Rapper Mike D, best known as one-third of the iconic rap trio the Beastie Boys, shared a new track with the world today. “Switch Up,” the new single from the rapper, not only marks the first release from a band member since 2011 with the band’s eighth and final album Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, but also comes as the debut for Mike D’s solo career. A visualizer was posted for the track online.
Featuring eye-catching, highly saturated visuals including a rotating circle with the song’s title, the strange look of the visualizer matches the odd sound of the track itself. After a short, stuttering loop of strings and some spaced out instrumentation, Mike D’s vocals come in alongside a looping amen break, which gives the track a jungle-like vibe. Mike D’s vocals come coated in a level of filtering akin to the sound on previous Beastie Boys works like “So What’cha Want,” but instead of creating a harsh atmosphere, the grungy sound this time furthers a strange and otherworldly vibe. The instrumentals build up across the track, mixing drums and guitars alongside electronic beeps that give off a computerized vibe. Mike D lays down verses across the track, using a lot of repetition to create a building energy that’s constantly switched up as the track moves along and bounces between sounds.
A press release explains the track came as a result of “low-pressure experiments” at a home studio, starting with Mike D working alongside sons Davis and Skyler and their band Very Nice Person, before it eventually grew into the final track, with a wide variety of collaborators. The track’s “fluid direction” was shaped by this wide pool of inspiration. The track released last night, the same time as Mike D kicked off the first show in short spring tour series.
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