City Morgue "Toxic Boogaloo" (2020)

 

The City Morgue duo are back with another barrage of obnoxious violent raps, spitting hate and threats in all directions. Following up on the first two style defining volumes, this twenty minute EP brings a firm, metallic tinted production to their typical arrangement of hook oriented outbursts of intense energy. Better enjoyed in brief stints, Toxic Boogaloo benefits from a swift lineup touting quality over quantity. As to be expected, vile raps, boastful aggression and abhorrent attitudes guide the lyrical assault on the listener as we are plunged into the fury of violent youthful rebellion.

Further developing their fusion of Trap Metal, the instrumentals toy with big dirty bass lines pushing deep into peak distortions. This noise foray paired with gritty FL Slayer distortion sounds pushes the chemistry further into dark urban avenues. Although a little groove a rhythm arrives through the guitars, its mainly an aesthetic compliment to tracks driven by pounding Trap percussion with darkly sounding samples and synths brooding moods. Its a clear step up from what they achieved beforehand.

Lyrically, its the same game again. For me that is mostly a novel gawking session at the level of ridiculousness on display. The two have an undeniable talent for style, delivery and catchy hooks but the slew of spiteful anger has little in the way of depth. Hurtworld '99 gets a shout for its running letters of hurt, which yield a personal angle with its timing of the world you. It feels like they reach in and grab way more from a single word with how its worked into the hook. Its a keen moment among a few others. If the duo keep moving in this direction it sounds like their is room for growth.

Rating: 5/10

Ho99o9 "Blur" (2020)

 

  As one of the more exciting acts to follow, the regularity of new material is always welcome. Hot off the heals of Cyber Warfare, the duo offer up another keenly themed mini album to digest. Blur is intermittent with snippets and samples of what sounds like eighties and nineties media hysteria over the emergence of loud and aggressive music in the form of Hardcore and Heavy Metal. The fear and rhetoric feels relevant to their twisted hybrid of dark Hip Hop and Hardcore Punk, ironically the music these talking heads were commenting on is meager and tame in comparison.

These thirty four minutes split along ten tracks feel like a call back to Mutant Freakx and their earlier releases. The bulk of music focuses on slower tempos, twisted and sinister atmospheres built from unhinged beats. Vocally the raps and hooks revel in ambiguity and discernible performances, occasionally lashing out with mean tonged aggressive verse of the Trap Metal variety. Each track is like being dipped into a different dimension of eerie unease as its slowly burns away.

Drifting from that norm, Flesh And Blood has a burst of tempo and Punk energy for the albums shortest affair. With only three tracks led by distortion guitar, Dog Shit takes the cake for being a ferocious riot, unleashing ravenous energy through its dirty riffing. Its brief, housed by samples and the dingy atmosphere the album revels in. Hardcore makes a distinct break from all this with a style and format that ultimately seems like a piss take aimed at Tyler The Creator, ripping off the attributes of his fantastic music.

Compared to the last two stints, it hasn't pushed my buttons as Id like given I am more drawn to their metallic side. It has however been a enjoyable listen with a host of tracks to stuck into but my ultimate take away is the darkly atmospheres don't deliver quite the engagement after multiple spins, it becomes a slow burn as the mystique wares off having deciphered the somewhat cryptic musics facade.

Rating: 6/10

Lil Uzi Vert "Eternal Atake" (2020)

One to keep an eye on, mumble rapper Lil Uzi Vert has followed up his debut with a stylistic record of interest. Eternal Atake first caught my attention when brought into legal issues with the Heavens Gate cult the original artwork was stylized around. The new cover carries over a sense of something alien and different to throw into the Hip Hop scene but reality is, bar a handful of productions, this a pretty atypical Trap record. Its been fun, enjoyable but it doesn't feel like much here will last.

Uzi's style on the mic is a curious focal point. Deliveries and rhymes are almost tragic, seeming lazy, thoughtless and of the moment when agitated. He is however undeniably catchy and attention grabbing in a entertaining way. Its a strange tightrope he walks and I can't settle my mind, so ill default to the positive and say it works! POP is a great example where his spurious momentum of rhymes capture this driven energy that is lively and fresh yet the word of rhyme is simply one on loop in many occasion. Its got a cadence and charm yet is lyrically hollow and lacking.

This is the case for much of the record, slurred words and ridiculous rhymes come about often. Its ironic but the more focused on style over the substance Uzi is, the better his flow and energy feels, arising often in tandem with the abandoned of lyrics. When story and narrative can be comprehended its mostly a slew of braggadocios and lewd show boating. Nothing much of substance was extracted, Uzi mostly works as an expressive voice grooving and playing of the instrumentals.

