Even whereas Hip-hop’s fiftieth birthday has introduced basic rap data again to the forefront of everybody’s brains, Travis Scott’s Utopia has stood tall as some of the extremely anticipated releases of the 2020s. 5 years in the past, Astroworld’s trippy and psychedelic panorama transported listeners to a brand new planet, making a hallucinatory world the place John Mayer and Tame Impala might co-exist alongside Nav, Large Moe and Uncle Luke’s “I Wanna Rock (Doo Doo Brown).”
By the point Scott cryptically introduced Utopia in 2020, his rabid fandom was already at a fever pitch, led by his pack of die-hard followers who dutifully explored Astroworld’s otherworldly dimension whereas trapped inside throughout lockdown. However after the tragedy at Scott’s Astroworld music competition the next November, Utopia got here crashing all the way down to earth, and its future remained unsure because the Houston rapper handled the seemingly unending fallout.
However after infinite teasers, Utopia lastly started its descent onto the world on Friday (July 28), led by the smooth summery groove of “Okay-Pop” that dropped final week. Whereas a mixture consisting of Unhealthy Bunny and The Weeknd will undoubtedly dominate pop radio, the only was distinctly gentle contemplating the darkish cloud that hangs over Utopia’s ambiance. The album is at its most potent when at its most dismal, and whereas Scott’s detailed backdrops are a few of the most spectacular of his profession, some tracks hit with extra emotional drive than others. Listed here are Billboard’s ideas on each tune that seems on Travis Scott’s Utopia.
19. “FE!N,” (feat. Playboi Carti & Sheck Wes)
The stunning reality is that Playboi Carti’s marble-mouthed movement feels barely misplaced on Utopia, and the shallow drug-fueled material of “Fe!n” in flip comes off like a Entire Lotta Crimson B-side and never like one thing pertaining to Travis Scott’s dystopian imaginative and prescient. “Fe!n” can’t assist however come off like a monitor included solely for Carti’s equally-as-rabid fanbase.
18. “TOPIA TWINS” (feat. 21 Savage & Rob49)
By Utopia’s eleventh monitor, Travis has mirrored on his mortality alongside Bon Iver and Sampha (“MY EYES”) and spoken about paranoia with Beyoncé (“DELRESTO”). To go from that to rapping about “Twin b–hes on a jetski” feels abrupt and misplaced. Whereas “Topia Twins” advocates for summertime enjoyable, Trav and 21 Savage by no means say something they haven’t mentioned already. The saving grace right here is Rob49, who enters the world wide-eyed and desperate to please as he raps playfully: “Travis, what in the event that they twins they usually Siamese however they wanna f–ok us each?”
17. “MELTDOWN,” feat. Drake
“Sicko Mode” was a second unto itself when it was unleashed in 2018. Packing 4 vastly distinctive producers into its five-minute runtime, the tune’s breakneck beat switches gave every producer the house to breathe, all whereas Drizzy and Trav dodged the potholes with their slick rhymes. On “Meltdown,” Coleman, BNYX, Boi1da, Vinylz, Tay Keith and Skeleton Cartier all enter the fold, however the consequence as an alternative are sedated beats that trudge via the mud at the same tempo. Drake’s braggadocious verbiage additionally slows to a crawl, as he presents up some hole flexes (“Well-known hoes lame however they keep on my d–ok”) and low cost digs at Pharrell and longtime nemesis Pusha T. Whereas “Sicko Mode” discovered pleasure in pushing some limits, “MELTDOWN” feels surprisingly and disappointingly one-dimensional.
16. “GOD’S COUNTRY”
Pushed by a disorienting loop of haunting kids’s voices courtesy of Kanye West, “GOD’S COUNTRY” has all of the eerie makings of an excellent Travis Scott tune, nevertheless it’s simply too temporary to depart an affect. Whereas the time period “GOD’S COUNTRY” might tackle many various meanings, Travis chooses to social gathering as an alternative, (“Wakin’ up, I see the sunshine, I been drunk and it’s all proper”) which is barely disappointing.
15. “I KNOW?”
