Alongside billy woods, the New York rapper Elucid is one half of the duo Armand Hammer. Earlier this year, Armand Hammer released the shattering, expressionistic masterwork Shrines, one of 2020’s best rap albums. But Elucid wasn’t done. Instead, he’s teamed up with the Michigan producer known as the Lasso to form a duo called Small Bills. And today, Small Bills have released Don’t Play It Straight, their debut album.

If you’ve heard much of Elucid’s music, both with Armand Hammer and elsewhere, then you already know that he’s a powerful voice — a classic New York underground rapper who’s capable of both abstract spirals and neck-slicing directness. His music gets deep and incisive about living in dystopian conditions, and he writes lyrics that demand serious analysis. On Don’t Play It Straight, the Lasso’s far-out, off-kilter psychedelic tracks make a nice complement to Elucid’s style. Both of them are willing to push each other further into left field.

Don’t Play It Straight features appearances from people like billy woods and Moor Mother, and we’ve already posted the early singles “Safehouse,” with Fielded, and “ET Diamond,” with Koncept Jackson. But the album really demands to be heard in full, and you can do that below.

Don’t Play It Straight is out now on Mello Music Group.