Production is split into thirds, the opening of which is the most intriguing, dark and alien the samples experiment with tonality and unusual sounds that are a delight, especially when the groove clicks. The middle of the record gets fluffy and lighter with the pop appeal. Its final chapter steers closer to his previous sound and P2 rehashes his Tour Life hit. It ends on a re-imagination of a Backstreet Boys song, not particularly appealing. For me the first third of the record has merit and intrigue but it quickly fades into its own bloated runtime as the tone shifts to less curious sounds.

Favorite Tracks: Lo Mein, Silly Watch, POP, You Better Move
Rating: 5/10

City Morgue "City Morgue Vol 2 As Good As Dead" (2019)

Following up on last years Hell Or Highwater, the young duo ZillaKami and Sosmula are at it again fronting another arsenal of overtly aggressive songs to grab your attention. Vaguely known Trap Metal, the duo represent a strain of modern Rap so harsh and aggressive it picks up the metallic nod. They actually deploy distortion guitars on a couple of tracks but the main ploy is dark and sinister sampling amplified by harsh, snappy drum grooves and over the top vocals. The pair spit their rhymes with ferocious energy, many words bordering a shout in its aggression. Unsurprisingly the lyrical content is mean and murderous but ultimately hollow.

Although the theming is of my flavor, the music lacks depth and songwriting is routine. Most the tracks aim to deploy throat grabbing lyrics for a harsh hook, often over played. The two exchange threatening verses that mostly revolve around excessive violence, gang life and boisterous show boating. It quickly turns dull as the continual aggression becomes monotone. I found my attention mostly picking up on what became annoying, like the "woah woah woah woah" hook on the track Woah. Its monotonous, repetitive and just doesn't add much to the song.

The instrumentals behind them are also a bit routine, only a few beats stand out in the slew of songs. Initially most are impressive as they reach to a particularly gritty nastiness however they are often very repetitive with the short loop filling up these mostly short songs. One notable thing that does occur is a handful of songs leaning into Emo Rap territory. Moody guitars drop in and the lyrics pivot to dreary self reflection and depressive outlooks. Very akin to Lil Peep but nowhere near his level of charm. Overall a disappointing follow up with not much to take away from.

Favorite Tracks: Draino, 16 Toes, Peeling Scabs

Rating: 4/10

Post Malone "Hollywood's Bleeding" (2019)

His previous efforts Stoney and Beerbongs & Bentleys showcased the young artists unique voice and songwriting ability but the best came in fractions. This time around Post and his crew have elevated their game. After a handful of thoroughly enjoyable listens I initially turned to the credits, expectant of new names in production and song writing. There is a couple, however its the same core of people turning up the quality in all the places that fell short the last time around. It's a noticeable ten or so minutes shorter and perhaps that played a part in its fluidity but the reality is the instrumentation here is of a higher fidelity and its got a warm fussy atmosphere to it.

As the songs stroll from one to the next there is often something bright and punchy at work. Either the bold basslines, snappy percussion or glossy guitars illuminate alongside Post's voice. This can be heard best on the Pop leaning songs because of course he has an eclectic taste which has subtle flourishes as the music sways across the spectrum. When delving into the Hip Hop avenue Post brings a plethora of guests to spice up the vocal variety as lyrically he is pegged into to his usual themes. Between that and Pop it is mostly the classic singer songwriter vibes and acoustic guitars that dazzle however he shows his roots in Rock on a fantastic collaboration.

Teaming up with Travis Scott, the voice of Ozzy Osbourne engrosses one again on Take What You Want. The Trap Pop song brings his iconic voice to a new generation and ends with a stunning crescendo reviving those classic Randy Rhodes leads. Possibly the best moment on the record however Post really comes to life with his infectious hooks and singing. We saw it in glimpses the last two records but here it feels like every other song has him deploying some sort of ear worm to get you singing along. These songs dig in the way good Pop songs do.

Where the album falls short though is again with Malone himself. The lyrics are much to be desired, especially when he works in his rap mode. They are mostly the over inflated feelings of relationship problems articulated through loose profanities, often circling the emotion with little reflection or introspection to make the words interesting. Its knee deep and thus tends to drift out of focus and that is where the glossy production and good instrumentation picks up the slack. This is a huge step forward for the young artists and Its been a blast seeing him get here. Hollywood's Bleeding will most likely pick up some awards this year!

Favorite Tracks: Enemies, Circles, Take What You Want, Staring At The Sun,

Rating: 7/10

Schoolboy Q "CrasH Talk" (2019)

Schoolboy Q is back with his fifth full length record, another cut of rugged street flavored rhymes and slick urban instrumentals. At forty minutes it represents his leanest project to date, which I can't label as quality over quantity. Many of these songs fail to show themselves without dedicated listening. Nothing to be found like a Hover Street, the sort of song that grabs you by the neck and commands your attention. This records best song by a good stretch is Chopstix, coming from the mind of Travis Scott. His synthetic production style and chorus hook nails a intoxicating vibe that would fit sweetly into one of his own projects.

