Espejismo is the kind of underground hip-hop gem that demands your attention. Portland’s Fines Double delivers an eerie, abstract producer album that sets the tone for 2025 with deep, atmospheric beats and an impressive roster of features.
From the moment you hit play, you’re pulled into a world of haunting beats that perfectly blend with verses from an all-star cast of underground emcees. AJ Suede, Curly Castro, PremRock, billy woods, and Defcee all bring their A-game, but there are some lesser-known rappers here that seriously deserve more shine—Old Grape God, Dunn, and Davis the Dorchester Bully, to name a few.
The production throughout is raw, gritty, and inventive, with each song offering something fresh and captivating. Standout tracks like “Misanthropic Optics” (featuring AJ Suede), “Sundown Science” (with Curly Castro), and “Abandoned Shopping Malls” (Old Grape God) will stick with you long after they’ve ended. And don’t even think about skipping to billy woods’ verse (album closer “Levant”)—every bar from every artist is fire, making this one of those albums you’ll want to listen to from start to finish.
This is the kind of album that proves there’s still so much untapped talent in underground hip-hop. If you’re not already tuned in, Espejismo is the perfect reason to get started.
