Mar 17, 2017 Will be posting all my reviews in this thread rather than littering the music SXN. Let me know if you'd like a mention for future reviews. Latest: FUTURE HNDRXX - Future The Stanfield Review Archives [2014] Monster - Future [2015] Barter 6 - Young Thug [2002] The Eminem Show - Eminem [2017] CULTURE - Migos [2017] Rather You Than Me - Rick Ross [2016] Everybody Looking - Gucci Mane [2017] Top 5 Projects 2017 Q1 [2017] FUTURE/HNDRXX - Future
Mar 19, 2017 I know its still early days but I've been bumping this album non-stop since it leaked. Spoiler: REVIEW: Rather You Than Me - Rick Ross Rick Ross is a master fabricator. We all know the story of Officer Ricky the C.O. who contrived his own fictional tale of rags to riches as an infamous d--- dealing kingpin from the port of Miami. His exposure as a former correctional officer however, did little to detract from his success, if anything, it seemed to empower him. It seemed he could tell any story he wanted to and still get away with it. The more grandiose and absurd his decrees of insane wealth, lavish kingpin lifestyle and drugs, guns and money galore, the better. And to an extent, this has worked in his favor. Ross might be a fictional storyteller but he’s pretty d--- good at it. It also helps that he’s marketed his brand and image to perfection; it’s all about luxury, insurmountable wealth, magnificence to the fullest degree. I mean the man had Martha Stewart promoting his album for god’s sake. Like 2015’s severely underrated Black Market, the 9th album in Ross’ ever-expanding, consistent and increasingly matured discography – Rather You Than Me is an exercise in the art of stunting. The entire album is padded in plush, rich production that borders on ostentatious. The opening track Apple of My Eye might be the best opener of 2017 so far with a beautiful array of wailing guitars and a perfectly thick, juicy bassline speckled with tinkering piano keys and the ever soulful Rapahel Saadiq crooning his heart out. The lushness is oozing through the speakers before Ross has even said a word. And when he does, he sounds more focused and self-aware than ever; the song is littered with surprisingly nimble multisyllabic wordplay and quotables galore. “I’m happy Donald Trump became the president/because we gotta destroy before we elevate.” His smooth baritone flow glides through the beat on wings of diamond encrusted gold. And if that wasn’t luscious enough, the sheer opulence of Santorini Greece makes you feel like you’re floating on the deck of a yacht into the sunset, bottle of champagne in hand, while a mythological goddess at your side plucks at the lyre. Again, Ross turns the focus inwards and injects an admirable sense of internal reflection into equation, amidst the usual braggadocios proclamations. He’s not just plainly stating the numbers anymore. So while there’s the obligatory references to Cuban kilos, bank accounts and money so long it’s out of reach he’s also delving into own vices on the brilliant Scientology, picks into racial prejudice and police injustice and even his (frankly, very concerning) medical history. “Diabetes rampant in my blood line/that’s why fat boy be happy to see the sunshine.” Despite all the brash overconfidence, Ross for once actually sounds a little vulnerable. The guy that wants “fried chicken at my funeral” is the same “only fat n----- jogging on the beach,” in Santorini. It’s almost as if he’s admitting to feeling a little out of place amongst all the glitz and glamour. At the end of the day, he’s still that same fat fried-chicken munching C.O. from Miami. What the h--- is he doing on a Greek isle in the Aegean Sea? Scientology is a keen observation on the state of the rap game; Ross has never sounded so dexterous, so astute and at the same time, so cognizant of his position, not only in the game but where he stands with his own conscience as well. The focus becomes razor sharp on Idols Become Rivals, a cold-hearted letter to Birdman, decrying Stunna’s alleged stalling of The Carter V and his general mistreatment of those signed to Cash Money imprint, over an equally cold hearted instrumental. It’s a fascinating listen, Ross’ lyricism and story-telling abilities have improved tremendously, he delivers a host of venomous barbs with stony cold precision. It will be interesting to see if Birdman ever takes the time to respond. As per usual, Rozay provides the listener with an assortment of classic boss-sized bangers from the big bad blaring trumpets and rattling drums of She on My d-ck, which features Gucci and Ross trading bars that sounds like Godzilla and King Kong smashing buildings to the boisterous, blustering posse cut Dead Presidents, featuring Future, Yo Gotti and former rival Jeezy raging all over a brutal concoction of Lex Lugar-esque violent clashing