cropscropscrops and Vaygrnt released their first collaborative album together back in 2024. However, I didn’t listen to it until this year, right before I checked out this latest album. I figured I should start with that one just to get an idea of the kind of stuff these guys do together because I was personally unfamiliar with Vaygrnt. I’m already a fan of crops at this point, so I knew I wouldn’t have an issue with the rapping. Thankfully, Vaygrnt’s production ended up being pretty nice as well, so I liked that album. However, this latest one that was released via Fused Arrow Records on January 15th is a pretty massive leap in quality in every way.

The first song is called Trailhead North. I really love the pacing of this track. The instrumental has a lot of time to develop and transform before crops starts rapping. The beat itself is actually really gorgeous too. It’s a very tranquil, detailed instrumental that sounds like the album cover. It reminds me of nature. I definitely got similar vibes to S. Reidy, Myles Bullen, s.al, etc. It feels like there’s a bit of Folk influence in the production here. It’s honestly a genuinely stunning instrumental. I of course really appreciate crops’ poetic lyricism along with his unique, almost Spoken Word adjacent flow. I guess a more obvious comparison would be R.A.P. Ferreira, or Ruby Yacht in general. Overall, this is just a really pretty song that feels like a warm blanket in the form of music. I really love this one, and it had me very excited to see what the rest of the album would sound like.

Track 2 is called Coyote, and it has a similarly tranquil instrumental, albeit with a more lively energy than that of the preceding track. This beat makes me think of fireflies and sunrises. If I had to compare crops to another artist vocally I would say he kinda sounds like Tomcantsleep or Malachi. Whitman, at least on this album. I never thought to make that comparison prior to hearing this record in particular. I really love crops’ conversational vocal tone combined with his unconventional flow and rhyme schemes, especially over this beat. The song honestly grew on me with repeated listens. I liked it at first, but now I love it.

The next song I wanna talk about is a major highlight entitled Silent Auction. This was my favorite song on the album on my first 7 or 8 listens. It might still be. I was not previously familiar with the featured vocalist, Edaya, but they sound pretty amazing here. Their hook reminded me of Open Mike Eagle‘s Black Clouds, which is one of my favorite songs from him. Edaya’s honestly my favorite feature on this album. Vaygrnt’s production here is straight up excellent to me as well. I can’t explain why, but a lot of the instrumentals on this project give me Kenny Segal vibes. The way this instrumental evolves as the song progresses makes it sound like it was performed by a full band. crops’ performance over it is pretty awesome too. I definitely appreciate the dearth of filler bars. Pretty much every line here is very interesting, even if I have no idea what the meaning or significance is. This is definitely not only one of my favorite songs on the album, but one of my favorites of the year so far. It’s dope as fuck.

Track 7 is another highlight called Humtree_Shelter, and once again I was astounded by the quality of the production here. This instrumental kinda has an alternative Art Pop sound to it that I really adore. I could definitely hear someone like P.O.S rapping over this back when he was more active. This is actually the longest song on the album, but it really doesn’t feel that way at all. I guess it’s technically not that much longer than the others. Anyway, I really like the way crops starts each verse on this track off with a specific color.

My color was a nice sage
Light rain over my feet
One day you try to paint things
The soft ground starts to sink
Best to let the drain run
She said there's something in my teeth
'Til another falls out, room empty, light buzz
Nothing big enough for me
Head rush, face first in the stream

Again, I’m a little lost when it comes to interpreting the meaning of the lyrics themselves, but that’s not a hinderance to my enjoyment of the music. I think this song’s awesome.

Track 9 is called Anatomy Angels, and it features Elucid. This is another contender for the best song on the album. It definitely has the darkest, most sinister instrumental on the project. I feel like Aesop Rock would fit over this beat really well. Mike Shinoda also popped into my head while I was listening to this song at one point for whatever reason. Anyway, the first verse from crops is pretty awesome. That’s definitely one of my favorite performances I’ve heard from him.

It's an academy I wave to in the mirror at night
I fear I'm playing catch up, I fear my fears are right
By the time the dawn creepin' I'm thinkin' otherwise
And when I'm starting the timer I'm putting 25
It's something out there, I catch up, it get to me
Compromise filthy, it ain't no recipe I'm into
That's one of the things I give you
The cue to take a second to think how the sun hits you

The hook is very straightforward, but it works super well, and the second verse from Elucid is of course phenomenal. Everything about this song is especially well done. It’s easy to see why this was released as a single. Again, it’s one of the best songs on the album.

