“Astroworld”: A Curation Of Talent
Travis Scott released Astroworld on August 3, 2018
September 27, 2018
Two years from his last studio album, rapper Travis Scott is back with another smash hit, Astroworld, released in early August. “La Flame” continues with his unique psychedelic trap style on this project, to outstanding effect. His abilities as a curator comes to the forefront as he brings together the talents of artists like Kid Cudi, Drake, The Weeknd, and many others to complement his own sound.
The album starts off strong, with the 1-2 punch of “Stargazing” and “Carousel.” “Stargazing” is a floaty, otherworldly track introducing the listener to this spacy album. “Carousel” brings a bouncy and energetic beat that gives a feel of the amusement park which is referenced in the title and featured on the cover.
Next up is “Sicko Mode,” one of the most hyped-up songs on Astroworld. However, in my opinion, it’s too all over the place in its structure, and has just a few too many beat changes to fully enjoy. Yet it flows smoothly into “R.I.P. Screw,” on which Scott pays tribute to the late DJ Screw, a legend in Scott’s hometown of Houston.
The standout song on the album is “Stop Trying to Be God,” a track full to the brim with guest artists. Kid Cudi brings his famed humming, the legendary Stevie Wonder contributes a harmonica part, and James Blake sings an amazing ballad-style verse towards the end. All these sounds combine to form an excellent composition.
“No Bystanders” is another banging, club-ready anthem that I enjoy very much. The next two tracks, “Skeletons” and “Wake Up,” feature vocals from The Weeknd, which provide some crooning R&B flavor that compliment Travis’s auto-tuned trap style perfectly.
The rest of the album is mixed with some strong tracks, like “5% Tint,” “Yosemite,” and “Houstonfornication,” as well as weaker ones such as “Can’t Say,” “Who? What!”, and “Butterfly Effect,” which, having been released well over a year ago, has gotten a bit tired.
The final song, “Coffee Bean,” is very understated with its lack of features and chilled-out beat, but it is one of my favorites on this project. The laid-back feel to it helps to close out the album in a compelling and introspective way.
Astroworld is a superb album and one of my favorites of 2018 so far. Travis Scott brings both great performances from himself and brings out the best in others. His unique style shines throughout, even in the guest features.
Though some of the later songs on the album get a little stale, the underlying trademark “La Flame” aesthetic makes the album as a whole a very enjoyable listening experience.
Travis’s psychedelic vibe and trippy vocals make his work stand out from the pack. My main gripe with the album is a lack of meaning behind the songs—and for this reason, along with some inconsistency in song quality, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of its potential to be a true classic. Still, it certainly gives you music that’s catchy, entertaining, and interesting on its many standout tracks. With all of the novel musical ideas it presents, this album may just be a glimpse of the future of music, and it shows that Travis Scott is at the forefront of hip-hop and trap.
This piece also appears in our September 2018 print edition.