drums and heavy trunk-banging bass. (side note: Future is sounding particularly vicious on this one, in stark contrast to his last outing Hndrxx). Ross sounds just as comfortable over these early 2010’s-sounding explosive symphonies as he does over the lush opulence of Apple of My Eye or Santorini Greece and the effect balances out the project well. The feature list may seem long but the guests are well utilized over the course of the track list; Young Thug contributes a solid albeit strange sounding verse to Trap Trap Trap, yet another song that falls into the ‘b-----r’ category on the album. MMG-alumni Wale and Meek Mill both bring their own sounds to the aforementioned Trap and Lamborghini Doors, respectively, though both pretty much sleep-walk through their contributions. The long list of Nas/Ross collaborations yields more juicy fruits in the form Powers That Be but the consistently rich and velvety feel of the album tends to drag on just a tad too far and the second half of the album feels as though it loses a bit of steam, instrumental-wise. Despite the few shortcomings, Rather You Than Me is an excellent addition to Rick Ross’ discography. After a phenomenal run spanning from 2006 debut until 2012’s Rich Forever mixtape, Ross’ career trajectory seemed to be on a downward trend; although his output wasn’t overtly bad it appeared his career was naturally petering out, as careers in hip hop often do. If Black Market hinted at a resurrection of sorts, RYTM alludes to things far greater for Floridian bawse. In contrast to contemporaries such as Jeezy, who seem to have run out of things to say (See Church in These Streets), Ross seems to be heading in the opposite direction, firmly cementing his legacy with each successive project he puts out. The flamboyance has been fleshed out with real, meaningful substance and its substantiated further by Ross’ expanding skills as wordsmith. Those one-two punch bars that sounded simple and hollow in some of the early parts of his career now land where they’re meant to, gelled together by thorough contemplation and vivid introspections. RYTM comes together as a triumphant victory lap as Ross slowly but surely turns his fictional world into a plush, luxurious reality that’s starting to look a lot like a story we won’t be forgetting anytime soon. Rating 8.5/10
Mar 20, 2017 Spoiler: REVIEW: Culture - Migos Over a brief period of less than 3 years, Migos, the trio hailing from the northside of Atlanta have taken the rap game by storm and have, to some extent refurbished the sounds and textures of the entire genre. Their second full length LP – Culture – marks a return to form for the Migos, who’s previous 2015 debut album Yung Rich Nation was to be fair, a bit of a letdown, considering the hype they’d built around themselves in the previous few years. Comprising of diamonds, drugs and girls aficionados/Bando-lurking trap lords Quavo, Takeoff and Offset, Migos burst onto the scene in late 2013 with their irresistible and severely overplayed Versace, - a joyous ode to the luxury fashion brand – which was a big enough hit to catch the Drake remix treatment and which thrust the 3 ATLien amigos into the national (international, in fact – see the hype-as-f--- performance below) spotlight. What made Versace stand out to the extent that it did was a combination of the already legendary Zaytoven’s playful piano medley stewed in classic trap-sounding stammering high hats, together which formed the perfect backdrop for Migos to provide a full display of their infamous and oft-cited ‘triplet flow’, a rhythm which can trace its origins back to the early days of Three-6 Mafia, but has since come back with a vengeance. Migos slowly but surely imprinted themselves as staples in the new trap era of the 2010’s via combination of a flurry of mixtapes, radio-ready/meme-fodder singles, a series of exquisite guest appearances by Quavo and Offset’s highly publicized stint in prison, all glued together by undoubtedly some of the best adlibs of all time (SNOOPERS). The hype leading up to Migos sophomore 2017 offering Culture was tremendous. Whether it was Donald Glover’s shout-out during his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, Offset’s newfound freedom or (most likely), the ridiculously catchy smash hit Bad & Boujee, featuring the purple-haired anime-fiend Lil Uzi Vert. Trap production god Metro Boomin’s typically moody, sinister sounding instrumental somehow compliments Quavo, Offset and Uzi’s lighthearted performances, culminating in one of the most memorable hip hop singles in recent memory. Offet’s hook is infectious (“rain drop, drop top “will never get old), Quavo is on top form as usual and Uzi, while his verse has been criticized, does add a bit of extra flavor to the highest charting single of Migos’ career. I