After weeks of waiting, Mike Shinoda’s (Linkin Park/Fort Minor) newest project, ZIGGURATS, is finally here!
Initially announcing the project back in September, Shinoda recently gave a more in depth look on his latest project, titled ZIGGURATS. Describing it as a “generative mixtape” with roots drawing from a 90s hip-hop feel, he has created a one-of-a-kind music experience.
Similar to Dropped Frames, Shinoda’s three volume collection of instrumental beats created live on Twitch, ZIGGURATS also drew inspiration from his Twitch streams and community. Bringing together bits and pieces of beats, music, vocals, and art he’s made in the past few years, Shinoda painstakingly handcrafted four unique tracks, “Genius Bar,” “Richard Bachman,” “Cheat Codes,” and “CTRL C CTRL V.” Like the music, Shinoda also created the art for this six minute and forty-four second EP, featuring five very different characters on the cover. ZIGGURATS was released on streaming services December 3.
Talking about the project, Shinoda said:
“Mixtapes were an actual cassette back in the day… but what you’d always get were verses…you weren’t really getting hooks or promotional drops. The format was for a rapper to come onto the track and showcase their skills and drop bars. It’s all rap verses over beats and it’s 6:45 minutes.”
A source of constant creativity, ZIGGURATS is far from Mike Shinoda’s only recent project. Streaming three days a week on Twitch from his home studio, Shinoda has been hard at work. ZIGGURATS follows the release of the single “Happy Endings,” featuring alternative/pop artist UPSAHL and rapper iann dior, released earlier this year, and his three volume Dropped Frames from 2020. More recently, Shinoda also received a Grammy nomination for his remix of Deftones’ “Passenger” for the upcoming 2022 Grammy Awards.
Make sure to check out Mike Shinoda’s newest solo EP ZIGGURATS streaming worldwide! Watch the official lyric video for the project below!
