Armand Hammer’s Paraffin (instrumentals) is a 14-track, 43-minute record built entirely out of instrumental tracks. It is a companion piece to the rapper’s 2018 album Paraffin, released as a stand-alone instrumental album in 2020. The record strips away the vocals and leaves only the beats, and what remains is a dense, politically engaged, and often restless collection of tracks that refuse to sit still.
The album runs through a wide range of sounds and textures, from the loose, almost jazz-inflected opener to the grim, industrial closer. It is not a record designed for comfort. It is a record designed to make you pay attention, and it mostly succeeds.
Sweet Mickey Opens the Record
The album opens with “Sweet Mickey,” a track that sets the tone immediately. It is a warm, almost playful opener, but the warmth is deceptive. The track carries a sense of unease underneath its surface, and it announces that this is not a record that will let you relax.
“Rehearse with Ornette” follows, and it is one of the album’s strongest moments. The track draws on free-jazz influences, and it moves with a kind of restless energy that feels both chaotic and controlled. It is a track that rewards repeated listens.
“Dettol” slows things down slightly, a more atmospheric piece that builds on a single idea rather than chasing the beat switches of the earlier tracks. It is a moment of respite, but it is brief.
“No Days Off” picks the pace back up, a track that is built on a driving rhythm that refuses to let up. It is a solid, if unremarkable, entry in the middle of the album.
Fuhrman Tapes and Hunter Stand Out
“Fuhrman Tapes” is one of the album’s highlights. It is a track that carries a specific historical weight, named after the tapes recorded by Mark Fuhrman during the O.J. Simpson trial. The title alone tells you that this is not a record that is interested in abstraction. It is a track about history, about memory, and about the way the past haunts the present.
“Hunter” continues the streak. It is a track that moves with a kind of predatory energy, built around a bassline that feels like it is stalking you. It is a tense, gripping listen.
“Alternate Side Parking” is a shorter, more playful track, a brief detour that feels like a palate cleanser. It is not a major highlight, but it is a welcome change of pace.
Black Garlic Through Vx
“Black Garlic” is a short, sharp burst of energy. It is not a track that lingers, but it is effective in its brevity.
“Vx” follows, and it is a track that carries a specific reference to the VX nerve agent. The title is a warning, and the music delivers on it. It is a grim, industrial track that feels like it is meant to unsettle.
“Vindaloo” is a longer, more expansive track. It stretches out over nearly four minutes, and it gives the album room to breathe. It is a track that shows the record can be spacious without losing its intensity.
“Ecomog” is a track with a specific historical reference, named after the Nigerian military intervention force. The title suggests a record that is engaged with politics, and this track lives up to that promise. It is a dense, complex track that rewards attention.
“It’s terrifyingly easy to get lost in Paraffin thanks to a penchant for beat switches and smoggy beats rolling into each other”
Bob Barker Closes the Album
“Bob Barker” is a track with a title that references the game show host, but the music itself is anything but light. It is a track that carries a sense of dread, and it sets up the final track perfectly.
“Sudden Death” closes the album on a note of tension. It is a track that refuses to resolve, leaving the listener with a sense of unresolved anxiety. It is a fitting end to a record that has spent its entire runtime refusing to settle.
What the Critical Reception Said
Critics praised the album’s kinetic energy, dense lyricism, and political engagement. The record was described as a record that is “uniquely attuned to the political, physical, and ethical realities of 2018 without being weighed down by its pop culture arcana or its attendant industry concerns.” That description captures the essence of the record: it is engaged with the world, but it does not get bogged down in trivia.
One review noted that “It’s terrifyingly easy to get lost in Paraffin thanks to a penchant for beat switches and smoggy beats rolling into each other.” That is exactly the experience of listening to the album. The tracks switch direction constantly, and the dense layers of sound can feel overwhelming at times.
| Track | Length | Role |
|---|---|---|
| “Sweet Mickey” | 2:29 | Opener, sets the tone |
| “Rehearse with Ornette” | 4:24 | Highlight, jazz influence |
| “Fuhrman Tapes” | 3:14 | Highlight, historical weight |
| “Hunter” | 4:24 | Highlight, tense energy |
| “Ecomog” | 3:51 | Political engagement |
| “Sudden Death” | 2:28 | Closer, unresolved tension |
Where the Album Falls Short
Not every track on the record reaches the heights of its highlights. The middle portion of the album, from “No Days Off” through “Vx,” is less cohesive than the opening and closing sections. These tracks are solid, but they do not have the same impact as the singles.
The record also relies heavily on its titles to carry meaning. Some listeners may find themselves distracted by the historical and cultural references in the track names rather than engaging with the music itself. That is a risk of an album this politically engaged, and it is a trade-off that the record makes willingly.
The Final Verdict
Paraffin (instrumentals) is a strong instrumental record. It is not a perfect one, but it is a compelling one. The highlights — “Rehearse with Ornette,” “Fuhrman Tapes,” “Hunter,” and “Ecomog” — are among the best instrumentals of the year. The lesser tracks do not drag the record down, but they do keep it from reaching the heights of its best moments.
The album earns its reputation for kinetic energy and dense lyricism. It is a record that demands attention, and it rewards that attention with some of the most compelling instrumental tracks of the year.
- Sweet Mickey (instrumental)2:29
- Rehearse with Ornette (instrumental)4:24
- Dettol (instrumental)2:33
- No Days Off (instrumental)2:59
- Fuhrman Tapes (instrumental)3:14
- Hunter (instrumental)4:24
- Alternate Side Parking (instrumental)2:34
- If He Holla (instrumental)3:34
- Black Garlic (instrumental)2:03
- Vx (instrumental)2:53
- Vindaloo (instrumental)3:56
- Ecomog (instrumental)3:51
- Bob Barker (instrumental)2:22
- Sudden Death (instrumental)2:28
