Lil Seltrah and Schirmstick, collectively known as MKULTRA Posse, pull no punches with their erratic, high energy single “86 With Caution”.
The choppy hook stampedes in over the gritty soundscape and abruptly ends, serving as a unique intro and the perfect Tik Tok audio. The record skips and the beat returns, somehow more alarming than before, the sounds pierce with more clarity.
Lil Seltrah’s one of a kind mid tempo flow charges in with a kind of unwanted authority. He wields the strength of his voice with a casual delivery. The verse seems to be directed at an acquaintance, and addresses an altercation with a knife that Lil Seltrah had to squash before it got bloodier. The staggered rhyme pattern has an effect of someone waving a gun, you can’t stop looking, and you’re waiting for it fire. The bullet comes in the form of the 2nd half of the verse where Seltrah’s delivery completely switches, somehow more relaxed, but exponentially more impactful. The hook returns and is easy to get into as it ushers the song seamlessly into Schirmstick’s verse. Schirmstick’s vocal inflection really compliments Seltrah’s verse, giving the record a sense of balance as Schirmstick’s lyrics allow us to delve deeper and deeper into his dark psyche. His last bar sums up the brutal, raw energy of the song “I was put on this Earth to make people cry.”
I give this song a 9/10. It’s refreshing to hear artists try new sounds and patterns instead of sticking to what is working for the masses. This song is a good example of how going against the grain can yield sweeter fruit, but only if you’re brave enough to explore the unfamiliar.
Listen to “86 With Caution” on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/album/7A0UM3dprNGRI8jzNuU1U3