usually find myself starting the album at T-Shirt, skipping over the entirely lackluster opening title track – Culture - which has the tirelessly energetic DJ Khaled screeching all over a truly unnecessary song, quite obviously a leftover warm-up track that was tacked onto the track-listing at the last minute. (Note: the only other song in the track-list worth skipping over is All a---, pretty much self-explanatory). Nevertheless, T-Shirt – where the album should have started, is Migos at their absolute best.; beautiful harmonies punctuated with rapid-fire triplet bars, almost reminiscent of Bone Thugs so many years ago, but of course with that classic southern-fried flavor. Sure, the content doesn’t stray too far from trap staples of drugs, money, jewelry and b------s but the entire project is peppered with occasional pearls of wisdom and exceptionally well-crafted quips, especially from the group’s next up-and-comer Offset, who is on top form throughout. “Born with it, count a hundred thousand start snowin’ with it/Go and get it, thirty round clip tear off a arm or ligament/b---- I’m a dog from Menace/You trappin’ hard for pennies/Hop in the frog, it’s tinted/Askin’ the lord forgive me” – Offset, Get Right Witcha. Call Casting features a gorgeous sonic array of trunk-rattling thumping bass and high hats, rumbling like the threatening of boulders in avalanche, interspersed with classically playful Zaytoven keys. Zay’s ivory jingles are sprinkled across the entire project, to typically excellent effect, between the grandiose fire-and-brimstone strings of Deadz, which features a particularly savage sounding appearance from ATL icon Tity Boi and the heavily Travi$ Scott-influenced 6-minute epic Kelly Price, which would have sounded right at home on Rodeo or Birds in the Trap. The aptly titled Slippery, featuring frequent collaborator Gucci Mane sounds like (and I quote from some random comment on the Genius annotation) “something you would play if you saw a UFO touch down in front of the trap house.” It’s a ridiculously smooth and ebullient ballad to perkys, Raris and b------s, doubtless to have your head nodding in appreciation. What the Price is yet another standout moment on the album featuring a Ricky Racks (of Best Friend fame) instrumental that rolls over in waves of guitar riffs and slow dripping piano chords, accompanied by a wealth of decadent auto-tuned skrtts that almost seem to melt together as Quavo, Takeoff and Offset wax poetic about price fluctuations in the dope game. Whoever said Migos was unoriginal? Listening to the project in its entirety feels like an excursion through the entire Migos chronicle; we’re taken from the dilapidated steps of the bando right to the red carpet with paparazzi cameras flashing while we’re shoveling wads full of cash in brown paper bags. Migos relish the transformation, the overnight sensationalism of it all. And they tell their story with all the brash audacity and swagger they can muster. Overall, Culture comes together just right; clocking in at just under an hour long. Where some of Migos’ previous projects (especially their previous album) suffered from a consistent lack of diversity (the consistent hammering sounds of that triplet flow can get tiresome), Culture manages to toe the line between heavy trap trunk bangers and smooth R&B-infused melodies and the result is an exceedingly well-balanced roundabout trip through the trio’s lean-soaked escapades. A while ago, there was a poorly photo-shopped picture floating around that had a jewelry-studded/flexing Migos transposed on an old picture of The Beatles. While of course, it was just a meme, there is something about the comparison that rings true. Migos have an aura about them; underdogs transformed into celebrating champions – “we came from nothing to something, n-----,” Offset triumphantly declares on the album’s lead single. And Culture captures that impression perfectly. Almost as if their status after Versace had them in a position where it was either the road to one-hit-wonderville or… something else. Somehow, someway, over the time since Versace dropped, Migos truly have impacted the culture - whether it be dances and memes, new additions to the ever-expanding hip hop lexicon or just making plain enjoyable, quality music. Perhaps not Beatles status just yet, but well on their way to becoming truly innovative and influential, not just in hip hop but pop music in general. This project is a testament to their influence and achievements thus far; three proud and well-deserved rows of footsteps on the surface of the culture. Rating: 8/10
Mar 20, 2017 These are fantastic dude, I had a feeling from that Monster review you were a splendid writer. Keep it up!
