Kevin Abstract, ARIZONA BABY, Album Review


Kevin Abstract
ARIZONA BABY
Album Review



ARIZONA BABY is the latest release from founding BROCKHAMPTON member Kevin Abstract. This third studio album from the rap artist was teased by a pack of singles followed by an EP rather than simply putting out teaser tracks. However, I feel that once the full album was released, everything came into effect perfectly.

As someone who went into this album as a BROCKHAMPTON fan, I was expecting this album to be a little similar musically. And while this ended up being sort of true, it does so in a way that ticks all of the right boxes. To clarify, it carries through the same sort of BROCKHAMPTON appeal wit its warm and colourful production, but the way that this albums music also feels even more upbeat and slightly more minimal make this an album that may even prove to be more enjoyable to me than the latest BROCKHAMPTON record iridescence.

The subject matter of this record and the more personal connection to Kevin Abstract himself make this much more of an engaging piece as well. With Abstract tapping into his insecurities revolving around his homosexuality, relationship with his family and the course of his life amongst other things.

An unusual thing about this album is how two of the most upbeat tracks on the entire listing are put on either end of the album, which kind of get the album off to an energetic start with the first track "Big Wheels". However, I found that the inclusion of "Boyer" at the very end of the record kind of took me out of the moment a little bit and gave the song more of a bonus track feel (which I'm sure it wasn't meant to).

Between these two tracks, there is a plentiful helping of amazing singles that carry through a very warm vibe (perfect for the approaching summer). And while I would regard nearly every song on this album as fantastic, I found myself gravitating towards the more melodic songs such as "Georgia", "Baby Boy" and "Peach" as the vocals found on this album are surprisingly gorgeous for what is on the surface a indie hip-hop record. I would actually say that the three tracks I just mentioned might also just be three of my favourite songs on this entire thing as I feel this really displays Kevin Abstract's signature aesthetic the best.

ARIZONA BABY is yet another fantastically crafted album of 2019. The overall theme is deeply personal and masterfully exploited, it carries some brilliant tracks, and it is just BROCKHAMPTON enough for it to be accessible to newer fans while staying true to his previous independent work.


Thank you for reading,

Booth Boy

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Danny Brown, uknowhatimsayin?, Album Review

Image
Danny Brown uknowhatimsayin? Album Review Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Music uknowhatimsayin? is the fifth studio album by experimental American rap artist Danny Brown, and the first since me made a big impact with his 2016 masterpiece Atrocity Exhibition , which truly pushed the boundaries of what rap could be with its heavily psychedelic and distorted sound, along with its intense and aggressive party energy. It seemed apparent from the get go that Danny Brown wanted to take this album in a different direction than its predecessor; towards a more accessible and cohesive sound, which was something I could certainly appreciate. Furthermore, this albums first teaser track "Dirty Laundry" displayed a masterfully subtle production, in which the slightest shift would be enough for listeners to pick up on and enjoy. Two more teaser tracks followed; the amazing "Best Life", which conveyed a soulful 90's rap aesthetic and has really grown
Read more

TOOL, Fear Inoculum, Album Review

Image
TOOL Fear Inoculum Album Review Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Music Theres an age-old saying that each album of music is its own different experience, and this saying has never rung more truth when it comes to the discography of TOOL. One of the flag-bearers of progressive metal, TOOL have blown the minds of listeners ever since they formed almost 30 years ago in 1990. But its only recently, that the band have made a bit of a splash after a nearly 13 year hiatus since their 2006 album 10,000 Days .  With the return of TOOL in 2019, came the entirety of their discography finally being streamable, and with streamers finally recognising the band, it would also be the perfect time to release a new album. That album has finally come, in the form of their 5th full-length record; Fear Inoculum. Ever since I started getting into metal, I have had a funny relationship with the band. I first discovered the band thanks to Guitar Hero World Tour of all sour
Read more

Xiu Xiu, Girl with Basket of Fruit, Album Review

Image
Xiu Xiu Girl with Basket of Fruit Album Review Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Music We're not even at the end of February yet, and we already have a twisted and surreal masterpiece in the form of Xiu Xiu's latest record "Girl with Basket of Fruit". While this album comes to me as another introduction to an artist, said artist has been making music for a while now, with "Girl with Basket of Fruit" being their eleventh album release. Xiu Xiu are essentially a musical outfit of sorts and kind of defy genre in the sense that their music is so out there (especially in this record). After delving into some of their older material, I can tell you that "Girl with Basket of Fruit" is quite easily the darkest and most interesting album that Xiu Xiu has ever put out, and maybe even possibly the most beautifully horrifying album I have ever heard. While their previous stuff definitely shows a lot of experimentation with their
Read more