Fort Wayne hip-hop artist Mic Strong “is back to having fun again.”

Mic Strong said his 2021 album Life Happens was a bit “moody,” but things get a little brighter on Until November.

From the get-go, Mic Strong lets you know his third solo album is different, with “Elation” opening with him saying it had been a year since Life Happens, “and I got a lot off my chest with that one, so I’m back in my bag with a point to prove.” From there, he flows over a smooth beat moved along by a haunting chorus that would fit in nicely in a horror movie.

The album is a throwback to early to mid-90s hip-hop, with a concentration on flow and his message, not on speeding through verses. He even takes time out to say, “I’m from Indiana, so proper’s my grammar.”

Although he prides himself on not swearing, that doesn’t mean things don’t get suggestive. Rapping about his attraction to a woman at a club on “Dangerous,” there are some clever rhymes, although you might want to cover the kids’ ears. The song also features him testing his vocal range, bringing Scarface’s “Goin’ Down” to mind, although Mic Strong sounds much better.

Things stay light on “Sky High,” featuring Allura, and “Function,” with Eazy Racks, where the mood of a chilled house party is illustrated by, “We don’t want no smoke, unless you roll up.”

While he says he doesn’t want smoke, he wants you to know you can’t take his kindness for weakness on “Too Cool,” which features bass that will have speakers and windows rattling.

Mic Strong tries out Auto-Tune on “You There,” and gets more serious on “This Route,” saying how life’s about making good choices.

The latest entry into the Mic Strong catalogue is a smooth, groove-driven album with flowing rhymes that deserves to be blasted while the weather allows for the windows to be down.