| Mika's Laundry | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 22, 2024 | |||
| Length | 33:07 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Matt Champion chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Mika's Laundry | ||||
| ||||
Mika's Laundry is the debut studio album by rapper and former Brockhampton member Matt Champion, released on March 22, 2024, by RCA Records. The album was preceded by three singles, all with music videos directed by Anna Pollack. It features contributions from Henry Kwapis, Dijon, Dora Jar, Jennie, and multiple of Champion's former bandmates.
Champion is the second former member of Brockhampton to release a solo album since the group's breakup in 2022, following Kevin Abstract's 2023 album Blanket . [1]
Champion released the album's first single, "Aphid", on February 15, 2024. [2] The single features vocals by Dijon. [2] Clash's Robin Murray said "the touching songwriting brims with promise, Matt Champion illuminating each finer detail in the process." [2] The song came with a music video directed by Anna Pollack. [3] Second single "Slug" followed on February 28, co-produced by Champion and Henry Kwapis. [4] [5] "Slug" expands on the sound of "Aphid", "channeling gooey, nostalgia-inducing funk and soul." [5] "Slug" came with a music video directed by Pollack in which Champion, covered in slime, dances and crawls around in a plastic bubble in the woods. [5] [6]
The album was announced on March 8, with its release set for March 22 by RCA Records. [7] With the announcement came the third single, "Slow Motion", featuring Jennie from the K-pop group Blackpink. [7] [1] Stereogum's Tom Breihan called the song a "starry-eyed love song" which "starts off as a soft, Billie Eilish-style piano ballad, but then a jungle breakbeat kicks in so suddenly that I thought I had music playing in a different open tab." [1] The song came with another video directed by Pollack. [7] Jennie revealed on Instagram that the two made the song three years prior. [8] A music video for "Dogfish", also directed by Pollack, was released the same day as the album. [9]
Champion described the album as existing in "a remote, but technologically sound community of cement-walled facilities, open plains, and greenhouse-like domes, at the centre of which lies the album's namesake club, Mika's Laundry." [7] He credited Arthur Russell's Love Is Overtaking Me, Tirzah's Devotion , and Big Moe's City of Syrup as inspiring his melodic literacy. [10]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| The Needle Drop | 6/10 [11] |
Hypebeast 's Elaina Bernstein called the album "existential and ethereal" and said it "reflects the many different sides of Champion, while also infusing the influences of the project's production collaborators". [9] Clash 's Robin Murray said the album is "framed by vivid colour" and is a "work of real complexity, dominated by shifts in mood and tone." [12] The Needle Drop's Anthony Fantano wrote that while the album's "song structures leave a lot to be desired, Mika's Laundry is a pretty good showcase of Matt's range as a solo artist." [11]
Paste ranked "Slug" as the 41st-best song of the first half of 2024, with Matt Mitchell praising it as "one of the best dance tracks of the year, one I haven't been able to turn off since I first heard it months ago." [13] Uproxx called the album one of the best of the year as of June 4. [14]
All tracks are written by Matt Champion and Henry Kwapis with others noted. All tracks are produced by Champion and Kwapis with others noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Green" | 3:02 | ||
| 2. | "Aphid" (featuring Dijon) |
| 2:45 | |
| 3. | "Steel" (featuring Dora Jar) |
| Karaszewski | 2:43 |
| 4. | "Gbiv" |
|
| 2:54 |
| 5. | "Purify" |
|
| 3:01 |
| 6. | "Dogfish" | Ryan Richter [lower-alpha 1] | 1:54 | |
| 7. | "Code Red" |
|
| 2:12 |
| 8. | "Aren't You Excited" |
|
| 2:22 |
| 9. | "Slug" | 3:00 | ||
| 10. | "Everybody Likes You" | Duenas | 2:09 | |
| 11. | "Project" | Adam Melchor | Melchor [lower-alpha 1] | 1:59 |
| 12. | "Slow Motion" (with Jennie) |
|
| 2:45 |
| 13. | "Meetin' You" | Ryan Raines | Raines | 2:21 |
| Total length: | 33:07 | |||
Notes
Saturation is the debut studio album by American rap collective Brockhampton. Independently released on June 9, 2017, the album features appearances from group members Kevin Abstract, Ameer Vann, Merlyn Wood, Dom McLennon, Matt Champion, Joba, and Bearface. Production was primarily handled by group members Romil Hemnani, Jabari Manwa, and Kiko Merley, with additional contributions from Joba, Bearface, and No Rome. Manwa, along with Brockhampton webmaster Robert Ontenient, perform the albums vocal skits.