Q comes to the mic as a mean front man, bringing a range of vocal styles to his new project. Often he sounds slightly agitated with a confident demeanor. Keenly pronounced, he affirms himself with steady flows and lyrics that most wavier above mediocrity. With little making a mark the record hits some stiff jarring creative choices. The dreary interlude track Drunk hits a wall with Q rapping with the signature Drake "Ahye" crutch, its one of many aproaches and he changes up his style so often its hard to know who's who. The track Floating has one of the weakest spoken word slurred flows going, I think from 21 Savage. Floating takes an award for the weakest hook, "I got that water, Yea, I got that water". Its dull and a one to endure.

The instrumentals are hit and miss, a good mix of modern kits and sampling oriented vibes. Luckily it sounds like the best hooks land on the strongest instrumentals, yielding a handful of songs to go back on between many unfavorable ones. Handled mostly by three or so producers they conjure up a variety that doesn't have any particular flow across the forty minutes. The experience tends to drag despite short songs, most of which don't pass three minutes. This was all to run of the mill, no focus or arching theme, Q's words don't leave the page to often and its not to the last song that we get a wiff of his flair. Its not awful but Ive found myself expecting so much more from this talented artist.

Favorite Tracks: Chopstix, Lies, 5200, Die Wit Em, Attention
Rating: 4/10

Future "Save Me" (2019)

The self titled Future was a fun record. I found it in the perfect mood for some fun Trap flavor. Fancying some more I went for this new EP but the seven track Save Me offers isn't quite that. Future experiments with a new direction while still operating within the Trap and Mumble Rap circle. The Atlanta rapper brings a host of producers onboard to create a sound very much following in the footsteps of Travis Scott. The result is hit and miss, mostly miss, on the production front. Future's braggadocio and excessively slurred and stylized wording leaves much to be desired but generally amplifies the beats that don't land as well with shallow lyrics. There is a loose theme of drug abuse and mental health but it drops off after the opening track, resurfacing vaguely in spots.

There is a lot of glossy reverb, auto tune and voicing at work. It has a soft Ethereal edge with its indulgent tone but can barely escape the grasp of its influences. Many bursts of vocal groans and discernible auto tune inflections reek of Rodeo, even arrangements and constructs have a uncanny blueprint. A merit is found with Shotgun, a poppy sung vocal hook reigns in the airy atmosphere at work. Its sunny, uplifting but with a belly of melancholy. Very catchy but little else of the record finds this chemistry and with a lack of engaging lyricism the Trap and Mumble tropes end up being rather irritating. Unfortunately its mostly forgettable.

Favorite Track: Shotgun

Rating: 3/10

City Morgue "City Morgue Vol 1 Hell Or High Water" (2018)

 Hell Or High Water is the debut record by the newly formed City Morgue, a pair of young rappers taking a lot of influence from the likes of the uber-aggressive 6ix9ine, who may be the most commercially successful of these "over the top" rappers. The project caught my attention because of its ties to Metal and Industrial music. The pacey, lively instrumentals deploy FL Studio Slayer guitar tones in the meat of their beats. A gritty, lean distortion fit for their overtly hostile and vulgar flows which are filled to the brim with offense and obscenity aiming insults in all directions. The two have a wild, dangerous energy, scream rapping with a menace that'll get you moving.

On closer inspection much of the lyrics are skin deep and more about trading blows than provoking thought. City Morgue comes out the gate with a firm and consistent aesthetic. Brisk, darkly beats, rocking harsh Trap influenced kits and a barrage of sound effects, shouts, screams and back up cries bombard the listener with a restless energy. Many of the tracks kick of with maniacal laughter, a touch of madness sounding like a deranged person who just escaped from the house of horrors.

Despite leaning into these dark themes the music is mostly fun and grooving. A lot of the beats land on the pulse of the groove and make for some careless crude fun. On occasion they even land a fine hook like the "gave hop" call on top of these disorienting instrumentals that rock disjointed samples, eerie urban melodies and dirty sub-bass noise, rumbling below the kicks of the percussion. The instrumentals are tough and if your not in the mod for fowl lyricism then this can be a tough record.

The duo barely let the foot of the gas with the vulgarities and the delivery style is consistently domineering. In some moments the word slurring trend and ambiguous pronunciation comes into play, its not particularly interesting. A lot of this record is relatively mediocre but in the union of parts something quite unique forms. Potential is the word to take away from this. Improved lyricism, better hooks and songwriting would really further this attention grabbing sound. One to watch for the future.

