Earlier this month, Portland/LA based artist Myke Bogan released Hotel Happy Hour, his second project of 2020. Hotel is filled the brim with Bogan’s signature chilled out braggadocio which is complemented perfectly by the lo-fi soundscape on each track. This particular combination of delivery style and instrumentation makes Hotel a natural continuation from Bogan’s previous release, Cult Beauty. This isn’t just Bogan retreading old ground though. Hotel manages to take the sound from the back half of Beauty, add that extra *oomph* to it, and distill it into ‘lo-fi beats to rail lines and get money to.’
And it owns.
Bogan’s lackadaisical approach to rapping makes his bragging rights sound more like matter-of-fact statements. For example, on the album’s opening track “Fragments”, when Bogan raps about ‘screaming out money ain’t a thing cause it’s not now’ I believe him. Like, yeah, someone saying this so coolly and calmly has his shit together. He doesn’t feel the need to brag, because he doesn’t need to. Bogan has got his ducks in a row and is only going up. This almost tranquil delivery continues throughout the 12-minute EP, interrupted by the occasional celebratory outroar.