Che Noir and Jynx716 recently released a joint LP titled Andy, which has been turning heads since it dropped. Per social media promotion of the album, Andy serves as an acronym for “Absolutely not done yet.” The album utilizes a shot from the hit 1998 Jim Carrey film The Truman Show on its front cover, offering a sense that Jynx and Che view the hip-hop game as an otherworldly glimpse into a manufactured reality. The album primarily sees Che Noir taking on the task of chopping up a unique blend of old-school boom bap and new age funk instrumentals, allowing for a sonically fascinating soundscape in which Jynx716 glides effortlessly. Here’s a brief overview of the album and the material therein.
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Andy Is The Second Team-Up Between The Pair
Che Noir and Jynx716 previously worked together on a 2022 EP titled Careful What You Wish For. While the project revealed some solid cohesion between the Buffalo, NY MCs, Andy serves as a greater exploration of themes and ideas, allowing the pair to fully flesh out their ideas on wax. For Jynx, this project serves as a sophomore album, following his underrated 2020 LP The Green Album.
Andy runs only 8 tracks over 25 minutes, with an opening track ironically titled “Second Impression.” The Buffalo natives showcase their formidable presence with a powerful collaboration on the album’s high-energy opener, leaving both new and returning listeners in awe. Despite the track’s title, it’s more than likely that the song will serve as the first impression for many listeners, as Jynx716 touts under 9,000 monthly Spotify streamers, while Che Noir only has 59,000.
The Tracklist Has Some Clear Highs And Lows
While most of Che Noir and Jynx716’s efforts on Andy are quite successful, there are a few dull moment in the brief tracklist. The second track, “Time,” and the penultimate venture “No Voicemail” sound like forgettable B-sides that could easily have stayed on the cutting room floor. Both tracks linger on their respective themes, become repetitive and forgettable, and ultimately overstay their welcome, even on a 25 minute long project. This is one negative consequence of Che and Jynx engaging with the Griselda type niche, as artists in this lane have a tendency to produce serious heat, with a few samey tracks padding out projects.
Still, the highlights of the album are quite high, with tracks such as “Where I Gotta Go” showcasing Jynx716’s mission statement, elaborating on the rappers origins, goals, and forward thinking. On this track, it becomes clear that Jynx seeks to be more than a common corner boy, and aspired from the onset of his career to get his money from moving weight and get out with his sanity and freedom intact.
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The Features Can Be Hit-Or-Miss As Well
Che Noir and Jynx716 are clearly proteges of the Griselda movement, which put Buffalo rap on the map, making thier collaboration with 38Spesh on the track “Stay Underground” a perfect combination. Unfortunately, with a runtime of less than 2 minutes, the track falls a bit flat, and would surely benefit from a third verse or at least a bridge. The track is also the lone title on Spotify which doesn’t credit Che Noir directly, signaling that elements of the song may have been cut in the album editing process.
A better realized feature track comes later in the LP, in the form of “Hope” with Freeway and a vocal inclusion from Che Noir. This is handily the best track on the album, with all three vocalists bringing their A-game. At the end of the day, Andy showcases a wide variety of moving tracks from Che Noir and Jynx716, without managing to create something truly memorable. While the album certainly deserves a place in your rotation, it’s hard to imagine anyone listing this collaboration on their “best of 2024” lists.
