Purple Dirndl by Andrew Mbaruk & Th' Mole

Purple Dirndl: high art to disrupt and soothe. Rhymes by Andrew Mbaruk; music/production by Th' Mole. Their sophomore album, following 2021's Papier-Mâché Chalet. Recorded in Vancouver, BC, August, 2023. Post-produced through February, 2025.

In the words of the poet:

I think maybe I can help explain the value in the words, if you're writing anything about the album for its release. There are noticeable themes and there is an approach and whatnot, I can clarify that stuff better than I did with Papier Mache-Chalet . . . also the difference in approach between the two albums, that might be interesting to point out

i think it's a synthesis of western-canonical literature

it's questioning but also celebrating western literature

using the mode of traditional rap more than the freewheeling metrically not very structured writing of the previous album

if you wanna explain the album to folks, it's a self-critical synthesis of Western literature in the mode of old-timey rap

it could be called "a middle-aged person's symphony to Hermes" -- playing on Brian Wilson's "teenage symphony to God" SMiLE

Purple Dirndl is a comedy in both the Dantean sense of comedy plus the Richard Pryor sense

And in the words of the producer:

I worked my ass off on this music. Every single moment is purposeful and perfect. It's sonically revolutionary, daring, carefully crafted hip hop, beautifully complimenting the bold and brilliant Andrew Mbaruk. I'm sure our music will continue to be ignored by most, despite whatever promotional efforts are made, because that's the fate of truly groundbreaking art. It's very sad.

Mbaruk = a Black post-Canadian poet dwelling on Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Səl̓ilwətaɁɬ, and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territories . . . author of 'Oiseau=textual: the flying rap album' and 'Hydro=textual: the underwater rap album'.