Favorite Tracks: Arson, Gravehop187, So What

Rating: 6/10

Future "Future" (2017)

This post may be brief since I never intended on covering this record. I simply have to comment on what a quintessential example of Trap this is, for both the good and the bad. Future is an Atlanta rapper, once part of the Dungeon Family collective associated with southern legends Outkast. I've heard him mentioned with the roots and origins of the now massively popular Trap sound of Rap music. This album is the first of his Ive heard, at first mistaking a track for the Migos. It banged hard tho, for all that is formulaic, routine and factory about the music, through it the hypnotic inducing vibes resonate. In one mood its illuminating and in another can be utterly tedious.

Its seventeen tracks have nothing between them that elevates the formula at work. Its a production line to churn out tracks with all the hallmarks of the trendy sound, tight shuffling Trap beats with all the typical hi hat tones and snaps. The deep bass hits bang under an assembly of instruments playing short melodies on loop. They conjure a mood for Future to Mumble Rap his way to heaven with the common flows and quirks like "skeet skeet" and other goofy noises between the lines. His voice and back up tracks become another layer of sound, the inflections and auto tune constantly swaying. His verses a blur of recycled rhymes that require attention to decipher.

When focusing on those lyrics little of interest bar a reference to Southern legend Master P arose to me. Much of the content is materialistic and embodying the worst stereotypes. At times excessive use of tropes makes one wonder how much of this record is self aware? Some of the skits are utterly hilarious and for the most part this record bangs and rumbles the Trap vibes but as said above it becomes easily dissect-able when you've had enough of the groove. Future does sneak some great hooks in there but its the rhythm that wins me over as his words are just too slurred. Its a love hate record but I don't take it that seriously. If I'm in the mood for mumbling and trap beats it absolutely bangs with crazy dark and esoteric vibes.

Rating: 6/10

Lil Peep "Come Over When You’re Sober Pt. 2" (2018)

I was very keen to get into this record after enjoying Pt. 1. Ive grown rather fond of Lil Peep and his "Emo Rap". He reminds me fondly of youthful attitudes, his angle of expression is an inevitability of obvious influences converging in a modern era of connectivity. From what I can tell, this record was assembled posthumously. With lots of unfinished material left behind, producers Smokeasac and IIVI put together another album of the same tone, feeling and theme however its twice in length with thirteen cuts.

Both producers worked with him on the first project however this one is a notably sharper product. The song structures are rooted in a popular format, the beats are tidy and everything feels well formulated. Its another collection of shuffling trap percussive arrangements and emotive, melancholic guitars to create stiring, dark, introspective atmospheres. The temperament is very much an extension of the first record, tightly tuned with no artistic progression given the situation. Part two is a fitting title.

Unsurprisingly Lil Peep is again a lonely and troubled figure on this record. His plain language shapes up with sharper poetry in some of the hooks. His lyrics are mostly direct, flavored by profanity and fueled by his pains, giving a intimate window into his life at times. Each song has its seasoning and his approach to the memorable Life Is Beautiful as sadly entrenched with sarcasm. Its dark, depressing but the expression is wonderful as his bitter sweet is birthed into musical art.

The whole project flows with a very steady consistency that does let any favorites leap out. The last few tracks always seem to leap out at me though. The darkly, esoteric strummed guitar tune in the backdrop reminds me fondly of the sort of acoustic break you might hear on a Metal record. In fact the guitars are a continual source of pleasure. Great record, notably more "pop" and loses out on the impact of the first album but ends on a very high note with its best numbers.

Favorite Tracks: White Girl, Falling Down, Sunlight On Your Skin

Rating: 7/10

Lil Peep "Come Over When Your Sober, Pt.1" (2017)

I've had negative connotations attached to this artist, Its lingered in the back of my mind from a few years back, his Hellboy mixtape, which I did not enjoy to say the least. Having forgotten about it I went into this record with little expectations and yet found a brilliance I have to nod the head and give props too. The young Lil Peep is now deceased having died of a drug overdose before a show on his tour bus. Drug abuse is a key theme of his music and from what Ive heard he advocated against their use but there is no doubt the music glorifies them as it does his over struggles which is the musics focal point. Its timing seems like a reflection to Americas prescription drug epidemic.

With each spin of this record its components become quite clear, Trap percussion lines shuffle and rattle out grooves with distinct tonal qualities. Clunky clicks and claps pop between shimmering hi-hats bursts and sub kicks that have a synthetic quality. Behind them gorgeous, sad and melancholy guitar licks pluck simple, steadily paced single note melodies alongside additional guitars, thick, atmospheric synths and a deep, filling baseline laying down foundational blocks. The chemistry is fantastic, dark broody instrumentals with a gleam of light emanating that will never escape its grasp.

