This EP was released on March 28th this year. Ever since I first started listening to Lt. Headtrip in late 2020, I’ve been enamored by his wordy rap style. I got to meet him in person for the first time late last year in Greensboro, where he performed some songs from this project alongside NorthernDraw for a beat showcase. It was really cool to hear these songs live ahead of their official release. I think I appreciate the final product now more than I would have had I not heard them live first. This was one of the first releases of 2025 that I had in heavy rotation after my hiatus.

The project begins with 40 Story Trust Fall, which is one of my favorites on the project. I really love NorthernDraw’s beat here. This is gonna seem really random, but it reminds me of something I might hear on the Tiny Tower soundtrack. I mean that as a compliment because I love the music in that game. It’s really chill, and kinda sounds like what would play in my head as I’m getting ready to tackle the day in the morning. It feels like a fresh cup of coffee in the form of music. Headtrip’s signature wordy flow is on full display, especially starting after the forty-second mark. At this point, there are so many syllables packed into the quatrain that it’s difficult for me to understand exactly what’s being said. It’s gonna take a lot of listens for it to fully register for me. I like it a lot though. This is a really dope intro to the project, and it had me excited to check out the rest of the EP.

Track 2 is called It’s All Timing; once again, I really love the chill, melodic vibe of the instrumental. The lyricism from Headtrip is what sells me on the track though. The bars are just really creative. I liked these lines about being a stray dog a lot…

"Go get 'em," they said
I came back with their enemies' flesh on my breath
Left their heads on the steps
You pet a stray and now you've got a companion
Just don't bug me if I haven't been fed or when I'm nappin'

The following lines are some of my favorites on the whole project…

I'm losing track of my monikers, I can't keep up with myself
Splitting hairs and atoms and fertile neural cells
I'm advocating to doppelgängers for a moment of solitude here
I'm underqualified, but stubbornly compelled, alright
I can't get specific, but I've seen things
I taught a kitten english, it taught me to read dreams
They said I'd forget my sorcery if I were to leave Queens
Well, I'm drivin' where I'm supposed to be and conjuring freaky beings

The way Headtrip is able to spit such a vast amount of syllables without it sounding awkward and janky has always been one of my favorite features of his music. It’s most likely an acquired taste for the average listener, but I was hooked right off the bat. The song’s really dope; I like it even more than the opening track.

Track 3 is a highlight entitled Pirate Radio Waves, and it features the underground legend Rob Sonic. I’m personally not super familiar with his work outside of the Hail Mary Mallon albums, but I’m planning on changing that some day. His feature on this track is fantastic; his flow is buttery smooth. I couldn’t decide whose verse I preferred between his and Headtrip’s on my first few listens of the project, but I’m actually leaning more towards the latter nowadays. I think the title of this track is very fitting due to the manner in which Headtrip’s cadence ebbs and flows like a wave coming in and out on a beach. It’s basically impossible for me to listen to this song without nodding my head.

This is not your typical stereo, it's different
Might stop trippin' off the radio emissions
Come back paranoid a smidgen
If you listen you can still hear the paranormal subwoofer hissing

The instrumental sounds kinda like something I’d hear on a soundtrack to an old cartoon. The drum pattern in particular lends itself to the buttery smooth flows from Headtrip & Rob. I also like how NorthernDraw added that “All hands on deck” ad-lib. It’s a little detail that adds a lot to the song for me. The hook does a good job of sticking itself in my brain too. The song’s excellent.

Track 4 is called Om Jag Var, and it features Evelina Lu. One cool thing about this project is the international guest list. One result of the diverse features is a multi-lingual project. This song in particular has vocals that are performed in Swedish. Evelina Lu’s voice sounds really good over this somewhat despondent-sounding instrumental. The first verse is actually performed by NorthernDraw, and I think it’s okay. The lyrics are really cool despite the somewhat amateurish flow and vocal delivery.

The wick burns for the ashes in the urn
Live & learn, waiting our turn
Black framing around the oil painting
Crocodiles in the catacombs of my cranium

Headtrip of course slaughtered the second verse. By the end of the performance I was pondering the validity of the storytelling. If I had to bet I’d say it’s based on a true story. Even though I didn’t love NorthernDraw’s verse sonically, I thought the writing was quite captivating, so I wouldn’t say it necessarily tarnished the song. I think it adds to the track. I just would’ve tweaked the vocal performance a bit, but overall the song is very dope. It’s one of the most memorable on the project due to the sung hook from Evelina Lu. I really like it.

