While it's always a great time to be an Alchemist fan, it's been especially premium these past few years. Now, following key contributions to some of last year's most acclaimed bodies of work, Alchemist has come through to tell a brief tale, drawn directly from his own imagination. Enter his new instrumental drop Carry The Fire, a ten-minute release designed to be consumed in one uninterrupted sitting. A loose concept is introduced in the opening intro, depicting itself as the story of those assigned with bearing the Olympic flame for nine-thousand miles.
"Over four-thousand runners passed it hand-to-hand in order to get the flame to the games in Los Angeles," reads our narrator. "And some thirty-million people cheered our runners on -- this is the story of what happened." Driven largely by synthesizers and crisp percussion, Carry The Fire goes a long way in showcasing Alchemist's versatility, leaving us wondering as to whether or not he'd pursue crafting something a little more extensive; the Boards-of-Canada-esque "Water Bed" finds him exploring a sound unlike anything he's done before, and it would be a shame to see this be a one-off experiment.
Anyone who appreciates instrumental drops should certainly consider spending the time with this one, another feather in Alchemist's cap -- has he earned a place as one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time?
