While it’s not going to shake the foundations of hip-hop, by any means, The Fortune Cookie LP is a couple levels above what you would expect from the debut (as far as I can tell) of an unknown indie act. The beats and general production is minimalistic, but serviceable. It never “wow’s” the listener, but aside from a few annoying effects here and there, makes listening an easy experience. I really enjoyed the use of vocal samples, such as at the end of “Rat Poison” and in “English Muffin.”
Braggadocio seems to be where the MCs of Atomic Farmhouse are most comfortable, specifically rubbing the fact that they have an LP in the faces of their doubters. The attempts at deeper subject matter feel somewhat lackluster. The lyrics don’t see a real drop off, but all of the MCs, other than MAD SYNTST, seem to have trouble flowing over the slower beats that tend to be associated with deeper songs. ANTI, who is easily the standout MC on the faster tracks, suddenly sounds very amateurish when put over a slow beat, such as on “Nyquil” or “English Muffin.”
All in all, The Fortune Cookie LP is definitely worth a spin. It’s a little rough around the edges at times, but it’s an independently released, debut LP, from what sounds to be a group of friends fresh out of high-school. They have all the time in the world to hone their skills and grow as a group. I think they have a lot of potential. They’re definitely a group to watch for in the future.
So, does it stand up to Illmatic, Ready to Die, 36 Chambers and Operation: DOOMsday? Of course not, but few do. Stylistically, it isn’t even really similar to any of them, either (more like a CYNE-Lupe Fiasco hybrid) Is it a respectable effort, regardless? Absolutely.
Also, the cover art is GOAT.
Best Tracks: Garage Sale, Dayquil, Public Massacre
Overall: 76/100
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