Its Lil Peep himself who is that light, a clearly troubled soul who's bearing it all upfront as his outlet with the music. His voice is fantastic, a deep and rustic tone, he finds a soft spot to speak/sing words through a whirl of cloudy reverb. His pace and delivery comes from an easy energy. It doesn't manifest specifically into hooks as much of his simple language and lack of range but it makes for plenty of sing-along-able stints in the tracks, even his faster paced "raps" are easy to pick up on and learn.

The lyrics were originally the least likeable aspect but repetition has revealed much authenticity in his themes. Initially they felt teenage, angsty and glorified but Lil Peep was only twenty one and I think a younger me would really of lapped this up. "Sometimes life gets fucked up, that's why we get fucked up", far from poetic and insightful but through its cursory language and surface level wording a clear picture of his struggles emerge. Emotional pains, relationship woes and drug abuse dominate the tone, as he wallows in the struggle with little positive to grasp onto. "I wish I didn't have a heart to love you", powerful words but deeply saddening too.

Instrumentally, this record has a very concise and expressive sound. Its a brilliant stage for a troubled young man to let his emotions roll out and despite its depressing nature the glorification takes hold and elevates these into anthems in the best songs. I'm truly impressed, at first I thought I would enjoy it from a distance but Ive found myself sucked in to his world and reminded of what youth can be like. His death is a real shame however the tone of the music makes it sound almost inevitable. Next up I will get part two which was released posthumously last year.

Favorite Tracks: Awful Things, U Said, The Brightside

Rating: 7/10

Ho99o9 "Mutant Freax" (2014)

Mutant Freak is Punk Rock and Hip Hop duo Ho99o9's debut EP release. I was initially not so interested, I got the impression from the differences between Dead Bodies In The Lake and United States Of Horror that the pair where an upwards path. Occasional tracks bang with hard hitting grooves and heretic energy but a lot of their material revolves around unhinged "atmosphere" and aesthetics that culminate to a strange breed of rebellion born from their unique fusion of influences.

With Cyber Cop the two produced a very cohesive set of songs which mostly rocked from front to back. Its not what I expected but the three tracks of Mutant Freak do this too, without any apparent bangers or big beats. On this eight minute listen their dark aesthetics and sporadic mic presence finds a dynamism I didn't hear before. Their selection of gritty, night time synth samples play against loose drums as they drop darkly verses between odd vocal inflections with an interesting spark.

Split in the middle is Hated In America, a heated Punk Rock track with fast tempo drums, thrashing power chord guitars and a infectious amount of reverberation to echo and add some maniac energy to their screams. Its short but sweet and far better than I had expected. In this case the two forge engaging music that doesn't rely on head rocking tropes. Something I didn't think they did to well before.

Rating: 4/10

Logic "Young Sinatra: Welcome To Forever" (2013)

The Logic journey continues with this mixtape and I might just hold off from his recently YSIV until Ive made it back to the starting line, another four releases. The new record is actually continuing where this left of since Logic didn't touch the Young Sinatra name between this and that. The new record also has a track called Wu-Tang Forever with the entire Wu-Tang Clan... that is something I absolutely need to hear!

To jump straight to the point Welcome To Forever is fantastic but flawed collection of songs. This is a very "of the moment", raw, youthful and energetic record full of life. Its also rather bloated at seventy three minutes with tracks that frequently drift from the core tone, both lyrically and instrumentally. Its beats play from the 90s to the Kanye era and into the origins of auto tune and Trap style production that was coming into its own five years ago. Kicking of with snippets of KRS-One the album is loaded with bold sampling from the likes of Ice Cube, Drake, Pusha T, Kendrick Lamar, paying a firm tribute to the Hip Hop universe. Unsurprisingly Frank Sanatra turns up and so do Parliament of the samples I caught. He also uncannily mimics the Down To Erf rhyme, flow and cadence on his A Tribe Called Quest tribute, its got to be a reference!

Logic puts himself on the stage for judgement by rapping over the classic Ms Jackson beat by Outkast. Its a firm statement but becomes across with a keenness and passion for the craft, a young artists with it all to give. Its endearing and when his lyrics go into that "prove yourself" zone the music is illuminated. This record also includes many features and talks about his Rat-pack collective, a lot more than Ive heard before. His lyrics bring us into this moment where is hard work is paying off and its time to shine with his friends. I'm not sure who's who but Dizzy Wright lights up the incredible Young Jedi instrumental as the record strides into its strong final phase.

Many of the modern instrumentals are paired with the less engaging topics. It just so happens to be my favorite instrumentals that have Logic flexing his vocal prowess with impressive rhymes and flows. He paints the picture of this moment, walking us through his struggles, the deal with Def Jam and doing what he loves, working hard and putting out this mixtape with the debut album in the works too. In those tracks this is golden, its ties to Hip Hop through samples and references feel so genuine and passionate, unfortunate its patchy, caught in a haze of varied instrumentals. Trimmed down to its best there is a solid forty minute experience here.