“I KNOW?” presents a welcomed change of tempo following Beyoncé’s emotional catharsis on “DELRESTOS (ECHOES),” and serves because the connective tissue to Utopia’s latter half. Working virtually as an interlude, “I KNOW?” looks like an invite to his day one followers to simply vibe with him for a second, as if to remind them that the polished autotuned crooning they got here to know and love remains to be very a lot alive.
14. “THANK GOD” (feat. KayCyy & Teezo Landing)
Approaching the heels of the disorienting opener “HYAENA,” “THANK GOD” finds Travis Scott absolutely navigating his consolation zone. Because of KayCyy’s tightly wound lure beat, Scott appears to virtually elevate the rhythmic drive of 2018’s “Butterfly Impact,” utilizing “THANK GOD’s” grinding bass to just accept his faults and have fun his private development within the years since Astroworld. “The way in which we advanced and knocked down partitions, this s–t’s outrageous,” Scott raps virtually wistfully. Whereas he’s filled with gratitude for what got here earlier than, Scott makes use of “THANK GOD” to acknowledge the necessity to transfer ahead.
13. “TIL FURTHER NOTICE” (feat. 21 Savage & James Blake)
To be clear: “TIL FURTHER NOTICE” is a superb tune. Metro Boomin and James Blake’s kaleidoscopic manufacturing serves as a stellar structure for Scott and 21 Savage, who use the galactic beat to ruminate on their sophisticated amorous affairs, nevertheless it doesn’t fairly serve its objective as a closing monitor for an album crammed with so many emotional highs. With that being mentioned, figuring out Travis Scott listens to Coldplay feels vital.
12. “SIRENS”
Having Travis Scott rap vigorously about “juggling” sexual urges after sampling New England’s “Explorer Suite” is the kind of chaos that made the Houston polymath such a compelling expertise within the first place. “SIRENS” glitchy drive make for a disorienting pay attention, however it is going to go away you dazed and glad when you’re capable of abdomen it. To not point out Scott’s power on the microphone will make you wanna beat your chest.
11. “Okay-POP” (with The Weeknd & Unhealthy Bunny)
Arguably the lightest tune on Utopia, “Okay-POP” looks like an intermission, a joyful romp that provides Unhealthy Bunny and The Weeknd the house to spotlight their skills. The Weeknd’s closing verse is very playful, as he diverts away from his present model of post-apocalyptic storytelling for the enjoyable, drug-fueled antics of Starboy and even Kissland-era Abel, in a means that brings on emotions of nostalgia.
10. “CIRCUS MAXIMUS” (feat. Swae Lee & The Weeknd)
Serving because the namesake monitor to Scott’s Utopia companion movie, the hustle and bustle of “CIRCUS MAXIMUS” does its job of retaining the listeners engaged for Utopia’s last half. Whereas Scott raps extremely effectively, it’s The Weeknd’s uplifting hook that shoots the tune into the stratosphere.
9. “PARASAIL” (feat. Dave Chappelle & Yung Lean)
Sonically, “PARASAIL” is a drastic departure from Utopia. Pushed by a muddy guitar loop and a compelling speech from Dave Chappelle, Yung Lean and Travis Scott are an Auto-Tuned match made in heaven, because the duo wail about their self-loathing and the battle that comes with looking for forgiveness. It’s a welcomed change of tempo on Utopia that takes the album from the clouds and grounds it again all the way down to earth, as Yung Lean and Travis replicate on the cruel actuality of being human.
8. “LOOOVE” (feat. Child Cudi)
Whereas the three way partnership between Child Cudi and Travis (often known as The Scotts) by no means got here to fruition past one self-titled tune, “LOOOVE” presents a compelling (and in some methods heartbreaking) have a look at what might have been. Each rappers elevate above Pharrell’s suffocating beat, leading to a bouncy, enjoyable monitor that bobs and weaves flawlessly.
7. “LOST FOREVER” (feat. Westside Gunn & James Blake)
One of the vital extremely anticipated songs from Utopia, Scott’s torpid rework of Examine Senrick’s “Don’t Be So Good” from 1976 offers a surprisingly excellent platform for Westside Gunn, who provides a prolonged and spectacular verse centered on the spoils of fame. With added ghoulish vocals from James Blake, “Misplaced Perpetually” looks like a mismatched tune that shouldn’t work however does.