Mar 21, 2017 OH s--- ANOTHER ONE Spoiler: REVIEW: Everybody Looking - Gucci Mane Gucci Mane’s oeuvre is immense. Colossal. Titanic. From his 2005 debut Trap House to his commercial peak The State vs. Radric Davis to the insurmountable catalog of mixtapes, EP’s, collaborations, compilations, loosies and guest features to his recent 2016-takeover, not to mention his significant influence in the overarching sound and direction of hip hop music in general, it would be blatantly iniquitous to deny Mr. So Icy (Burr!) his status as a legend amongst the pantheon of rap deities, right next to Based God, 2 seats over from Flava Flav. Gucci’s disdain for authority (f--- 12) and the reckless fashion in which he writes, records and releases his music gives him a certain sense of authenticity that’s hard to come by. In the early 2010’s it seemed as though his brash unruliness might just land up being the cause of his imminent demise. But everyone loves a good comeback story and Gucci thankfully, was only happy to oblige. In 2016, Gucci returned with a vengeance and a hunger that had been sorely lacking from recent output on his triumphant return to the scene, Everybody Looking. And everybody was looking indeed. Fresh off a three-year stint in jail following federal drug and gun charges, Radric Davis AKA Mr. Zone 6 AKA East Atlanta Santa AKA Guwop AKA “b---- I might be” hopped back into the spotlight with an entirely new energy in mid-2016, sporting a far slimmer physique than the big-bellied thug we had previously known. He almost instantly dropped the first single off his upcoming project – 1st Day Out the Feds, produced by Mike Will Made It and which is most likely true to its title, knowing the frenetic pace at which Gucci makes and releases new music. He also treated us to a sneak preview of the album’s cover art – Gucci himself posing triumphantly with his hands in the sky and his back towards the camera before a wall smeared in a chaotic palette of bright colors. For the most part, Everybody Looking reflects its bright cover art well; it’s a welcome home party, a celebration of sobriety and colorful amalgam of regrets, threats, reflection and plain good old fashioned stunting. Songs like Back on Road and Guwop Home captures that celebratory ‘new start’ feel perfectly. Gucci sounds earnest and clear-headed; it’s evident his sobriety has done a world of wonder for him. Even his beat selection sounds cleaner, crisper. Gucci even confesses that he’d “rather rap a Zay track than a Dre track,” on the brilliant Zaytoven collaboration Waybach. And who could blame him? Zaytoven is on top form throughout, sprinkling an assortment of piano keys that spice up dark, brooding basslines with a hint of playful joviality that match Guwop’s mischievous rhymes and new-spirited flows. The bulk of the production duties are handled by Zay and fellow frequent Gucci collaborator Mike Will who is equally impressive throughout, matching the key tinkerer with his characteristically hard-hitting, yet sparse, almost industrial trap sound. The two ATL-based beatsmiths make for a superb duo, one counteracting the other’s signature sound, and it results in an all-round smoothly polished tone to match Gucci’s new polished verve. Their dynamism is exemplified by the hard-hitting album opener No Sleep, the perfect ice-breaker for the skeptical Gucci critic. And Wop comes out swinging, firing on all cylinders. He sounds motivated, single-minded, determined. Even his usually lean-soaked slurred drawl is more clearly enunciated, deliberately punctuated by cunning allegories, clear and well-constructed bars housed in simple yet effective rhythmic schemes that convey their messages both creatively and concisely. In contrast to the haphazard leftover output we were treated to during his stint in prison, it’s incredible what a bit of detox can do. “I can’t even sleep I got so much to say” Whether he’s flipping his middle finger at the feds or contemplating the consequences of his shamelessly divulged addictions and subsequent clean-up act, Gucci sounds truly remorseful for his past actions while at the same time, he sounds genuinely excited to be back and on top. Confessions and repent have never really been a fundamental of Gucci’s repertoire, but here it’s an anchoring motif and it sounds refreshing as h---. For the most part though, the peripheral themes of the album don’t stray too far from the usual Wizop staples; there’s the typically aggressive, trap house-esque braggadocio such as on the downright belligerent Pop Music, which features a menacing, slow-burn assembly of dark synths and has Gucci cleverly blending an assault on the record labels with an all-out gun-toting extravaganza. There’s also the good ol’ fashioned ‘stunting on the haters/I got so much money’ type content we’ve come to expect from Gucci and cuts like Out Do Ya and Richest n----- in the Room have him gleefully