The following track is called Open ‘Em Up, and it features someone named LeoLex, who performs his verse in German. The production is really chill and sounds like something that could be played in a café. I honestly love it. The beat has a really relaxing vibe to it, and Headtrip’s smooth flow fits over it beautifully. This couplet in particular sounds really great…

Northern make it groovy with a gorgeous instrumental
That'll warm you up and move you like the bolognese and lentils

Because I don’t speak German, it was hard for me to fully appreciate the verse from LeoLex. It’s more of a personal issue than a critique of the performance itself. I think his flow and vocal delivery sounded pretty good. He sounded very confident on the mic. I definitely liked it to some extent. With that said, I think I personally would’ve preferred the song with just a second verse from Headtrip instead of the feature. I don’t listen to a lot of music in other languages, although there are some exceptions. Anyway, this is probably my least favorite song on the project, but I still dug it quite a bit. It’s a good track.

Track 6 is called Mostafa Interlude. As the title indicates, it’s a quick interlude of an artist named Mostafa speaking in Arabic over arguably the funkiest beat on the whole project. This honestly makes me wish I could speak Arabic because it just sounds so cool every time I hear it. I guess it’s never too late to learn. It could be time to fire up Duolingo.

The penultimate track is called La Hache, and it features Le Biscuit & Something Something Brax. I think this song has my favorite beat on the whole project. In fact, I think this is my favorite song overall on the project. It’s one of the best songs I’ve heard from Headtrip in my opinion. The beat sounds like a fresh summer breeze. It’s a really upbeat, fun instrumental that makes me envision riding passenger in a convertible on a sunny day. The hook from Le Biscuit is performed in French. I sadly wasn’t really able to understand it despite studying French for over half a decade. I don’t know if I’ll ever be at a point where I’m fluent. I’m better at reading and writing French than speaking and listening to it. Anyway, I of course thoroughly enjoyed the verse from Headtrip, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the second verse from Something Something Brax.

Every day that ends in "why" might be the perfect day to be a little spry
Made some choices in my younger days and I'm a bit surprised I didn't die
Slippery slope, my grip had never gave, so now I'm gettin by
Right effort, right action
Not too attached to my pleasures, my passions
Back to the lab for the slaps and the crankers
Grew up 'round mills, but I still need more paper

The song just sounds like the soundtrack to a good time. I love it. I think it’s phenomenal.

The closing track is called That Awful Sound, and it’s another highlight for me. This one has another fantastic, melodic instrumental. I enjoyed the features on this project, but I was happy to get one last solo track here. This one definitely has a more somber tone than the preceding few tracks.

Old soul, young at heart
Caught me sulking salty to the edge for a jumpstart
Instead I learned to hold my tongue more and now I'm dummy smart
Glad I planted seeds and grew my roots 'cause things fall apart
Weapon metaphors are evidently suitable
I tried to keep it safe before, it wasn't gettin' through
I'm seein' red, I'm never scared, I'm here to face the crucible
And try to make a home before my homies crash my funeral

Both of the verses on this track had me hooked, and I was really into the piano-driven instrumental outro. That was a really nice touch to wrap things up. Again, this is another one of the best songs on the project. I’d say my top three on the whole EP are That Awful Sound, Pirate Radio Waves, and La Hache.

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^{This EP is great. It’s definitely one of the most accessible releases I’ve heard from Headtrip, and a lot of that is due to the chill, melodic instrumentals from NorthernDraw. These beats are what some may refer to as “cool vibes.” Despite being just under 20 minutes long, this is one of the most replayable projects I’ve heard from Headtrip. I really loved the production, and it makes me wanna check out more work from NorthernDraw. Sonically, this is a spiritual successor to Dreamery, which was my favorite Headtrip album for a long time, so I guess it should come as no surprise that I enjoyed this one so much. This is just a really fun listen. Lt. Headtrip’s wordy lyricism and complex flows had me hooked as always. The features from around the world make this a pretty unique experience too. It’s not often that I hear this many different languages on the same project. In fact, I think this is the only time I’ve heard this many languages on the same project. It’s really cool to see how Headtrip’s linguistics degree influences his art. I haven’t heard that many releases from this year so far, but as of today this is my favorite musical project from 2025. Again, it’s great. Check it out.}

Favorite Song: La Hache
Least Favorite Song: Open ‘Em Up