Favorite Tracks: 925, The Come Up, Nasty, Young Jedi, Common Logic, Just A Man, Man Of The Year

Rating: 7/10

Machine Gun Kelly "Binge" (2018)

Its been a while since we've had some entertaining Rap beef. I don't take it all that seriously but if it leads to good songs and gets people listening then its usually good for those involved. In the case of MGK Eminem has handed him a golden opertunity on Kamikaze where he took shots at a lot of rappers, especially the new generation. Being the first to respond, Rap Devil gave Midwest rapper Kelly over 100 million views and a lot of exposure, an opertunity to find new fans which has surely been squandered on this flimsy, hastily assembled extended play. Its trashy. Its a stinker.

The bulk of these beats are mediocre at best. Lacking their own style they come off as Trap mimics, deploying all the tropes of shuffling hi hats and sub base kicks in a variety of arrangements that lack intention beyond doing whats currently in. Its chasing the Mumble Rap sound and Kelly's voice just isn't suited to it. Unfortunately the couple of instrumentals that do have some traction and excitement in them seem to be stacked up against the worst of MGK's troubling lyrics.

And that's the hardest thing to endure on these songs. Kelly is all attitude and no substance. Its braggadocios, angry and aimless. He boasts and raves about his careless attitude and drug abuse without a measure of meaning to be extracted. The hooks are weak, the rhymes subpar and occasionally a few unintentionally hilarious lines slip in past the "quality" filter. I wonder if anyone advised him not to release these songs. There is also an awful feature on Signs, an auto-tune abusing vocal hook that sounds so lifted and uninspired, a total rip.

Rap Devil is the only song worth your time. Upon release it was obvious Eminem was a sitting duck for a diss. So much of the subject matter was born from Em's jaded, angry attitude but it brought the best out of Kelly, forced him to focus on a subject and find strings of coherent rhymes on the same track. There is none of that focus and craft to be found here, the songs barely make three minutes and the two that do, bar Rap Devil, have extra beats stitched on the end of them. Not sure what Kelly was thinking here, cash grab? Maybe he wasn't thinking at all.

Favorite Track: Rap Devil

Rating: 2/10

Travis Scott "Astroworld" (2018)

Anticipation for this record has been a thorn in the side, a constant ache commanding me to routinely check for its arrival with no release date mentioned. Its a frequent trend these days to drop albums with only a short notice. Although my reviews of Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight and Rodeo were not especially favorable I could hear something unique in Travis. Its truly manifested as the power of shuffle and time away from his music had those songs giving back more with each listen. After plenty of binging Id even consider Rodeo a modern Hip Hop classic. As my love for his sound grew, so has my apatite for more, hence the growing anticipation.

Astroworld had been grossly hyped. Given my knowledge of Six Flags Astroworld thanks to a Defunctland documentary, my curiosity was peaked as to what the closed theme parks roll in its topicality was this time around. Given my often disconnect from the lyrical aspects of music I certainly didn't pick up on any particular theme beyond a few references and so Astroworld has landed soft, nothing feels particularly distinct or intentional and so the promise of an obscure topic for a Hip Hop record is lost on me.

Reflecting back as to how the other records took months and even years to grow on me I figured its best not to rush into making up my mind on Astroworld. Although it hasn't charmed me I can analytically hear some stylistic progressions, expansive instrumentation and compositional ideas blossoming into indulging atmospheres, however the over saturated "skrt skrt"s and "its lit" cries coming from the background with excessive reverbs hold the music to its previous step, overshadowing what makes this record unique, retrospectively speaking.

The sleek dark atmospheres and romping grooves of tracks like Sicko Mode and Carousel are to be expected but get the album rolling in a different gear to the rest of its run time. The synthesizers and aesthetic of the music drifts into a peculiar place more psychedelic, dreamy and laid back than the urban darkness heard in his previous efforts. At times it can feel uplifting, the track Skeletons embodies this however its brief moment of what seems like a stream of conscious rap seems to loose its own train of thought as Travis morphs into a derogatory pair of rhymes spit very much in the style of Kanye West, a voice, tone and style you can hear in his flows often across the project.

My take away from Atroworld at this point is a lack of stylistic focus. Much of his production style traits stay intact and flirts with more excess as he layers some lyrics with gated reverbs and the like. The album steers its sampling and instrumentation beyond the percussion with R&B accents, some eclectic instruments like the harmonica and organ, it fails to nail a vibe that sucks you in. As stated above I am willing to let this one sink in and hope it reveals more meaning and indulgence with some absence and revival.