rubbing his hands Birdman-style while the stacks rain down around him. To the inexperienced Gucci listener, this kind of music might seem redundant, hyperbolic even, especially in the current climate of Lil Uzi Verts, 21 Savages and the like but it helps to remember that this is Gucci’s bread and butter and has been since his inception. Sure, vaunting one’s riches and b------s has been an indispensable part of hip hop since day one but who else has ever done it with such gleeful panache? One wouldn’t be too far astray to claim that Gucci fathered this routine in its current form and All My Children has Gucci rightfully laying claim to the godfather figure of modern trap rap. Accompanied by a hilarious music video, Children is an astute and self-aware observation on his sonic and musical influences and veteran status, not to mention a creative highlight on the project overall. Gucci wraps things up neatly with the beautiful closer Pick Up the Pieces, a somewhat sad reflection on the outcome of his newfound sobriety. “A freak lied and tried to put a kid on me/And my own homeboys called the pigs on me/But my faith grew stronger and my money grew longer/Sold all my artists now, Gucci Mane a f---ing loner.” It’s good to hear the new improved sober and positive Gucci on Everybody Looking. The whole project feels like a breath of a fresh air, a sigh of relief after a tense standoff with a glimpse into the dark side. Now that the demons are out, he can fire at them indiscriminately and whether hit or miss, the manner of his execution seems admirably passionate and mature. Since Everybody Looking dropped back in July of 2016, Gucci’s already dropped 2 more full length projects along with 2 collaborative EP’s, a host of other collaborations and guest features and even recently released his autobiography, amidst the announcement of yet another project – Drop Top Wop – to be released sometime in the near future. Gucci’s always been an indefatigable workhorse but the new sober Gucci v. 2.0 now has a lot of new material and energy to draw on. In a few years, we’ll hopefully be looking back at Everybody Looking as the moment that marked the rebirth of one of hip hop’s greatest. (Burr!) Rating: 7.5/10
Apr 4, 2017 I don't think I've ever been as up to date with hip hop releases as I have this year. 2017's got off to an absolute cracker, there's been some amazing music released in the past 3 months. I'm sure I've missed a few gems here and there but these are my favorite picks of the year so far. Thoughts? Spoiler: Sav Stanfield's Top 5 Hip Hop Projects of 2017 Q1 (1 Jan - 31 March) 5. Painting Pictures – Kodak Black This spot would have gone to Gangsta Gibbs had Kodak not dropped his surprise debut album on the last day of March, just making it eligible for inclusion on this list. With a slow-burning Southern drawl, almost reminiscent of Gucci Mane and Boosie before him, Kodak’s at-first-glance seemingly simple doodles come together as a vividly painted composition, rich in both substance and texture and an impressive step up from his previous mixtape releases. While some of his unabashedly coarse lyrics might have tempt some fans to give him a quick dismissal as another ‘mumble rapper’, they’d be missing out on a wealth of interesting reflection (see Day for Day) and what may be to some listeners – surprisingly grave subject matter (see Tunnel Vision), not to mention Kodak’s innate ability to craft insanely infectious tunes. If he can stay out of jail, the Floridian newcomer has a bright future ahead of him. 4. Rather You Than Me – Rick Ross Rozay channels that typically hollow brash opulence into a surprisingly eloquent and cohesive project as he muses on a refreshing variety of topics from his status as an aging hip-hop statesman, his storied (and mostly fictional) past and perhaps most interestingly, his newly energized disdain for the proverbial ‘snakes in the grass’ that he’s come across on his luxurious lurch through the industry. The fact that his ear for beats has been honed to near-perfection doesn’t harm at all and he’s complimented by a gloriously rich sonic palette throughout, giving a hefty boost to already substantial groundwork. (Read full review here) 3. Future/Hndrxx – Future Nayvadius Cash came through with back to back number 1 albums in the form of the archetypal trap-fest FUTURE and its soulful successor, HNDRXX (AKA Pluto II). While the former of these had fans and critics concerned that Fewtch was travelling down the rickety road of overly persistent consistency, the latter quickly quelled any such concerns with a 360-degree turnaround that nobody expected. FUTURE stays true to the dependable sound Future’s been cultivating for the past few years, full to the brim with DS2-esque trap staples and despite its’ uninventiveness was an all-round solid addition to the ATLien’s repertoire. HNDRXX on the other hand, harkens back to Future’s R&B-tinged Pluto days with sparse, pop-tinted, dreamy production given a modern touch up and complimented by Future’s signature auto-tuned warble; drifting back and forth between exuberance and melancholy. (Full review coming soon). 