Album: Keep Going
Artist: Mike Posner
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Record Label: Universal Island Records
Recommended Tracks: Come Home, God’s Lottery
Mike Posner is a singer-songwriter, poet, and record producer. Posner’s career started in 2010, with his debut album, 31 Minutes to Takeoff. Keep Going is an album about Mike Posner’s mission to walk across America from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. His walk had to be paused in August of 2019, due to Posner being bitten by a rattlesnake. The album is representative of his walk and of Posner’s new phase in his own life. The album starts with an introduction track, in which Posner asks the listener to listen to the full album in its full 52-minute entirety uninterrupted, with undivided attention. It is a deeply emotional testament to the human spirit, and in my opinion, Mike Posner’s request should be fulfilled by the listener if they wish to enjoy the album the way it was meant to be listened to.
“Come Home” is a passionate track with a strong instrumental section that can remind one of spirituals or gospel music. The lyrics read to pair with the instrumentals, sounding long like a long confessional. The song is a reflection of the past for Mike Posner, as well as a reflection of his identities and self-image. The track is reflective, considerate, and singed with pain and regret. Despite this, the song carries a deeply hopeful and optimistic emotional undertone, and anyone listening cannot help but feel uplifted. If you are looking for a song to listen to when you are in a rough place, of just in the mood to be introspective of the past, this song is an excellent choice.
The first thing you notice when listening to “God’s Lottery” is the catchy and upbeat bass section that guides the song. The lyrics seem to levitate over the beat, with Posner’s voice sounding like it descended from the clouds above us. The song was contributed to by Elohim, whose vocals match the song perfectly. The song, although being happy and upbeat, expresses emotional and deep gratitude for life. Posner is saying in this track that, despite his struggles and challenges, he believes he’s won God’s lottery and is grateful for the life he has. In a way entirely different from “Come Home” this song uplifts and inspires the listener.
Mike Posner’s album “Keep Going” attempts to more than just an album, it seeks to be a full experience that encapsulates a heroic journey, not just from the Atlantic to the Pacific, but from the past to the future. The album not only contains deeply emotional and heartfelt tracks but words of wisdom and sage advice from people close to Posner, from his mother to Steven Tyler. If you are into EDM/Rap music or enjoy listening to Avicii or Blackbear, “Keep Going” is a great album to give a full, uninterrupted listen to.
