Anyone familiar with the current Minnesota rap scene or record label Rhymesayers has probably heard of P.O.S. Current member of Minnesota rap collective Doomtree and of several other distinct punk and hip hop outfits (such as Marijuana Death Squads) P.O.S is also a talented multi-instrumentalist and has a flourishing solo career. With his latest release We Don't Even Live Here, P.O.S. shows us an awakening in his instrumentation, lyrics and overall songwriting style.By Basement DJ: Nate Mechtel
instrumentation, lyrics and overall songwriting style. On the opening track "Bumper" he comes in with heavy drums and raps "I take my time with it, I take forever. So sick of work and that clever lets skip ahead to the next. Pushing my own limits I make it better." He couldn't have said it any better with this new record. With some of the catchiest hooks you can hear on a hip hop record while still keeping to his unique dark style he has only improved as an artist. Wonderful original backing instrumentation on the record proves that hip hop doesn't need to rely on samples to keep a good flow. Its also interesting in the sense his instrumentation has added a lot of elements of funk, club and punk to his rapping. It sounds as though P.O.S. has become more adventurous and colorful with his songwriting adding funk piano and bass in multiple tracks like "Wanted/Wasted" and "They Can't Come". To the dub/club style synth and heavy beats of "Get Down". He even gets Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon to sing some hooks at the end of the track "How We Land". While listening to the record, you don't think you can get any more out of it until the closer "Piano Hits" which is one of the most chaotic closers of an album I've ever personally heard. This record as a whole unexpectedly keeps you listening for hours and hours. Not saying that it was an unexpectedly good record as P.O.S. is very talented. The record is just unexpectedly inventive and proves that P.O.S. as a solo artist has a lot left to give to the hip hop community and the music scene in general.