Lice pairs Aesop Rock and Homeboy Sandman, two of the foremost indie rappers going, on five tracks featuring eclectic production from the likes of DJ Spinna and Optiks, and, unsurprisingly, breathless verses of labyrinthine wordplay. The two emcees, who toured together last year, luxuriate on the Alex “Apex” Gale-produced “So Strange Here”—which gorgeously interpolates Brian Eno‘s airy “Julie With”—and match the dizzying organ vamp on “Katz” with aptly trenchant phrasing. The cover art—which renders the rappers relaxing in armchairs with torsos like the titular critters—is by Jeremy Fish. And it’s called Lice, as Homeboy Sandman explains to Westword, because they hope the music lingers near listeners’ heads and spreads contagiously. The project, which follows Aesop Rock’s Catfood EP from earlier this year, is currently available to stream or download for free on the Stones Throw site. A physical release is slated for next year. For now, the artists suggest donating to two New York organizations, Prep for Prep, which works to advance the academic careers of disadvantaged students; and City Harvest, which serves community food programs.