Favorite Tracks: Sicko Mode, Stop Trying To Be God, No Bystanders, Butterfly Effect,

Rating: 5/10

Rich The Kid "The World Is Yours" (2018)

I can't remember what convinced me to pick this record up but now I have a familiar feeling of disappointment that seems to be recurring with modern Hip Hop artists that fall into the Trap and Mumble Rap categories. Much like Invasion Of Privacy, the record loads its best material into the first few songs before it descends into a slog of mediocrity that feels like an endurance test. Its Atlanta rapper Rich The Kid's debut album, loaded with some big name features, including Kendrick Lamar. After a long string of mixtapes over the years its earned him a reputation that's led to this.

I can't help but think of Rich as the forth Migo, his style, flow and persona seems fondly akin to the Migos sound with a lack of the signature triplet flow. This could however be testament to the over saturation of this era's sound, the instrumentals are interchangeable and the slurred word mumble flows are loaded with the incessant use of reverberated cries of "skrt skrt", "flex" and other vocalizations between staggered lines of tame, self indulgent lyrics. At some points the "brbrb" shouts get so exaggerated they literally sound like birds chirping. Its goofy to say the least.

There are times where his presence calms down and the beat carries the song but mostly its chop and change as a sequence of rhymes can barely make it uninterrupted. Much of the lyrical content is flash and simplistic with hardly anything of meaning to be extracted from the constant spew of braggadocio that's trying to out do all bragging rappers. The slurring of words and indulgence in rebelling against pronunciation becomes a bore as the album strolls on with a lack of substance to take from a set of beats that could of done with better. I get that its about mood, vibes, lifestyle and swagger but I just can't get onboard this time.

Rating: 3/10

The Carters "Everything Is Love" (2018)

I was really excited for this album after hearing the hypnotic, Trap alike, attention grabbing Apeshit single. The prospect of this famous couple finally working together on a project was intriguing to say the least but its turned out to be a rather hollow record that lacks an exciting or distinct personality. Its vision is lackluster and fails miserably to get substance out of the duo. Its mediocre, its best moments are barely its own and the production has a range of talent involved but its instrumentals play it all safe.

Admittedly I'm unacquainted with Beyonce's music beyond hearing Desinys Child on MTV as a teen. Her singing on the record is loaded with flamboyant inflections that flavor every word sung with a spice but whatever shes expressing with her voice, I feel a complete emotional disconnect from. As well as singing she dips in with some half way raps and deliveries that feel a step behind the curb, as if playing catch up with trending styles in the Hip Hop sound. This reigns especially true with the adoption of the "skrt skrt" and other trendy lyrics, styles and vocalizations heard in the first half of the album before the two settle into a rhythm.

Jay-Z doesn't come into his own until the records second half. At first hes a quiet presence behind Beyonce who takes the lime light. One of his first raps has him spitting a weak repetition of rhyming words on the hook, nice nice nice, night night night, lights lights lights, ice ice ice. Its a bore and a lot of his lyrical themes fail to jump of the page however by the records final songs he drops some tighter verses but by then the album has lost me. Its a shame, they really don't spark anything unique together, it sounds almost routine at its inception.

The records best moments come on Still with a classic hook borrowed and reworked from Dr. Dre and unsurprisingly it does little other than remind you of how good of a record 2001 was. Its second stride of promise is on the single track Apeshit, which boasts strong Mumble Rap and Trap influences on the instrumental. It wasn't produced by Travis Scott but you can hear his influence and that of the Migos. Nothing more than reflecting the scene but it was pulled of well. Ultimately there is little to this record that's innovative or exciting. Feels like the two came together to do what they know rather than explore their musicality and chemistry.

Favorite Track: Apeshit

Rating: 4/10

Logic "Bobby Tarantino" (2016)

Maybe I'm suffering from a case of over saturation on my Logic binge but to my ears this record, or "mix tape", just doesn't come close to the standards Ive heard on Everybody & Bobby Tarantino II. Its a shorter release at thirty three minutes that has very little substance or subject matter that's interesting. Bobby Tarantino is a seriously self indulged festival of braggadocio where Logic pumps up and beats his chest, singing his own praises loud and proud, track after track without any other topics other than self assertion and affirmation citing stats and wealth.

The interlude track A Word From Our Sponsor suggests that perhaps much of this flexing is in a comedic vein as he talks about himself through the lens of a frustrated fan in a goofy phone call waiting line skit. When paired with the rapper reminding us of all his good deeds, how hes connected with his fan base and what a nice guy he is, it paints an unfavorable picture of his ego manifesting into a warped self perspective. Its only the only instance where you can relate it to comedy and doesn't appear to be archetypal of the records overall structure.

