A Song For Friday: MIKE

The first great hip-hop album of 2025 is more than just show biz as usual

Michael Bonema, the rapper, songwriter, and producer who operates as MIKE, first came on my radar in 2018 when I became captivated by War In My Pen, describing it as a “feast of tightly edited electronics, fragmented sonics, and MIKE’s slurred vocals.” Between his furious output and my constant state of musical overwhelm, I missed a few releases, finally honing back in with 2023’s quite magnificent Burning Desire, which I noted was “so warm and welcoming that it’s like a visit with an old friend.” Then, last year, we got Pinball, a “brief burst of effervescent rap” made with producer Tony Seltzer that almost hit my Top 25.

MIKE shows no sign of slowing down, either, gifting us today with Showbiz!, a seamless 47-minute tapestry of keyboard sparkle, rumbling rhythms, sampled voices, and his trademark syrupy flow, which draws you close as you try to catch his drift. A perfect example of what’s going on here is Artist Of The Century, with its ascending riff, charming flute loop, and MIKE rapping “yeah, yeah” a few times to ease you into the track.

The lyrics find MIKE looking back over his whole life and trying to come to grips with his relentless pursuit of his art. Key lines from the chorus:

I been puttin' up with strife since a youngin
The prize isn't much, but the price is abundant
Gotta put it on my life if I want it

The track ends with a comic interlude, as a “doctor” declares that the “patient” is suffering from “severe anxiety” and “The prognosis still in doubt/
Treatment so far, putting head in sand.” Could there be a more perfect sentiment for January 2025? Get into the whole album and tell me where you find yourself in MIKE’s masterpiece.

Catch up with most of the songs for Friday here or below.

Also out this week:

Vines - I Am My Home This new single from Cassie Wieland is like a fluffy gray cloud floating through my apartment, looking for friends.

My Wonderful Boyfriend - An Evening With… With crunchy, shiny guitars, soaring melodies, and a cheerful insouciance, you’re going to wish the evening was longer after playing this five-song EP from an NYC band on the rise. Thanks to Gunk for the intro at that happy hour last year!

Gui Hargreaves - Ponte Sobre o Rio Zamba Acoustic samba the way they used to make it…or at least the way Hargreaves made it on Rebento in 2018. While that one was all about the mood, the songs are feeling more defined on this one. Either way, with soft, rhythmic guitar figures and his comforting burr of a voice, it’s a blissful listen throughout.

Sarah Belle Reid + Vinnie Golia - Accidental Ornithology Hilarity often ensues as Reid (on B-flat trumpet, quarter tone flugelhorn, MaxMSP, and modular synthesizer) and Golia (on piccolo, quarter tone contrabass flute, alto clarinet, A clarinet E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, and gongs) create jousting improvisations based on the calls of imaginary birds. At least we think they’re imaginary - play this loud enough and you might just find a Laughing Grumblostt or a Miniature Cave Sparrow perched on your air conditioner.

Note: the graphic above is based on a photo by Nuvany David.