Armand Hammer 'We Buy Diabetic Test Strips' Tries To Make Sense Of Our World After Covid

Armand Hammer (Billy woods and Elucid) understand the world around them is changing. Mankind is entrapped in social media with cell phones hypnotizing generations. Musicians no longer invest soul into their bodies of work, AI and chart data pushing the content that gets exposed to mainstream markets. All that’s left are memories of the past; remembrance of an old world that feared the apocalypse to come. We Buy Diabetic Test Strips is Armand Hammer’s first offering since 2020’s Alchemist-produced Haram, and it’s a stark reminder that humanity is finite.

Much has changed for the duo in three years: Covid-19, introduction to fatherhood, and political shifts. Both ELUCID and Billy woods have navigated their artistry through various solo releases since. We Buy Diabetic Test Strips feels like an accumulation of that gained experience, a moment of breakthrough clarity. Kenny Segal, Messiah Musik, SteeltippedDove, JPEGMAFIA, and Child Actor handle the production, with every beat maker retreading past ideas to create invigorating new ones.

The juxtaposition between the past and present shines throughout the album. On opener “Landlines,” ELUCID sees his son with box braids, geared up for 90s day in school, dressed in his dad’s jeans with a high fade and flat top. Meanwhile, billy woods dips his verse into baptismal water; cleansing past sins and refreshing perspectives. “Rather be codependent than codefendants.”

Modern times are filled with uncertainty on “The Flexible Unreliability of Time.” Newspapers are nefarious, one turn of the page is filled with tragedy. Humans inhale smoke from plastic vape pens, Siri and Alexa navigate through our laziness, and society looks for purpose and role models that have exited the room decades ago. “A house divided, pick sides for the civil war,” woods declares, referencing the congress schism between democrats and republicans. Social media influencers have become the youth’s role models. woods takes the time to tackle this, “The choice was Kevin Samuels or Dr. Umar. Gentlemen, the choice is yours But I assure you Jimmy Baldwin not coming through that door,” highlighting the lack of meaningful black leadership in our culture.

Armand Hammer isn’t alone in tackling the carnage; joining them is Pink Siifu, Cavalier, Fielded, and Junglepussy. Biblical references, ancient law, and plagues fill Cavalier’s verse on “I Keep a Mirror in my Pocket,” making way for billy and ELUCID to flex their lyrical prowess. Siifu and Junglepussy’s verses on Test Strips feel more like texture overlays to the track. On “Trauma Mic” Siifu aims his southern scopes on individuals who don’t keep their word, his voice echoing as if he’s fading out in the horizon. The DJ Haram-produced beat is haunted by industrial creaks and alarms as imminent doom crescendos near.

“Y’all Can’t Stand Right Here” is sonically unpleasant, but that’s the point. Think Jazz, the chaos crafted from crashing piano keys, hysteric horns, and frantic percussion as a way to show an artist’s angst and distress. The title of the track is about woods’ song “No Hard Feelings” from last year’s Aethiopes. Junglepussy raps in spoken word, like she’s ignoring the burning environment around her.

The El-P produced “The Gods Must Be Crazy” is one of the most upbeat and downright fun cuts in Armand Hammer’s discography. ELUCID dishes up his verses like a whispering pastor and billy woods stutters his words in double time; the duo allows their flows to loosen up which curbs the density of the content. Armand Hammer taps into their Cannibal Ox bag with “Supermooned,” billy being the only rapper on the track with ELUCID providing background vocals.

We Buy Diabetic Test Strips challenges society to meditate on our way of life, way of thinking, and the beliefs that fuel us daily. With each day that passes, technology replaces another aspect of our lives without anyone batting an eye. Armand Hammer aren’t prophets, they’re regular individuals feeling the increasing pressures of the world. Test Strips focuses on what’s remaining of humanity, and how our experiences in the past are reflected in adulthood.