It’s eXquire vs. the Universe.

OK so lets deal with the bad first – we’re not going to let Brooklyn rapper Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire get away with that cover, even if it’s only one of a handful of poor examples today. Thankfully the music on Kismet makes you forget about seeing you protagonist floating naked through the cosmos, and it might be eXquire’s most coherent collection to date.

A collision of dense, smart rhymes and bizarrely effective beats the album demonstrates a remarkable balancing act. It never sounds preachy, but there can’t be any doubt that eXquire can speak sense when he wants to, and while the album is rooted in the New York City sound of the mid 90s, there’s never a point when it feels like it’s pandering to the backpackers.

With guest appearances from Georgia Anne Muldrow, Flatbush Zombies, Danny Brown and more, you can stream or download Kismet below.