least top 10. Anyway, it’s really dope. It’s followed by the first major highlight though, which is called Burnin’ Up. Once again, Jay Cinema’s lyricism here is pretty nice to me.

Every step we take becomes nothing but faded memories
I'm gassed up, operating off Sour D and my blue dreams
We bleed deep, all the way into the soil
Life is perfect because I'm black, niggas was born royal

However, what really pushes this song to the next level is the beat. The production on this song is absolutely fucking incredible. This might actually be the best beat I’ve heard all year. That vocal sample is insane. Chow put his ass into this one. I love it. Speaking of Chow, he actually spits a guest verse on this song, which is pretty dope. The song is dope as fuck overall. I love it. It’s one of my favorite songs of the year. It’s followed by another highlight called Sympathy Route, which grew on me even more with multiple listens. I really love how tense and chaotic, yet ethereal and mystical the production is. The stream of consciousness approach to the writing doesn’t make for a super interesting lyrical performance, but it’s still enjoyable to me. The song’s less than two minutes long, so it’s short and sweet, which I appreciate. I think it’s dope as hell. Track 7 is called Chemdawg. It’s named after a hybrid marijuana strain that I’ve actually tried before and highly recommend. Anyway, what makes this song stand out is the fact that it has a much more prominent drum pattern than pretty much any other track on the album. The drums are a big part of what make this song stand out. The other thing that kinda makes this song a little unique within the album is Jay’s relatively fast paced cadence. He has a lot of energy here. I really like the opening tercet on this track, which kinda serves as the hook to the song.

What's gon happen when the world stop spinning?
Papers stuffed with chemdawg, I might be at my limit
I see the world different, tripping, set it down, I can't finish

It’s a really dope track. I wouldn’t exactly call it a highlight, but I definitely fuck with it. Track 8 is another gem entitled Protection. This song has another one of my favorite instrumentals on the album. The beat here is really jazzy and pretty. From a songwriting perspective, this feels like one of the most fleshed out, complete songs on the album. There are two full verses and a hook. I think Jay’s flow on this track sounds pretty nice—particularly on the opening quatrain of the second verse. I really like the hook on this track too.

Whoever's above me, just give me protection
Don't know where I'm going, don't know where I'm heading
Fuck the world, but I still need my blessings
Love the world 'cause it give a nigga lessons

The song is dope as hell. It’s followed by Why the Slumber, which features Micah Gabriel. I’ve heard Micah Gabriel’s production before, but this was my introduction to them as a rapper, and I was definitely satisfied with their performance here.

This is lightning striking twice in the same uptown basement
I used the spark to spark the facelift
Treat the night shift like the day shift
I treat the day shift like the graveyard
We got the same 24, we got the same star
Play your cards right, you might just do something
Blue Dream by the bakers dozen
Slumber party on me, these publications bugging

Jay Cinema spit what is probably his nicest flow on the whole album here too. The song’s really dope. It’s followed by Gone for Too Long, which was one of the weaker songs to me on my first listen. However, it definitely grew on me with repeated listens. I think the beat is really weird, and probably an acquired taste. I personally really like it though. I also think the verse from Jay Cinema over it is pretty nice. It’s not a super lyrical verse or anything. He just has a very heartfelt, impassioned delivery that I appreciate. I think he sounds great over this beat. Like I said, the song grew on me a lot. I think it’s dope. It’s followed by an interlude called What Is Alchemy? Just like with the intro, I think this track works really well. The kind of off-kilter sample that Chow chopped up here sounds really smooth. It sounds like a real intermission rather than just a waste of time. I never thought of rolling a spliff as a form of alchemy until I heard this interlude. Now I’m gonna be thinking about that every time I smoke a joint. Anyway, the next actual song is called Fly wit Me. Once again, I really love the vocal sample that Chow looped up for this track. It sounds really warm and comforting to me. I enjoyed Jay Cinema’s rapping quite a bit too. I feel like his rhymes are never super dense and intricate, but he just says shit with a lot of heart that I can relate to. I don’t really have a lot of experience with tripping on psychedelics, but I still enjoyed the lyricism here.

Fly with me, get high with me, I don't want to do this alone
Hold my hand in case I can't handle all that is shown
This my first time, are you experienced?
Have you been to Electric Ladyland
Let's take the chance, got a couple grams
Colors coming in, what a beautiful trance, let's advance
Tell the truth I just want to dance and get away
Every step I take tells me this world isn't safe
Why you think I take the purple haze to the face
And find myself walking in a everlasting maze?
But I need something else
Wise man told the psychedelics will help
So fuck it, let's lay down, close our eyes and melt

There’s just one verse on this song, but it’s pretty good. I fuck with this track. The following track is a highlight entitled Third Eye. Again, the pitched down vocal sample here is beautiful. I think Jay spits one of his better flows on the album during the first verse. What really makes this song stand out to me is the feature from Dayamore though. I think this is my first time hearing her rap, but she really impressed me here. Her flow was nice, and I enjoyed the lyrics quite a bit.