Brockhampton was an American boy band/rap collective founded in 2014 in San Marcos, Texas. Led by Kevin Abstract and formed partially through the online music discussion forum KanyeToThe, the group's final line-up consisted of vocalists Abstract, Matt Champion, Merlyn Wood, and Dom McLennon, vocalists/producers Joba, Bearface, and Jabari Manwa and producers Romil Hemnani and Kiko Merley, as well as graphic designer Henock "HK" Sileshi, photographer Ashlan Grey, web designer Roberto Ontenient, and manager Jon Nunes.
Matthew Garrett Champion is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is known for his role as a member of hip hop collective and boyband Brockhampton, with whom he released eight studio albums. His debut solo album, Mika's Laundry, was released on March 22, 2024.
Jennie Kim, known mononymously as Jennie, is a South Korean singer, rapper, and actress. Born and raised in South Korea, Jennie studied in New Zealand for five years before returning to South Korea in 2010. She is a member of the South Korean girl group Blackpink, which debuted under YG Entertainment in August 2016. She made her acting debut under the stage name Jennie Ruby Jane in the 2023 HBO television series The Idol.
"Kiss and Make Up" is a song by English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa and South Korean girl group Blackpink from Dua Lipa: Complete Edition (2018), the reissue of the former's eponymous debut studio album. The song was written by Lipa, Chelcee Grimes, Yannick Rastogi, Zacharie Raymond, Mathieu Jomphe-Lepine, Marc Vincent, and Teddy Park, while production was handled by Banx & Ranx. It was released through Warner Bros. Records as the final promotional single from all editions of the album on 19 October 2018, alongside the reissue's release.
"Solo" is the debut solo single by South Korean singer and rapper Jennie, a member of South Korean girl group Blackpink. Released on November 12, 2018, through YG and Interscope, the song was written by Teddy and composed by him with 24. Musically, "Solo" is a dance, pop, and hip hop song with EDM elements. Its lyrical content revolves around the theme of independence after a break-up.
"Forever Young" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It serves as the second track from the group's first Korean extended play Square Up, released on June 15, 2018. It was written and produced by Teddy and Future Bounce, and originally recorded in 2015. A Japanese version of the song was included in the group's first Japanese compilation album, Blackpink in Your Area (2018).
"Sugar" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton from their fifth studio album, Ginger (2019). The song features guest vocals from Ryan Beatty. It was written by Matthew Champion, Ciarán McDonald, Dominique Simpson, Ian Simpson, Beatty, Jabari Manwarring, Romil Hemnani, and Chuks Chiejine, while the production was handled by Jabari Manwa and Romil Hemnani. The song impacted contemporary hit radio formats in the United States on November 19, 2019, as the album's fifth single, before being released globally on December 13, through Question Everything and RCA Records. It is a hip hop, pop, and R&B slow jam, driven by an acoustic guitar loop. Lyrically, the themes include drug abuse, codependency, and the stress of uncertainty.
"Sour Candy" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga and South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released for digital download and streaming on May 28, 2020, as a promotional single off Gaga's sixth studio album, Chromatica. The song was written by Gaga, Madison Love, Rami Yacoub, Teddy Park, and its producers BloodPop and Burns. It is a deep house, dance-pop and electropop song with a house, dance and electronic beat and lyrics which compare the artists to the titular sour candy.
"Lovesick Girls" is a song by South Korean girl group Blackpink, recorded for their debut studio album, The Album (2020). It was released on October 2, 2020, through YG Entertainment and Interscope Records, as the third single from the album. The Japanese version of the single was released through Interscope Records and Universal Music Japan on June 4, 2021. The song was composed by Teddy, 24, Jennie, Brian Lee, Leah Haywood, R.Tee, and David Guetta, whilst its lyrics were written by Teddy, Løren, Jisoo, Jennie, and Danny Chung. It is a dance-pop and electropop song containing influences from EDM and punk rock, with lyrics exploring pain associated with heartbreak.