2. Rosebudd’s Revenge – Roc Marciano Perhaps the shining pinnacle of the new wave of 2010’s film-noir styled gritty sound out of the NY region. From the moment the grimy, blood-dripping piano loop hits the speakers on the aptly titled opener Move Dope, Marciano is on top form, his gruff delivery is at center stage throughout as it sculpts out gutter tales of pimps, hustlers and hoes over a grim assortment of bone-chillingly cold instrumentals. A tour de force of the raw and uncut; think Citizen Kane as a cold-blooded dope-dealer with a plethora of razor-sharp lyrical daggers tucked beneath his coat as he trudges over a frozen wasteland (or is it a goldmine?) of sleek production and insanely clever, albeit murderous taunts and punches. 1. Culture – Migos The 3 Amigos take the top spot for 2017’s Q1 with a career-defining opus that’s bound to be remembered for years to come. From bangers of biblical proportions (T-Shirt, Bad & Boujee) to perfectly deep fried trap-house/bando staples all cohesively held together by undeniably energetic performances from Quavo, Offset and Takeoff, Culture seems like it’s just the beginning for Migos (Read full review here) Honorable Mentions: 06. You Only Live 2wice – Freddie Gibbs 07. More Life – Drake 08. Step Brothers 3 – Starlito & Don Trip 09. Packs – Your Old Droog 10. Nu Religion: Hyena – THEY.
Apr 22, 2017 [2017] FUTURE & HNDRXX - FUTURE Spoiler: REVIEW: FUTURE HNDRXX - Future Someone once described Future’s sound as “the closest to conjuring the numbing overstimulation of our time.” And ‘overstimulation’ is no exaggeration. In a time where everything feels oversaturated, gluttonous and at times, all too real, Future’s naturally robotic-sounding vocals, augmented by generous infusions of auto-tune have propelled the man otherwise known as Nayvadius Cash from mixtape rapper to superstar, and one that has inspired legions of imitators in his wake. Future’s music has an exclusively uniquely allure. Sounding as if it’s been soaked, drowning in the promethazine he so frequently cites and combined with an exceptional talent for transposing his own emotions to page, then to the mic – Future’s evolution since the early days of his career has been nothing less than stellar, reaching a peak of creative output most of his contemporaries could only dream of and making him one of the most important and influential rappers of the modern era. And what makes Future’s music so fascinating (asides from the elite production he manages to procure for each project), is its intrinsic dichotomous property; on one side the happy-go-lucky R&B crooner, on the other the thoughtful, melancholic, lean soaked drug, groupie addict trap god. These 2 personalities floated and merged all over his projects spanning from 2012’s Pluto to 2016’s Evol, ensuing in a plethora multi-faceted perspectives on the life and times of Future Hendrix. The back to back releases of FUTURE and HNDRXX (made just a week apart) in early 2017, capture these clashing perspectives perfectly. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that they’re captured near to a fault on the sprawling 34-track length spectacle. Although intended as separate releases, I thought it would be interesting to look at FUTURE and HNDRXX as companion pieces – 2 halves of a whole. Part I: FUTURE On FUTURE, Future explores the well-tread path of syrup-sprinkled trap bangers we’ve come to expect since his 2014 Monster reinvention. Despite having absolutely no guest features, FUTURE manages for the most part, to hold its own, even with the signs of wear and tear that frequent the 17-song long track listing. Rent Money starts things off with a thunderous b---, featuring an epic choral vocal sample that sounds like an angelic trap opera on top of furious, clattering, lightening-strike sharp drum kits. Future is in typical brash, chest-thumping mode – “your baby mama f--- me better when the rent’s due” – and it’s just as good as it sounds. But despite the incredibly strong start, the album simmers down disappointingly quickly. A large portion of the songs on FUTURE could easily be swapped out without anyone realizing their omittance. While songs like Good Dope, Flip and Massage in My Room are all formulaic and entirely interchangeable, others like Zoom, Draco or High Demand just breach the limit of interest with vaguely distinctive flows or instrumentals and mostly sound like Evol leftovers. Nothing in these songs’ content or overall sound warrants attention, they’re mostly