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Mike Posner, one of Duke University’s latest graduates, is also, interestingly enough, one of the radio waves newest hit makers. Producing two mixtapes an album, touring, and signing with J Records all while attending school start to finish is surely inspirational, but does his studio album, 31 Minutes To Takeoff deliver?

The answer is mostly yes. The album certainly has a pop sheen on it, however, if you were a fan of what he had produced prior to his stepping into a J Records recording studio, this album may not be what you expected. In his two mixtape outings A Matter of Time and One Foot Out the Door, both hosted by Clinton Sparks and DJ Benzi, Mike Posner created a rapping serenade of sorts that worked, and very well at that. His mixtapes seemed to be primarily electro and hip-hop oriented and his guest list only furthered that sentiment. Have a listen to Smoke and Drive and Mirror’s Edge, two of the most classic mixtape songs ever recorded.  It was here that Mike Posner seemed so at place and in control. Maybe it was J Records not knowing how they would market a hip-hop electro fusion with a splash of pop and a dash of rock, or maybe it was the absence of Benzi and Sparks, but either way hip-hop got dropped. Unfortunately for some, that’s where some of the best Mike Posner was.

Needless to say that’s what the album is missing, but it doesn’t keep it from being one of the better releases this year, and that’s because, for some odd reason, Mike works without it. The album was mostly sonically infectious and when it wasn’t the songs still weren’t easy to skip, there was something that made you listen, must be Mike. At just under 40 minutes the album is definitely Mike Posner concentrate, all songs, no filler and only one tainted moment; (Déjà vu featuring Boyz II Men, which was a mess) what more could you ask for in a debut.

Song by Song Take:

1. 31 Minutes to Takeoff – Intro
2. Please Don’t Go –electric influences, club ready, infectious, lyrically appropriate, very effective
3. Bow Chicka Wow Wow – a smart and infections song, cruising on an old school beat, playful and poppy
4. Cooler Than Me – his single for about 2 mix tapes and one album now, and the song holds up as well as it did then, catch beat, strong hook, radio friendly, in other words a hit.

If I could write you a song to make you fall in love/ I would already have you up under my arm/ I used up all my tricks, I hope that you like this/ but you probably won’t, you think your cooler than me.

1. Déjà Vu – the stark contrast between Mike Posner’s rapping and/or singing and Boyz II Men’s harmonious sound causes a catastrophe on the track, not to mention that the beat is just as spastic and disorderly.
2. Do U Wanna- interestingly enough the rock influences from producer Cisco Adler permeate into the track to great effect. The drum and horn combination grips the track along with whoever is listening. The lively instruments are a highlight on the album and Mike Posner luckily doesn’t lose his footing on the vocals.
3. Cheated – while it won’t receive the emotional response of tracks of similar subject matter, Keyshia Cole’s I Should Have Cheated, the track is electronic and dance inspired and will certainly make a limb or head bounce along to the beat
4. Gone in September – sounds sincere, a little more emotional, the more acoustic sound works to mikes advantage, the sonic journey gets better and better as the song goes on.
5. Save your goodbye – another more emotional track, the production gives a slightly haunting vibe with lyrics like “you’re everywhere I go” being chanted in between the hollowed howls in the background.
6. Synthesizer – synthetic and heavily electronic inspired beat topped off with some light crooning, not very sincere but listenable all the same.
7. Delta 1406 – the track sounds purposefully light and airy, the ambience created is reminiscing of late 90’s trance music, probably the most personal track on the album.
8. Falling – a fitting end, with a ballad-like feel complimented by a choir of voices harkening the track with angelic tones.

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