Is it God or Goddard?
Law of assumption be the power
Manifesting causing wrinkles in time
So sublime when I rhyme
'Cause I'm a queen author
Fine tips rip these new age rappers like Excalibur
Head of this, banking in like chancellors
Matriarch so divine, make them move like magis, preferably Balthazar
Bearing gifts, myrrh for the apostle, the most highs ambassador

The song would still be very good even without the feature, but she really adds a lot of flair to the track in my opinion. It’s dope as hell. Track 14 is called What a Day, and it’s got a really dreamy, sample-based beat that I love a lot.

Once again, Jay sounds pretty good here. I liked that line about smoking a preroll and not knowing the strain. Something about the refrain on the outro sounds a little odd to me.

What a day in the park
Took mad steps
Sat back, and I reflected

I like the lyrics, but the flow just sounds a little awkward. It kinda grew on me the more I listened to it though. Anyway, I actually really like the way this song is structured. There’s just one kinda short verse at the beginning, and then the rest of the song is taken up by the hook. It’s a dope track. Track 15 is called Put the Word In.

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It’s one of the longest tracks on the album, but it doesn’t feel like it overstays its welcome to me. I think a lot of it has to do with the really good production from Chow. The opening verse from him is nice too. I think he’s got a better flow than Jay Cinema, but I prefer Jay’s vocal delivery. They both sound pretty good. Lyrically, nothing here really sticks with me that much. I love this track so much sonically that I don’t even care about the dearth of interesting bars. This was a highlight for me on my first listen of the album, but I have to admit that it’s no longer one of my favorite tracks. That’s mainly because some of the other tracks grew on me even more than this one though. I still think it’s really dope. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that the music video is pretty cool too. Track 16 is called Love 222 You, and it’s got one of my favorite instrumentals on the whole album. That’s the main reason I’m sold on this track, although I do think the rapping is solid too.

My heart heavy, but it won't break
But I've been hurt, knocked me off my own pace
Won't show my face
You can't see the shame I display
Scars don't fade, they accumulate
I wake up feeling lost in the race
Am I moving fast enough? Is my feet collecting dust?
I was told to take my time, now they telling me to rush

I just feel like the production is what really sucks me into this song. Jay’s not really doing anything super different on this track. If the beat wasn’t as good as it is then I would say this is one of the more underwhelming tracks on the album. I do fuck with it overall though. It’s dope. The penultimate track is called You Lie. Again, the fucking production, man. It’s really great. Chow knocked this one outta the park. Lyrically, this seems to be a breakup song, and as a result of the more specific subject matter, this song has some of the most focused, detailed writing on the album.

You said you wasn't gonna leave my side, but you lied
Now I'm traumatized, walking with these swollen eyes
I couldn't fight it cause you interfered with the mission
I feel slighted, you said was gon be different
Now I'm tripping, coping with these hurtful feelings
I resort with the herbal for the inner healing
I wonder if you know what you did to my spirit
As of late I been slow, walking incoherent
Got my foot on the gas, I can't stop the wheels
It's not a fantasy, this shit really is real
You was my galaxy, now life feels so surreal
Had me on the hook, but you dropped the reel

There are two whole verses and a hook here, so this track doesn’t feel undercooked at all. I think it’s really dope. The closing track is called Blessings on Bless, and it’s a posse cut featuring Big Flowers, dj nOOnsomewhere, shemar, and Chow. It’s easily the longest track on the album, and I definitely fuck with it, but I will say I don’t really think the length is justified. I don’t think every verse on this track is absolutely essential. Big Flowers probably spit the best verse on the whole album honestly. None of the other verses are bad, but I just feel like a couple of them could’ve been trimmed off because they don’t add that much to the overall experience. The song’s dope though overall. I fuck with it.

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^{This album is great. Again, this is easily the best project I’ve ever heard from Jay Cinema. It just feels a lot more ambitious and fleshed out than any of the other releases I’ve heard from him. I think the main reason I enjoyed this one so much more is the production. Chow really knocked these beats outta the park. There’s not a single track here that I don’t like, and it’s because every single beat is really enjoyable to me. The problems I had with Jay Cinema’s music back in 2021 when I first started listening are still present here, but to a lesser degree. I still don’t think his writing is that focused, but the themes of perseverance and overcoming hardship definitely resonate with me. His flow has improved a lot too. He doesn’t sound as awkward on the mic as he used to at certain points. As I said in the body of this review, I still think his flow is his greatest weakness, but it’s clear to see that he’s improving on that front, which makes me excited to see if he somehow surpasses this project in the future. To be completely honest, this is one of the better albums I’ve heard so far in 2024. I think this shit is great. Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments below.}

Favorite Song: Burnin’ Up
Least Favorite Song: How Do I?

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