Nipping at the heels of his last full album release Fear and Desire, Chris Mohead has just dropped a six-track EP, Memory and it’s his slickest record yet. Never shying away from a concept Memory reflects on just that, Mohead’s memories.

Nothing cues up the internal childhood reel like the image of a 1992 Super Nintendo and “Super NEStalgic” does just that. Teaming with producer Play Randi, “Super NEStalgic” brings a fresh sound making the hip swinger a perfect opener. With the typical 1,2,3 startup female vocals add a gentle touch to a lyrical story that embraces the naivety of youth while pulling back the curtain on the disillusionment of childhood. Mohead spits, “I ain’t seen the dreams that I thought I would see/ain’t no such thing as a time machine”. Three quarters of the way through the track takes a slow motion slurred pull back from the initial upbeat tempo and plays like a separate track all together. The mentality shifts with the music and reality sets in, “I need some more time to figure out/what I’m ‘bout to do/cause my future looks dirty/I don’t wanna work retail when I’m 30”.

“Ryu & Ken” is a mid-tempo bop that addresses loyalty in a shady world, “They gone smile in your face but wait/till they get behind/careful who you call bro they not really down/careful where you walk/ on these snakes on the ground”. The overall tone switches from a cautionary tale to praises for his family and friends, “I know who had my back from the jump”. With a guitar pluck hook that accentuates the drop beat “Ryu & Ken” is the sonic standout.

The lovers lane, “1996 [bald R.Kelly]” is a between the sheets jam with a slow sultry back beat and the inevitable moaning loops. The lyrics toe the line but are never crude just some steamy snapshots of the back seat of a car with some R.Kelly playing in the background. The song starts with the clicking sound of twisting the key out of the ignition and fittingly concludes with a chorus of crickets.

Like torn-out pages of a diary Memory reveals a new depth to Mohead’s artistry. With whispered words linking each song the EP tries and succeeds at creating a complete narrative. -Tricia Callahan

Memory [Track List]

1. Super NEStalgic
2. Load [interlude]
3. Ryu & Ken
4. 1996 [bald R.Kelly]
5. Life Bar Red
6. Mild [bonus point]