Maxo. Photo by Vincent Haycock
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Maxo’s fifth full-length comes after a gentle 2024 hiatus, though he didn’t leave fans entirely empty-handed. The 2023 releases of Even God Has A Sense of Humor and Debbie’s Son presented parallel visions of what moving forward — emotionally, creatively, professionally — might look like if we were really, truly honest. “A lot of the time, the music is there for conversations I can’t even have with the person in real life [because] I haven’t built up the courage,” Maxo confessed to The FADER’s Brandon Callender back in 2023.
Maxo’s fifth full-length comes after a gentle 2024 hiatus, though he didn’t leave fans entirely empty-handed. The 2023 releases of Even God Has A Sense of Humor and Debbie’s Son presented parallel visions of what moving forward — emotionally, creatively, professionally — might look like if we were really, truly honest. “A lot of the time, the music is there for conversations I can’t even have with the person in real life [because] I haven’t built up the courage,” Maxo confessed to The FADER’s Brandon Callender back in 2023.
Following Maxo’s departure from Def Jam, Debbie’s Son was headier and more insular, freed from the expectations of the major label system. MARS IS ELECTRIC was seemingly born out of a similar freedom, Maxo’s loosest recording process yet: “This is the first time that I really didn’t care, I didn’t approach things so seriously,” the rapper says via press release. And there is something silly about MARS, which might have been obvious from the rollout’s first music video for “Human ?” But if MARS enjoys clowning around, it’s more likely to keep from crying above all else; even over the insistent pulse of “Saturday Love (Cherry)” Maxo can’t help reflecting on how, “people change and seasons get old.”
The album’s closing suite is particularly heartfelt, from the title track’s sludgy sample flip to Maxo’s contemplative bars on outro “Anything,” his flow loping alongside the clattering instrumental with ease. On “Ludacris,” an uplifting soul chop spurs Maxo to lock in, his raps urgent, syllables squeezing together. “This is more than just another sad song,” he crows near the track’s close. But even if it was: what a sad song! “If I could grow apart from every void and sit and restart I don’t know if I could live with that choice,” Maxo muses. A little later, he’ll admonish “I really come from trauma, not adorable / never once felt your bruises.” Another rapper might play a line like that to remind you how tough you aren’t, but Maxo is wise enough to know suffering isn’t a virtue.