placeholders, full of the same tired clichés and familiar catechisms Future’s become so acquainted with over the past 3 years. Needless to say, any Future project is bound to be laced with stellar production from some of the top names in the industry. Southside, 808 Mafia and Metro Boomin are all here and all provide the usual accompaniment of sleek, high-budget trap instrumentals. Metro Boomin is in superb form; from the beautiful flute-driven Mask Off to the nocturnal trunk rattler Super Trapper while longtime collaborators 808 mafia are behind the boards for the stellar I’m So Groovy (which lives up to its name) and Might as Well, both covering the classic tale of rags to riches and told in typically promethazine–warbled Future fashion. High octane slaps like POA (Power of Attorney) and Poppin Tags are great too and add some much-needed energy to the track list but one can’t help but feel that the album lacks a Commas or Groupies caliber b-----r. The album closes with a pair of beautifully Zaytoven produced cuts – When I Was Broke and Feds Did a Sweep, the latter of which is by far the shining jewel of the entire Future project. After an entire album of swaggering braggadocio, Future finally takes a step back to reflect; the moody flute/trap composition provides a haunting backdrop as Future’s signature auto-tuned garble relays his tales of the street. It’s gritty, its poignant and for once Future manages to climb outside of his shell and delve into a topic he’s only touched on infrequently in the past. But what makes it so masterful isn’t that it’s a simple account of what he sees around him, but rather what it means, specifically to him and to society at large. “Let’s link up my n----s, let’s link up,” he encourages action, he entwines his own story with the plight of society and the result is simply beautiful. All in all, FUTURE is a solid addition to Future’s catalog and serves as a far better sequel to DS2 than Evol did. Still, asides from the crisp production and archetypical trap fixes, FUTURE is a disappointment because we’ve heard it all before. Sure, we could cut out some of the better tracks and add them to the ‘Future classics’ playlist but at this point – 3 years removed from his re-invention (Monster), the path has been trodden to the point where it’s not really that interesting anymore. Rating 6/10 Part II: HNDRXX Where FUTURE is the stainless-steel mechanical trap monster of his mid-2010’s heydays, HNDRXX is the melancholic, intergalactic Trap&B crooner of the Pluto and Honest era, resurrected from the grave, just with a touch more eloquence in his bars and a touch more bitterness in his tone. The album opens with the exquisite My Collection; a candidly misogynistic account of all of Future’s ex’s (which I suspect is a particularly focused on Ciara). The dream team of Cu-Beatz and Metro Boomin (who both also produce the sensational album closer Sorry) build a beautifully peaceful and laid-back instrumental, a smooth-paced drum pattern interlaid with a lush vocal sample. It almost sounds like something Duck Down/Boot Camp Click would have made in the early 00’s, with an updated trap sound. In direct contrast to FUTURE’s opener (and almost everything else throughout its runtime), My Collection has Future approaching his music from an entirely new angle and it’s a pleasant surprise. “She told me she was an angel/she f----- two rappers and three singers” What could have easily come off as juvenile and resentful is masterfully delivered; he swings from insolent ‘who me?’-type audacity (“no this codeine ain’t got nothing to do with my love child”) to tangible vulnerability (“I don’t know how you would feel about if ain’t had millions”) all with a breezy nonchalant delivery that was sorely lacking from FUTURE. The Weeknd and Rihanna are the 2 sole guest features on HNDRXX. Comin Out Strong is another strong addition to the list of Future/Abel collabs (although doesn’t reach the heights of some of their previous efforts). Rihanna’s appearance on Selfish, however is just perfect – a seamless radio friendly composition, featuring Rih and Hendrix harmonizing beautifully and lamenting their respective relationship woes, certainly a feature standout. Sonically, HNDRXX is d----near perfect; I’d even go as far as to say it may be Future’s best produced album yet. Unlike the cold, cut and clinical precision of DS2, Evol and FUTURE before it, HNDRXX is a rich, warm and layered world, the instrumentals are brimming with pop-trap appeal, thick booming 808’s, slathered in plush and velvety synths, futistic keyboard loops and modulated riffs and complimented by an assortment of uncredited R&B backing vocals. The result sounds like an expensive tropical island paradise and the album’s cohesiveness is certainly attributable, in part, to this overarching