Behind his rhymes lies a set of reasonable, passable beats that could easily be elevated by some engaging lyricism as they do little to upset, simply providing tight snappy grooves with colorful instrumentation to craft a mood. The problem? there is so little to enjoy on the surface other than the technicality of Logics ability and him occasionally dropping a keen, sharp and witty rhymes. 44 Bars may have a narrative, food for thought but its one in a slew of unfiltered bragging. Disappointing record but I will continue on this logical journey!

Rating: 4/10

Post Malone "Beerbongs & Bentleys" (2018)

Debuting at number one and going platinum within a week it would seem the success is only growing for the young artist who is yet to win favor with a majority of critics. Beerbongs & Bentleys is Post Malone's Sophomore record clocking in at a bloated sixty four minutes that shows little signs of any measurable evolution from his sound on Stoney. Across these eighteen tracks we have a similar of sequence of Trap influenced Hip Hop beats mixed up in the wish wash of indulgent reverberations and instruments set to maximize the laid back vibes and chilled out tone of Post's music.

The record falls short in its lyrical substance, most tracks are dominated by superficial topics. The gloating and boasting of lifestyle and wealth props up a thin backbone of topics revolving around the glorification of intoxication, petty drama and partying that are so atypical of the youth and who could blame them for it? As an older soul there is little I can relate to other than a reactionary sigh at seeing reflections of a former, younger self. Post does at times find some deep lines in brief glimpses but its mostly buried in the slew of style and catchy slang over substance in lyrics that many of his guest features indulge in too.

Its all so trendy and such are the instrumentals too. The charisma of Post's singing voice, with auto tune or without is a constant pleasure and transformers the mood of these beats into chilled out, laid back places, calming and serine through the chaos of the stuttering hi-hat led beats. The quality varies track to track, Same Bitches with YG sticking out like a sore thumb, its beat clearly by a different producer working on those west coast vibes. A couple of songs like Rockstar with 21 Savage hit the right mark however Post's songwriting sounds rather muted across the record as the trendy beats and self-indulgent lyrics dominate the records tone and posture.

In one moment we get a pure beam of light, the main reason I have my ear on this artist. Stay is a glossy, gleaming song filled with sun soaked acoustic guitar playing, coming on like a daydream as Post's voice soars over blissfully with some beautiful singing and vocal inflections. No Trap beats, no trendy slang and this is where the substance is in this musician. I hope in the future he follows this path more as I believe its where he flourishes I would happily listen to a record of tracks like this for hours on end! Unfortunately Beerbongs & Bentleys is yet to head in that direction.

Favorite Tracks: Rockstar, Stay

Rating: 5/10

Rich Brian "Amen" (2018)

Amen is the debut record of teenager rapper Rich Brian from Indonesia, a former Viner who's been active as a creator from a young age. Gathering his influences from this newest generation of Hip Hop, he represents much about these times, the accessibility of music and information bringing the culture across seas through the connectivity of the internet, a place where a young Brian found his creative platform. His break out single hit a couple years back but the hype of this record is where I have first heard of him.

Going into this record relatively blind his charm and persona stuck out instantly, the deep baritone voice, his calm, relaxed pace and easy going delivery is persuasive. It sets him a step aside from other rappers, his almost spoken word style has to be far easier for skeptics to digest. Unfortunately I don't think there is a ton of lyrical substance here. A lot of the time he's caught up in the moment, divulging shallow topics of social status and occasionally reflecting on his self perception. There is however a endearing youthful air and innocence about his thoughts and tales. It comes in a moderate dose and matches his tone, most the positive energy comes from his simple and fun rhymes schemes, keen and witty links like "I need space like astronaut". When his flow matches the beat it becomes very enjoyable and hypnotic even if the lyrics aren't making the mark, however the opening track does a fantastic job of introducing himself and setting the stage for the rest to come.

I especially liked the production of this record, its Trap influences feels measured and inspired as opposed to trendy. The melodies and tone can vary from the uplifting, sun soaked vibes of Flight to the club banger Tresspass that came before it. Each track brings together a tight beat with a smart set of programmed instruments that gel together seamlessly. Tuneful synths and simple melodies on layers of subtle instruments remind me of Dr. Dre's philosophy on 2001 in a roundabout way.

I think Brian has a bright future ahead of himself. As I didn't mention it is Rich himself who handles almost all the production according the records footnotes. Thats largely impressive for this emerging talent who's got so much of his life ahead of him. Amen is a decent debut, flawed but fun and enjoyable. Lyrically I think more life experience would bring some last and depth to his words but on the other hand his instrumental game is very strong and the album flows so smooth from track to track, its a really easy to enjoy record.

Favorite Tracks: Amen, Occupied, Introvert, Tresspass, Flight, See Me, Enemies

Rating: 6/10