- The Underachievers are a New York hip hop duo that hadn't appeared on my radar until very recently and if you believe the entry on their excellent new mix tape's Datpiff page, the pair had no interest in being a part of the rap game until sometime early in 2012.

Despite their only recent arrival to a once again bustling and inspiring New York rap scene the group have already garnered attention, signing to producer-turned-MC and general badass Flying Lotus's Brainfeeder label; a label chocked full of eclectic, experimental hip hop and electronic music, warped music for warped minds. If it wasn't for that connection to Brainfeeder I probably wouldn't have stumbled upon or bothered taking a chance on another up and coming rap group that I knew absolutely nada about; another flash in the pan that would most likely end up just breaking my little heart.

On Indigoism the duo bounce from beat to beat with ease, a record of drugged out, almost psychedelic rap, dark and at times menacing music that has echoes (no pun intended) of SpaceGhostPurrp's 4AD debut snarling and creepin through the eerie underworld. While Purrp's menace never gave up, the Underachievers occasionally fall back on that classic New York sound wrapped around those lush, haziness found recently in 'cloud rap', another incredibly niche and most likely unnecessary sub-genre where the beats take the cake in the smoked out stakes.

Despite taking a couple of tracks to work themselves into a truly deep groove and solidify the uniquness of their sound, by the time I was one third of the way through Indigoism I was completely hooked, and when a record is 17 songs deep that still gives you a whole lot to look forward to. When the end of the tape rolls around the Underachievers have, with little regard for my bliss-ruined brain, truly delivered something special, totally dispersing my initial hesitations, going from space-age, weirdo, boom-bap to a spin on rap's newest throw-away sub-genre, 'trap': but with the machine gun beats more subdued and subtle than those used by many of their rap contemporaries.

Indigoism is a fresh and exciting piece of music and the kind of nice surprise that helps me get through those long, mundane days. It tops the soul up with a little life juice. Again this tape is a tad on the long side and is probably a little too much for one session, but, really, if that's your worst problem, then, great. If you're a hip hop fan with an open mind this tape most definitely warrants the frickin' free download.

- Jay Edwards.