mikedecline is a producer from Calgary who has been putting out music for about the last ten years or so. Just last year, he gave us an instrumental collection by the name of Lightning in a Bucket. Now, as we all stay home during this pandemic, he gives us a new collection that serves as a fundraiser for Safe Water Drinking Foundation, but also as an instrumental diary of his April, When It Rains, It Rains.

When It Rains, It Rains is a fairly straightforward listening experience, in terms of instrumental hip hop projects. It’s some sample-based midtempo boom bap that you can nod your head along to. That said, it’s not like this isn’t enjoyable or that you won’t get a lot out of listening to it. mikedecline is having fun working in some poignant samples, whether they be musical or vocal, and he’s clearly using the music to fight off his own depression, anger, boredom, or any other extreme emotion that quarantine can pull out of you. When you listen to this all the way through, you get those waves, as indicated by song titles like, “I’m Fine,” “Mind Wander,” and “Hang On, My Darling.” My personal favorite comes with how the album closes with the aptly titled “Growler Fill,” a fitting close to one of the shittiest times to live through in modern history.

It takes all kind of things to get through these times right now, and sometimes an instrumental hip hop album that speaks to this rollercoaster of emotions w’re all riding is just what the doctor ordered. So put on When It Rains, It Rains, and nod your head to the beat, but also nod your head knowingly as you see your own mood fluctuations staring back at you.