6. “HYAENA”
“HYAENA” reaffirms that no rapper can open an album like Travis Scott. Whereas Scott spits a few of the greatest bars of his profession, his option to open his album with a pattern from Mild Large’s “Proclamation” is as attention-grabbing as a Scott report can get. Whereas they formally disbanded in 1980, Mild Large was lengthy thought to be forward of their time, with their cult-like following usually praising the group’s subtle musical buildings. On this means, “HYAENA” is already a novel flex, with followers usually providing the identical reward of Scott. The rapper then creates much more chaos by throwing different delightfully bewildering components into the melting pot: together with a closing pattern from Funkadelic’s “Maggot Mind” and a braggadocious comparability to Chelsea Handler.
5. “MY EYES” (feat. Sampha)
Serving as one of many deepest emotional cuts on Utopia, Bon Iver’s oozing synths and buried vocals give option to emotional epiphanies from a nostalgic Scott, who yearns for childhood greater than ever regardless of the celebrity and riches. Whereas Sampha sounds superb, it’s Scott’s grace as a rapper that carries the tune. Even when the beat switches to one thing extra upbeat, each phrase feels considerate and dutifully chosen. The monitor provides house for Travis Scott the human to say his peace and in flip, he presents one of many solely direct traces referencing the Astroworld Tragedy.
“If they only knew what Scotty would do to leap off the stage and save him a toddler,” he raps. “The issues I created turned essentially the most weighted, I gotta discover stability and hold me impressed.”
4. “DELRESTO (ECHOES)” (feat. Beyoncé)
What can actually be mentioned about how nice “DELRESTO” is? It’s admittedly a stuffed tune, crammed with backing vocals from Bon Iver and manufacturing from Allen Ritter, James Blake, Mike Dean, Hit-Boy and Beyoncé herself. However whereas “DELRESTO (ECHOES)” might have been a bogged-down mess, the tune takes flight because of Beyoncé’s Renaissance-era groove, which slot in effectively with Utopia’s dystopian imaginative and prescient. Scott appears completely happy to provide Queen Bey the reigns and presents his personal hazy Auto-Tuned speculations, whereas the latter retains the nice occasions rolling.
3. “SKITZO” (feat. Younger Thug)
Thugga and Travis Scott have all the time been an extremely menacing duo, and sonically really feel virtually like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. “SKITZO,” with that being mentioned, presents a few of the greatest manufacturing on the undertaking — however its sole concern is that Younger Thug isn’t round that a lot. To listen to them commerce off much more flexes within the monitor’s again half would have been insanely rewarding, however Scott elevates his lyricism to spectacular size, and carries it via to the end line nonetheless.
2. “MODERN JAM” (feat. Teezo Landing)
Revamping a decade-old rendition of Kanye West’s “I Am a God,” the Yeezus reduce tees up one in all Utopia’s most fun moments. “MODERN JAM” – because of a relentless and seedy beat from Daft Punk’s Man-Manuel de Homeme-Christo and Mike Dean – feels like a foul molly journey, and finds Travis Scott serving as pastor “roof shaker” and “annihilator” to a crowded dancefloor. The result’s a Travis Scott who feels like he’s having the time of his life, whereas Teezo Landing additionally presents the most effective verses of his profession, including to the chaos by channeling a coked-out André 3000.
1. “TELEKINESIS” (feat. Future & SZA)
Not solely does Ye’s “Telekinesis” beat push Travis Scott absolutely exterior his consolation zone, nevertheless it’s Future’s verse that actually steals the present, and is arguably higher than something that appeared on his previous few albums. He displays on his relationship with Ciara with out being petty, speaks on his paranoia with none glint in his eye, and in flip presents essentially the most candid portrayal of King Pluto we’ve seen in years. Throw in an equally emotive closing verse from SZA, and also you’ll go away “TELEKINESIS” with tears in your eyes.