"On the Ground" is the debut solo single by Korean-New Zealand singer and Blackpink member Rosé. It was released on 12 March 2021 by YG Entertainment as the lead single from her debut single album, R. It was written by Rosé alongside Amy Allen, Raúl Cubina, Jon Bellion, Jorgen Odegard, Teddy, and was produced by the latter three alongside Ojivolta and 24. The song is an electropop, pop rock and pop track with synth-pop elements. Its lyrics reflect Rosé's rise to fame, from singing and playing piano in her childhood home to flying to South Korea and forming one of K-pop's biggest acts.
"Buzzcut" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on March 24, 2021 as the lead single from their sixth studio album Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine (2021). It features American rapper Danny Brown.
"Shut Down" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It was released on September 16, 2022, through YG Entertainment and Interscope Records, as the second single of the group's second studio album, Born Pink (2022). The song was written by its producer 24, alongside Teddy, Danny Chung, and Vince. It is primarily a hip hop song driven by trap beats and a looped classical violin sample of Niccolò Paganini's "La Campanella", with lyrics dismissing the group's haters.
"Typa Girl" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink. It is the third track on group's second studio album, Born Pink (2022), which was released on September 16, 2022, through YG and Interscope. It is a hip-hop, pop and electronic song with a trap beat and synth. It was written by Bekuh Boom and composed by Boom and Dominsuk. Lyrically, the track sees the group speak confidently about being the type of person that everyone wants.
TM is the eighth and final studio album by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton. It was released on November 18, 2022, one day after the release of the group's previous studio album The Family, through RCA and Question Everything. For its entire rollout, The Family was advertised as the band's final album. A surprise release, TM was announced for release alongside a promo image for The Family, and was billed by the band as a "parting gift for fans".
"One of the Girls" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, South Korean singer Jennie, and French-American actress and singer Lily-Rose Depp. It was released on December 8, 2023, through XO and Republic Records, as the first single from The Idol Episode 4 (2023), an EP of music from the fourth episode of the HBO television series The Idol, which stars the three singers. The song was also included on the 2024 deluxe version of the Weeknd's greatest hits album The Highlights (2021). A synth-led R&B song, it was written by the Weeknd, Lily-Rose Depp, Ramsey, Sam Levinson, and producer Mike Dean. The song relates to the storyline of The Idol and addresses themes of control, fame, desire, and Stockholm syndrome.
"You & Me" is a song by South Korean singer, rapper, and Blackpink member Jennie. It was released on October 6, 2023, through YG Entertainment and Interscope Records, as a special single after being performed on Blackpink's Born Pink World Tour (2022–2023). It marked Jennie's first solo single in five years after "Solo" (2018). Written by Teddy and Danny Chung and composed by Teddy, 24, and Vince, "You & Me" is a dance-pop track with romantic lyrics about being in love. A remix version that was performed at Coachella was simultaneously released, with additional writing credits by Bekuh Boom. The song marked Jennie's final solo release under YG and Interscope, following her departure from the labels in December 2023.
"Zipper" is a song by American hip hop boy band Brockhampton, released on December 15, 2017, as a single from their third studio album Saturation III (2017). It contains a sample of "Cha Cha Cha!" by Optigan.
"Slow Motion" is a song by American rapper Matt Champion and South Korean singer Jennie. It was released on March 8, 2024, through RCA Records as the third single from the former's debut studio album, Mika's Laundry (2024). A drum and bass song, it was written by the artists Champion and Jennie with Adam Feeney, Dijon, Henry Kwapis, Jacob Reske, and Romil Hemnani, while it was produced by Champion, Kwapis, and Dijon.
"Spot!" is a song by South Korean rapper Zico featuring South Korean singer Jennie. It was released as a digital single on April 26, 2024, through KOZ Entertainment. "Spot!" is a hip-hop song written and produced by Zico, Eun Hee-young and No Identity, with lyrics about a casual encounter between two friends at a late-night party.