„Everything buffering, reality lag and jump/ Sometimes barely recognize the people I love,“ billy woods raps on ‚Golgotha‘, a line that delves deep into his hallucinogenic writing. The Brooklyn rapper vividly describes bad dreams, ghostly memories, and dark, cross-generational visions with eerie clarity. While GOLLIWOG is his first solo effort in six years, he is not alone in this project. Collaborators like Kenny Segal, Preservation, and the Alchemist provide different perspectives on the eerie backdrop, while guest rappers like ELUCID, Despot, Bruiser Wolf, and al.divino operate in sync with woods‘ vision. The record weaves a complex narrative, blurring the lines between past and present, as woods reflects on a childhood tale involving an evil golliwog – the racist caricature that inspired the album’s name. The result is an intense and challenging 18-track record that stands among the best in his discography.
Jumpscare
billy woods uses a variety of techniques to keep listeners on edge in ‚Jumpscare‘. He creates a sense of unease with unsettling imagery, such as a rabid dog in the yard and bees in your head, before diving into more horrifying scenarios like vaccinations for TB and whooping cough. The song builds tension like a jumpscare, heightening the fear that was already present in the listener’s mind.
STAR87
In ‚STAR87‘, woods delves into looping thoughts and strange phone calls, with the ringtone serving as a haunting backdrop to the narrative. He implicates himself in the story, adding to the eerie atmosphere of the track.
Misery
‚Misery‘ sees woods trapped in a lustful encounter with a vampire, set against a hazy, sax-led production by Kenny Segal. References to MF DOOM and Beloved add layers to the narrative, keeping the listener engaged and on edge.
BLK XMAS [feat. Bruiser Wolf]
Bruiser Wolf’s guest verse on ‚BLK XMAS‘ brings a new perspective to the album, touching on poverty and the harsh realities of life. woods then delves into a story of a family facing eviction right before Christmas, painting a vivid and unsettling picture of everyday horrors.
Waterproof Mascara
‚Waterproof Mascara‘ features some of the album’s most unsettling production by Preservation, as woods explores the intimate and personal struggles of a mother and her children. The track is suffocating in its intensity, with references to Sylvia Plath adding to the haunting atmosphere.
Counterclockwise
In ‚Counterclockwise‘, woods flows over a serpentine beat by The Alchemist, allowing the samples to speak for themselves. The track invites listeners to draw connections between the elements or simply lose themselves in the surreal flow of the music.
Corinthians [feat. Despot]
‚Corinthians‘ showcases woods‘ intensity over El-P’s buzzing production, as he delves into themes of contemporary ruin and the weight of history. Despot’s guest verse adds a layer of dark humor to the narrative, reflecting on the absurdity of life and death.
Pitchforks & Halos
‚Pitchforks & Halos‘ builds on the energy of previous tracks, with Segal’s production adding to the sense of paranoia and unease. woods delivers some of the album’s most resonant lines, reflecting on revolutionaries, time, and the choices we make.
All These Worlds Are Yours [feat. ELUCID]
In ‚All These Worlds Are Yours‘, woods and ELUCID navigate frenetic, otherworldly production, drawing listeners into a horror-filled narrative that blurs the line between observer and participant. The track challenges listeners to confront their own complicity in the darkness of the world around them.
Der Drohne flog echt niedrig, keine Eile, echt langsam / Er rollte sich zusammen, wie ein Fötus im Mutterleib, der Mutterleib war die Erde. Es ist ein Setup, ELUCID wird kryptisch, aber nicht weniger eindrucksvoll.