Burning Desire
Studio album by
Mike
ReleasedOctober 13, 2023 (2023-10-13)
GenreHip hop
Length50:32
Label10k
Producer
  • DJ Blackpower
  • Gawd
  • Laron
Mike chronology
Faith Is a Rock
(2023)		 Burning Desire
(2023)

Burning Desire is the sixth studio album by American rapper Mike. It was released on October 13, 2023, through 10k and features guest appearances by Earl Sweatshirt, Klein, Lila Ramani of Crumb, and Larry June, amongst others.

Background and promotion

The album comes only weeks after the release of his collaborative studio album Faith Is a Rock with Wiki and The Alchemist.[1] Ahead of its release, little was known about the album with the exception of a few billboards advertising the album in New York and London in late September 2023, making it a surprise release to most.[2] Accompanying the album release, Mike shared an Alex Huggins-directed music video for the song "What U Say U Are" on October 13. Both album and video were promoted at an album release event at Roxy Cinema in New York City.[1] Mike is set to promote the record through a 51-dates tour from February to May 2024 in Europe and North America.[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
HipHopDX4.4/5[5]
Pitchfork8.1/10[6]

Zachary Horvath of HotNewHipHop viewed the record as a "very complex but fun listen", pertaining to "dark romantic horror with comedic twists" about "revenge and devastation".[7] Andrew Sacher at Brooklyn Vegan praised the combination of "stream-of-consciousness screeds" with "sun-kissed jazz and soul samples" that the rapper turns into a "mind-bending concoction", always showcasing his "hazy, abstract rap".[8] Writing for The Fader, Arielle Lana LaJarde thought Mike is "stepping into his role as a leader", inviting the listener to "his most self-assured work to date".[9]

Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Fred Thomas called it, "one of the strongest points in [Mike's] prolific output, showcasing his distinctive flows and beatmaking style in a way that's slightly more accessible than earlier work, but still maintaining an inherent rawness" and concluded that, "He's still ahead of his time in 2023, but Burning Desire is the kind of rule-breaking music that tends to be looked back on years later as where entire genres shifted."[4] Writing for Pitchfork, Brandon Callender praised the album's themes writing: "Burning Desire moves between chest-puffing bombast and MIKE’s characteristic rumination, sometimes within the same breath. While angst and grief remain recurring subjects, here he chooses to honor loved ones instead of framing past hardships as insurmountable."[6] Wesley McLean's review for HipHopDX praised Mike's lyricism on the album, writing: "MIKE consistently crafts deeply affecting lyrics, whether it be general reflections on life and the world around him or detailing honest, intimate contemplations on the weight of loss or self-doubt."[5]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Michael Bonema, except where noted. All tracks are produced by Mike (credited as "DJ Blackpower"), except "African Sex Freak Fantasy", produced by Gawd, and "Snake Charm", produced by Laron.

Burning Desire track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Intro with Klein" (featuring Klein) 1:40
2."Dambe" 1:46
3."Zap!" 2:14
4."African Sex Freak Fantasy" 1:48
5."Snake Charm" 1:23
6."Plz Don't Cut My Wings" (featuring Earl Sweatshirt)
3:38
7."Real Love with Fashionspitta"
  • Bonema
  • Fashionspitta
1:37
8."U Think Maybe?" (featuring Liv.e and Venna)
  • Bonema
  • Hailee Olivia Williams
2:29
9."Zombie"
  • Bonema
  • Elijah Fox
  • Immanuel Simelane
  • Malik Venner
1:33
10."Set the Mood" 1:42
11."Billboards with Anuoluwapo "Sandra" Majekodunmi" 2:06
12."98" 1:19
13."Do You Believe?" 1:29
14."Burning Desire" 1:48
15."They Don't Stop in the Rain" (with Taka)
  • Bonema
  • William Craig Thomas
2:42
16."Baby Jesus" 1:48
17."Ho-Rizin" 2:02
18."Mussel Beach" (with El Cousteau and Niontay)
  • Bonema
  • Niontay Hicks
3:23
19."Sixteens" 2:00
20."Should Be!" (featuring Lila Ramani)
  • Bonema
  • Lila Ramani
2:21
21."What U Say U Are" 3:22
22."Golden Hour" (featuring Larry June)
2:39
23."Playtime (Interlude)" 0:41
24."Let's Have a Ball" (featuring Mark William Lewis)
  • Bonema
  • Mark William Lewis
3:02
Total length:50:32

References

  1. 1 2 Rettig, James (October 13, 2023). "Stream MIKE's Surprise New Album Burning Desire". Stereogum. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  2. ↑ Minsker, Evan (October 13, 2023). "MIKE Releases New Album Burning Desire, Shares New Video: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  3. ↑ Okazawa, Ben (October 13, 2023). "MIKE Details 2024 World Tour". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Thomas, Fred (October 18, 2023). "MIKE - Burning Desire Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  5. 1 2 McLean, Wesley (November 2, 2023). "MIKE Solidifies Himself As One Of The Brightest Young Rappers On 'Burning Desire'". HipHopDX. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Callender, Brandon (October 18, 2023). "Mike: Burning Desire Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  7. ↑ Horvath, Zachary (October 13, 2023). "MIKE Drops Massive 24-Track Project "Burning Desire"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  8. ↑ Sacher, Andrew (October 13, 2023). "MIKE surprise-releases new album ft. Earl Sweatshirt, Larry June & more, announces tour". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  9. ↑ The Fader (October 13, 2023). "New Music Friday: This week's essential new projects". The Fader. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
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