Record of the Week—>Armand Hammer “Mercy” (Backwoodz Studio) How was this ever not going to clinch the ROTW ring? With the Midas touch of Alchemist finally pulling Armand Hammer up from the underground with 2021’s much-celebrated Haram, the duo then smashed expectations on We Buy Diabetic Test Strips, bringing the Backwoodz crew along for a show of force that would be crowned 2023’s AOTY. With stunning solo drops from both billy woods and ELUCID since then, plus Alc’s never-ending hot streak, there’s pretty much nothing that could have gone wrong here. Hell, the supplier even got us our copies a week ahead of street date! As with anything from Armand Hammer, the beats are the only thing you can really get a grip on the first few listens, Alc giving us some luxurious atmospheres to sink into as we attempt to unravel the duo’s labyrinthine passages. And those beats are mighty fine, some of his prettiest, if we can be so bold. Removed from the grimy opulence he’s best known for, Mercy drips with nostalgia, Alc’s shuffling drums, simple loops of piano, and soulful vocals give woods and ELUCID a warm space for reflection. And reflect they do, trading off bars that find both MCs in a pensive mode—hardwired memories cloaked in obtuse imagery, relatable scenes of domesticity rendered with poetic precision, or transmissions from the edge of a quickly crumbling empire. Needless to say, but both Armand Hammer and Alchemist bring their best for Mercy. Another AOTY contender.