Music Review: Mike D 5D’s debut solo album ‘Thank You’ offers glitchy, post-Beastie Boy fun

Mike D 5D, a new project spearheaded by former Beastie Boy Michael Diamond, has released its debut solo album, "Thank You," on Friday. This marks the first new music from the Beastie Boys' camp since the untimely death of Adam "MCA" Yauch in 2012. "Thank You" showcases Mike D's venture into uncharted sonic territory, with only occasional missteps.

The opening tracks, "Switch Up" and "What We Got," are characterized by their stuttering drum and bass patterns and distorted vocals, which are amplified through an overdrive pedal. These tracks align seamlessly with Mike D's high-energy and robust style. However, songs like "Secrets Pt. II" are less essential. In this piece, Mike D repeatedly proclaims, "I got secrets," yet he fails to disclose any actual secrets.

Musically, the album feels like a man working in a bedroom, equipped with a vintage synthesizer, a handful of intoxicated friends, and a laptop loaded with outdated drum software. This is notably evident in the track "Crypto," which attempts to address the issue of greed but ends up being melodically erratic. Despite this, "Thank You" ultimately delivers a frenzied and fuzzy declaration from Mike D, declaring, "All these people in your ear, they're in your ear / All these people talking in your ear, in your ear."

Overall, "Thank You" is an unpolished, noisy, and exhilarating glitch-rap album. For instance, the track "I Don't Care" stands out as one of the best. It carries a slow tempo and has Mike D contemplating the balance between obligations and the emotional rewards they yield: "We all have a role / I didn't see mine," he sings. "Start with a goal, get lost in the deadline." The track excels due to the masterful Mini Korg synth work by Hubert Blanc-Fracard, a former member of French music duo Cassius.

Despite some drawbacks, "Thank You" is refreshingly innovative. This accomplishment alone deserves praise. The fact that Mike D aims for something so new and different is commendable. He is venturing beyond the rehashed and predictable sound of the Beastie Boys, which would have been the easy and accessible choice. There's no fun in that.