AESOP ROCK Drops Surprise Album ‘I Heard It’s A Mess There Too’

I met Billy Woods back in 2022 when Armand Hammer performed at Pickathon. During our conversation, the emcee and label owner told me that he isn’t new to the area; he’d been to Portland many times. As he reminded me, Aesop Rock had relocated to the city from New York back in 2016. Woods, who had just unveiled his own unreleased project at the festival, explaind how he’d been visiting his old friend and was blown away by how much unheard material he had accumulated.

A celebrated wordsmith and accomplished producer, Aesop has made a name for himself by crafting dense, visceral, and cinematic work that redefines the parameters of hip-hop. In recent years, he’s become increasingly conceptual in with projects like the narrated journey through an alternate plane, Spirit World Field Guide (2020) and Integrated Tech Solutions (2023) which focused on technology and consumerism and was even offered as a deluxe vinyl release that had reactive LEDs and sound built into the elaborate packaging. Released this May, the Black Hole Superette LP offered its own deluxe option featuring a jacket with perforated doors on the cornerstore cover art, one of which unveils a scratch-off lottery ticket. Additionally, there is a downloadable ‘Black Hole Superette EXPERIENCE‘ video game described as “A surreal first-person exploration game where you roam a fictional convenience store, collect hidden audio fragments, and unlock cryptic wisdom. Sample the full Black Hole Superette album, discover hidden easter eggs, and dive into a twisted soundscape of interactive hip-hop absurdity.”

Last night, an email was sent out through the Aesop Rock newsletter announcing the surprise drop of another brand new album. Included was access to a free download of the LP titled ‘I HEARD IT’S A MESS THERE TOO,’ as well as the ability to purchase physical copies and merch. 

Upon clicking through the provided link, there was an audio clip stating the following:

Since speaking to Billy Woods, I’ve thought about how much music Aesop Rock might be sitting on and what might either never see the light of day or is just waiting to be fit into a larger project. Although his audio message indicates that ‘I Heard It’s A Mess Too‘ is a series of disjointed tracks the rapper has been producing, he still managed to tie it all together with a broader concept.

The product page on his website elaborates.

“For Aesop Rock, the phrase “I heard it’s a mess there too” started out as a lyric, but it didn’t take long for that line to get its hooks into him. It felt familiar, like a line he’d said a thousand times in recent years while checking in with friends across different cities, swapping stories about where each other are, and what’s going on there. The more he sat with the phrase, the more it started to feel like the center of something bigger. I Heard It’s A Mess There Too lives at the intersection of two personal urges for Aesop: the need to venture out and document your surroundings, and the desire to stay connected—especially when things feel uncertain. 

Musically, Aesop Rock explores some new territory on the album. “I’d been building tracks the same way for many years,” he says, “but I made a conscious shift in my process here. I tried out some new tools and attempted to make my beats cleaner, more minimal. The drums are more stripped back, the bass lines are allowed to just sit, without layering ten things on top. I didn’t want the beat and the vocals competing for attention—I just wanted enough to get a wave rolling and not much more, just setting a mood I could move to.” These twelve songs mark different stops along that path of tinkering and looking for something new.”

As of now, the email accetalss por seems to be the only direct link — there’s no mention of it on his social media or when accessing his website or store through the front end. We’re assuming there might be a wider announcement and access, but until then, you can check it out, purchase physical copies, and/or pick up a t-shirt by clicking HERE.

The full 12-track release is also available to hear on YouTube. We’re pasting the video so it’s vieweable below, but it’s currently on YouTube as “unlisted.” Enjoy!

Tracklisting

Side A

1. Crystals and Herbs
2. The Cut
3. Full House Pinball
4. Bag Lunch
5. Spin to Win
6. Opossum

Side B

7. Oh My Stars
8. Potato Leek Soup
9. Pay the Man
10. Poly Cotton Blend
11. Call Home
12. Sherbert