Wiki, the prolific New York City emcee, songwriter, and producer, has returned with his sixth studio LP, Ancient History. Rising to prominence as a member of the trio Ratking, Wiki established his solo career with the 2017 debut No Mountains in Manhattan, followed by OOFIE and Telephonebooth. After recent collaborations with Navy Blue on Half God and Tony Seltzer on 14K Figaro, this latest project finds the artist digging into a more introspective and experimental soundscape.

The album opens with “G.T.F.O.H. (Get The Fuck Outta Here),” a drumless, soulful introduction that sets the tone for a project defined by its departure from traditional trap structures. Tracks like “Right Away” offer a moment of optimism, while “1 Time” leans into a classic boom-bap aesthetic. The project balances these moments with atmospheric cuts like “Park,” which captures the quiet, psychedelic stillness of early morning hours.

A standout moment arrives with “I.H.N.Y. (I Hate New York),” produced by Navy Blue. The track serves as a poignant exploration of the complex love-hate relationship Wiki maintains with the city that shaped his identity. The album continues to evolve through collaborations, including “Bloom,” featuring duendita and production by Lil Ugly Mane, and “All in the Lining,” which reunites Wiki with Your Old Droog for another abstract boom-bap highlight.

The latter half of the record features the romantic “Something New,” featuring Salimata and production from MIKE, before transitioning into the moody, thematic “7 Deadly Sins.” The project concludes with the title track, a five-minute symphonic piece produced by The Alchemist.

While Half God remains a cornerstone of his catalog, Ancient History succeeds as a bold departure. By trading the trap-heavy production of his 2023 work for a more cryptic, drumless approach, Wiki continues to push the boundaries of his songwriting.

Score: 7/10