aesthetic. Songs like Incredible and Fresh Air capture the ambiance flawlessly; both brimming with hit single potential and either of which could have easily slotted onto Pluto’s light-hearted airy track listing. But it’s not all bright and cheery on HNDRXX. Songs like Damage and Solo shift into slightly darker tones, Future’s cries of pain are downright heart-wrenching, the passion leaks out and courses into the dense, rich instrumentation so smoothly and dreamily. Damage is another gorgeously produced track worth mentioning, that builds up to a beautiful crescendo. The epic 7-minute Sorry is arguably the best song on either project. Metro’s instrumental is masterful as usual; a dark, atmospheric thump that gives off the sensation of drowning in an ocean of codeine as rays of light feebly fight to pierce the thick density of all it all. And Future’s right there, clawing his way to the surface in Codeine Crazy-styled brilliance. The song is an apology – whether it is intended for Ciara is unclear but the beauty of the song is Future’s intense, unbridled barrage of thoughts and ideas – his depravities, his infidelities and addictions, the consequences of his upbringing and subsequent superstardom. He doesn’t even attempt to offer an explanation for his behavior, instead, he strings his vices together in a chaotic melting pot of b------s and jewelry and regrets that pours out in a stunning stream of consciousness. His delivery becomes more agitated as the song progresses and its third verse culminates in an epic a flurry of disjointed chaos, interspersed with dazzlingly sober statements: “Sold crack to a pregnant lady/forgive me for the crack baby” It’s a beautiful mess and a very interesting cross-section of what’s going on in Future’s mind right now. Whether intended as a genuine letter of apology or simply as a messy, sprawling journal entry, Sorry is in my opinion the shining highlight of HNDRXX. Despite a formidable opening and closing run however, HNDRXX suffers from a soft underbelly, which could have done with some serious trimming. While cuts like Fresh Air and Hallucinating do keep things in interesting through the mid-section, 17 tracks could easily have been condensed into 12 or so and would have packed far more of a powerful punch. Once the initial excitement of hearing Future return to his roots has passed, the charade wears thin after a few repeated listens. The glossy pop sheen shines too bright and becomes a little difficult to stomach after a while. Thematically, HNDRXX doesn’t stray far from the standard Future staples of women, drugs and money and even the top-tier production can’t keep the album from sounding monotonous and maybe even unimaginative at times. Looking Exotic, Testify, Keep Quiet and I Thank U are just a few examples of songs that easily could have been cut – they’re not bad songs by any stretch but there’s only so much syrupy/sappy crooning that can fit into a single listening session. Some of the album’s hooks are borderline annoying (see Keep Quiet) and while of course, one doesn’t listen to a Future album for lyrical acrobatics – there are moments of lazy writing that act as detriments to an otherwise relatively well-rounded project. Nevertheless, HNDRXX succeeds where FUTURE fails in that it brings a welcome change of pace to Future’s catalog, which over the past few releases has become far too formulaic (from Purple Reign to Project Esco). Rating: 7//10 Listening to FUTURE and HNDRXX back to back is a ride that oscillates between the thoughtful, melancholic, lean-soaked drug addict struggling (and even succeeding) in coming to grips with his grief and on the other side, the cold-blooded, animalistic vestige of the trap, obsessed with money, jewelry and groupies. And while its certainly an entertaining ride; great to hear Future perfect his craft on FUTURE and return to his roots on HNDRXX, one can’t help but feel that both projects are lacking something. But then there are the real standout moments – songs like Feds Did a Sweep and Sorry, that show that Future is capable of more than simply FUTURE and HNDRXX, two characters he has now built and polished to absolute perfection. There’s a third side we’ve only caught glimpses of in the past (March Madness, News or Something) where he moves outside of his personal turmoil and digs into bigger themes, or better yet, connects his own story to the world around him (Feds Did a Sweep does this perfectly). The closed-loop formula he tends to stick with is certainly showing cracks and even though HNDRXX (and a few moments on FUTURE) managed to keep the ship afloat, I think there’s still so much more Future can do to propel himself to the next level. Either way, I’m still excited to see what the future holds (pun intended). Overall FUTURE/HNDRXX Rating: 7/10 (rounded up)
