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A quick note before the show, this podcast contains explicit language.

Happy Friday everyone from NPR Music and All Songs Considered. I'm Stephen Thompson. I'm here with my colleague from NPR Music and Powers.

Hello Stephen and coming at us live from Sweden and from WXPN and the serious rap shit podcast, John Morrison.

Hey, what's up, Stephen? It is a pleasure to have you both. We are talking about the best albums out today starting with Earl Sweatshirt and the Alchemist.

Their new album is called Vardier and this song is 27 Brains.

Clean break, tougher to make, anything that can't name, rough with a man, holds your head, cover your face, so disease doesn't spread.

She said I got a son on the way, made my bed so that I swear I'm a lay, my worry bones, my heavy head, I carry home every day.

My mama said that I'd never be alone, even though she got to know that I know she just made it.

With the choices I made, the only way for is unafraid and focused when I'm holding these reins.

Yeah, thanks over my shoulder to my unceased lane, 27 braids from the nose of my head.

My head on straight, my mama closed the neck, and both of them sleep better when they know that I hate.

So this release is kind of shrouded in mystery, is that the right thing to say?

Yeah, it's rolled out in a curious way.

Yeah, from what I understand it was initially made available on a site, Gala music, and then I guess they let folks check it out through that site exclusively, but then it seems like they're rolling it out more broadly now.

There were rumors and the alchemist was sort of saying like it was hidden on YouTube somewhere, like under a fake name, but then there's also the issue of NFTs.

Like it was also released as an NFT, which I'm sorry, I will never abide or acknowledge.

But at the same time, this is a longstanding collaboration between Earl sweatshirt and alchemist.

So I get, in a sense, it's just part of the flow of their creative connection.

That's how I'm seeing it, but maybe you see it a different way.

Does this feel like a culmination? I'm curious what you all think.

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