Self-Released
Released on August 21st, 2026
My first listen of this album was early in the morning. After waking, I listen to about an hour of music before I’ll drag myself out of bed. Out of mercy to my neighbours, I use headphones. Going into The Scientific Method, I found myself wide awake as the bass kicks in on the album’s first track “Syllabus”. It’s dirty and dark, starting the album off strong and setting the tone immediately. This is an album that reminds me of the work of Aesop Rock and MF Doom – intelligent rap that blends funk and phat beats. These are the kind of bars that take months to digest and are an absolute jaw-dropper the first time through.
One of my favourite tracks of the album has to be “New Aristocracy”, which perfectly displays Touch182’s lyrical abilities, his interests in science and knowledge, and his exceptional production. He also samples a quote from Carl Sagan, which is awesome. Oh yeah, did I mention that Touch182 produced every beat on this album? Bringing in over a decade of professional experience, each song is perfectly produced and fits his flow so well that you’d think the instrumental is an extension of his own voice. Which it is.
This album doesn’t just showcase Touch182’s intelligent side, but it shows the darker side of deep thinking – paranoia and a feeling of isolation. At several points throughout the album he hints at his distrust of others, but its shown in full force during the track “Trust Issues”, where he talks about how his skills came from spending his time alone and working on his lyrics rather than spending time trying to build friendships.
While not calling out any names in particular, Touch182 is throwing so much shade you’d think it’s nighttime at noon. He puts the “Op” in “Hip-Hop” (Sorry). What I love about Touch’s style of rap is that, rather than falling back on the strength of his connections or his raw strength, Touch delivers his disses by hyping up his own wordplay and skills, and when these skills are being displayed in real time as you’re listening to it, it only makes the rhymes even stronger.
One of the craziest bars I’ve ever heard in my life is in the track “Opulence On Canvas”, and I’ll try my best to transcribe it here: “Aggressive tendencies got me suppressing memories sent for me like an extraterrestrial entity in the basket of a ten-speed extensively vetting like an entrance fee who stands next to me. I stay in control within 100 feet like a centipede.” Just writing it out I noticed the E.T. reference, but I almost jumped out of my seat and knocked over my morning coffee my first time hearing it.
This was an absolute treat to listen to. If you’re a fan of hip-hop, no matter the genre, you’ll find yourself falling in love with this album, and excited to dive back into Touch182’s previous work. The beats make every track accessible and palatable, but the bars really hit if you’re the kind of person who really likes to listen to the words. This album shows a prolific rapper who has found his sound and perfected it, delivering a dozen delicious tracks that await your hungry ears.