The following track is called We Used to Dance, and this one was significantly easier to decipher lyrically for me. I was actually able to interpret what was being said and apply meaning to the song, which isn’t necessarily the case for the other tracks. crops’ lyricism is very pretty, and it matches the tone of the production quite well.

If I could have it like we had it, then no sweat
All this baggage that comes back 'round takes my breath
There's one message from you back then I left unread
If I could have it like we had it, then no sweat
All this baggage that comes back 'round takes my breath
There's one message for you that went unsent

The soft, comforting production has kind of an emotional atmosphere to it, which is cool. The background vocals that come in during the hook are really nice. The manner in which the instrumental transforms, particularly during the final minute of the track, is really cool too. The song’s great.

Track 12 is called Motion Still, and it might actually be my number one favorite song on the album. I need to listen a few more times to fully decide, but this is definitely top 2 on the album for me. The way this track progresses is honestly quite stunning to me. The final minute in particular makes my jaw drop damn near every time I hear it. crops’ abstract lyricism along with his calm, reserved vocal delivery for the first part of the song is pretty awesome. Some of these lines are so ambiguous that I doubt I’ll ever fully understand what the intended message is. They’re cool as hell though, and they’re really interesting in the sense that no two people will likely have the same interpretation. I love the way he gets louder and more energetic when the instrumental crescendos for the second verse too. The closing line is the most interesting on the whole song to me.

Last year, I don't want lectures on time
I need reasons to steer, breath to solidify
Degrees dropping quickly this year
Sounds like applause when you talking, I struggle to hear
I almost said it, I fear
I almost said it, I fear
I almost said it
I folded up a $20 bill as a tip to leave for a meal
Everyone overextended my favorite reason to heal

Again, this is a strong contender for my favorite song on the album. I’m gonna listen to the whole album again once I’m finished writing this just to help me decide what the best song is. This one is dope as fuck though.

The next song I wanna mention is called Gravel, and it came out as a single alongside humtree_shelter before the album’s full release. The production on this track is, much like that of the others, serene and melodic with a bit of an alternative / indie rock tinge. crops’ unconventional flow and rhyme schemes are excellent. I really love how he gives the instrumental and every line room to breathe. He’s not tryna bar you to death with syllables. I don’t know how to say what I’m thinking right now… Basically, it’s almost like he’s able to spit a stanza’s worth of bars in one line. I don’t know if that’ll make sense to anyone other than me, but fuck it.

Loose aggregates get blended up in time
This beach full of shingles, no plant life
A coastline to me like an edge of a life
I turn inward all the time
You'll never find yourself on the right side
Skipping loose rocks 'til the water turns sky
Do you have any reason to be here?
I get ground down real fine

The song’s really awesome. I love it.

The penultimate track is called Ceremony, and it’s one of the longest tracks on the album. I think crops’ flow along with the hard-hitting drum pattern make for a relatively accessible listening experience. The percussion is probably my favorite aspect of this song in particular. It sounds great. The electric guitar that comes in during the hook is also really phenomenal. A lot of what I said about the preceding material also applies to this one. I just really love the instrumental on this song, and crops did a great job over it. The song’s dope as hell.

The closing track is one last highlight called Footprints. The beat here is very dope, but it’s mainly the verse from crops that pushes the song to the next level for me. I feel like his flow and rhyme patterns were less off-kilter and more accessible on this track.

What's complicated about narrative is they all mean the same thing, and you know I measure these things
Left unused, described as the edge of a way, you know I let inspiration interrupt and stockpile into flames
I'll turn the gain up until this whole fucking thing rings

Again, I don’t really know what to make of the lyrical content, although I do find it very interesting despite not being able to come to a conclusive interpretation. Maybe on my 300th listen it’ll finally click and I’ll have an idea of what the lyrics are communicating. I already love the song as it is though. I think it’s fire.

---

^{This album is really great. I actually will be surprised if this doesn’t end up on my 2026 year end list. Perhaps the most astounding thing about this album is just how much of an improvement it is over From Here, Out There. I liked that album, but everything about this latest project from the production, to the writing, to the atmosphere of the soundscape, to the structure of each song, is leaps and bounds ahead of the first project. Vaygrnt’s production here is pretty spectacular. This is a very beautiful album sonically and lyrically. As I mentioned a couple times throughout the body of this review, I found a lot of the lyricism to be kind of ambiguous, but I actually think that quality works to the benefit of the music. That abstract lyrical style works really well over these instrumentals. All of the features are really nice on this project too. I don’t have any consistent gripes. I’m curious to see how they follow it up because I’ll lowkey be surprised if they’re able to surpass it. This album’s dope as hell.}

Favorite Song: Motion Still
Least Favorite Song: Candela