Travis Scott - Astroworld Album Review

Released by Grand Hustle Records, Epic Records and Cactus Jack Records 2018

After over two years of teasing, and an album rollout which consisted of giant golden Travis Scott heads located in different places in the US, Travis Scott's third studio album and possibly the most anticipated album of 2018 - ASTROWORLD is finally here. 

To say the album has lived up to the hype would be an understatement, he has exceeded the expectations and produced his most complete piece of work in his discography to date. 

ASTROWORLD was announced before his previous album 'Birds' had even been released, and Travis recently mentioned in an interview that he was going to continue the musical saga from his first studio album 'Rodeo'. Fans on social media predicted this would mean the old Travis that experimented with dark, gloomy beats would be back, and they were right.

The album opens with "STARGAZING" a song describing the experience of psychedelic trips, which allows Travis to switch between rapping and an amazingly auto-tuned falsetto. 

Towards the end of the song, the beat switches up and Travis kicks off the verse detailing his come up to the top of the rap game - referencing hip hop legend Biggie "Got new money, got new problems, got new enemies" and then bragging about his stardom by stating he can sell out the Toyota Centre like the Houston Rockets, "Packin' out Toyota like I'm in the lead".

Travis Scott's ability to make other artists fit seamlessly onto tracks is one of his biggest skills as an artist, and normally when an album has too many features, it can take the spotlight away from the main event. 

ASTROWORLD is packed with features and credits. Frank Ocean, Drake, The Weeknd, Pharrell, Tame Impala, and Stevie Wonder are just some of the artists featured or accredited on the album, but it allows Travis to evolve from his previous work as an artist whilst also allowing La Flame to shine. 

"SICKO MODE" featuring Drake refers to the duo's work ethic, proving they're a cut above other artists by going 'sicko'.

Later in the track after another beat switch, Travis and Drake go back and forth over a Tay Keith produced beat. It is the first time that Travis and Tay Keith have collaborated, and the first time Drake has featured on one of Travis' albums after the two have previously worked together on tracks "Company" and "Portland".

One of Scott's influences as an artist growing up was Houston hip-hop legend DJ Screw, who he pays tribute to on the fourth song of the album "R.I.P. SCREW". On the song, Travis is literally slowing down during parts of the song to pay tribute to Screw. 

DJ Screw was key to the development of the chopped and screwed DJ technique which helped the Houston hip-hop scene breakthrough. The style is widely known for slowing down a song to have a dreamy, drugged effect.

The track also features Swae Lee, who has worked with Travis two times before on "Nightcrawler" off Scott's debut album Rodeo, and "Close" from Rae Sremmurd's album 'SR3MM'. 

Stevie Wonder, Kid Cudi, and James Blake are featured on the fifth song of the album "STOP TRYING TO BE GOD", which begins with Cudi's mesmerising hums and Philip Bailey's melodic vocals heard on the chorus. Stevie Wonders' harmonica can be heard on the outro of the song adding to the effect of the excellent production and vocals by the three artists, and Scott puts it all together effortlessly to create a beautiful song.

Upcoming artists Sheck Wes and Juice WRLD feature on "NO BYSTANDERS", a track describing partying and the aftermath of prolonged drug abuse. 

On the bridge, Juice crones "In a hotel, laying with my sins, yeah", "Sins" acts as a homophone for "Xans" which Juice has expressed a hatred for in the past on social media. 

Sheck Wes takes the honour of the chorus, and his lines seem to be an interpretation of Three 6 Mafia's track "Tear Da Club Up '97" as he raps "Fuck the club up, fuck the club up" alluding to the night of partying the three artists are having.

Tame Impala's frontman Kevin Parker and Pharrell Williams produce the next track on the album "SKELETONS". Due to Parker's familiar psychedelic production, Travis and The Weeknd manage a fortuitous experience from the start to the finish, referring to this in their lyrics "Feels like slow motion, we're floating at the speed".

On the first verse Travis borrows fellow GOOD Music member Kanye West's flow, and raps about his experience with his now baby mother, Kylie Jenner. 

"We just rocked Coachella, I gave her half of the check/It was good sex, honourable mention to the neck"...I think you know what he's referring to here.

The Weeknd features again on "WAKE UP", a bedroom anthem that is inspired by both rappers relationships with Bella Hadid, and Kylie Jenner. 

So far, The Weeknd has featured on every single one of Travis' albums, on 'Rodeo' he features on "Pray 4 Love" and "wonderful" on 'Birds'. 

But on "Wake Up" Abel is back to doing what he does best, providing soulful yet raunchy vocals over a mellow beat. 

Travis' draws more inspiration from Houston for the ninth song on the album "5% TINT" which refers to a classic line by Houston legend Slim Thug on his biggest hit "Still Tippin'" - "Five percent tint so you can't see up in my window".

On "5% TINT" Travis collaborates with producer FKi 1st, who produced one of Travis' most famous tracks 'Drugs You Should Try It".

Perhaps the standout track from the album to me, "NC-17" features 21 Savage, who has previously collaborated with Scott on "outside" and "Ghostface Killers". 

"NC-17" is a term used in the American film rating system, as children under 17 aren't permitted to watch a certain movie. Travis has given the song this title because of the explicit lyrics on the track, but it also ties in cleverly with the ASTROWORLD theme, as many theme parks and rides have age restrictions.

The ghostly autotune and interlude make the track feel like it belongs on "Without Warning", a mixtape by Offset and 21 Savage that gave you chills due to the frightening production. Yet Travis' verse and interlude takes you on a ride that makes you feel as if you are at Astroworld.

Coping with fame and mental illness is something that La Flame has struggled with in the past, and on "ASTROTHUNDER", Travis ponders over the life he lives, and how far away it is from the life he 'needs'.

If you've followed the rapper since his debut mixtape 'Owl Pharoah' in 2012, then "ASTROTHUNDER" will feel like the old Travis, rapping over dark, eerie beats.

Immaculate production by Thundercat and John Mayer allow Travis to travel back to 2012, and release the perfect sequel to 'Drugs You Should Try It'.

Gunna has received has lot of praise on social media for his flow on the 12th track on the album, "YOSEMITE". Production from Turbo, a frequent collaborator with Gunna allows Travis to mimic the Atlantan rappers flow on his verse as Turbo's signature guitar riffs can be heard throughout.

From the start, the song is creepily similar to "Sold Out Dates" by Gunna and Lil Baby, possibly due to Turbo's production and Gunna's flow, but this track can be seen as somewhat of a successor, as NAV's vocals on the outro add another aspect for the listener to vibe to. 

Houston upcoming rapper Don Toliver dominates the next track of the album, "CANT SAY" is a song detailing Travis and Don's stories of getting high and pulling women.

"CANT SAY" draws more Houston influence, as the interlude of the album samples "25 Lighters", a song by DJ DMD featuring Fat Pat.

It wouldn't be a Travis Scott album without a Migos appearance, and on the 14th track of the album, they finally arrive. "WHO? WHAT!" features thumping production from CardoGotWings, a producer that Travis and Migos frequently collaborate with, also produced "Where U From" on Travis and Quavo's joint album 'Huncho Jack Jack Huncho'. 

Takeoff continues to have a soaring 2018, after thoroughly impressing on Migos' "Culture 2", he has continued his rise with excellent features, and the trend continues here.

'Shoot at intrudes/Then shoot your producer' Takeoff raps as he enters the track for a mere 20 seconds, and he somehow manages to rival Drake for the best feature of ASTROWORLD.

The final track of the album "COFFEE BEAN" revolves around Travis' relationship with his now baby mother Kylie Jenner and the initial feelings he had towards the news of her pregnancy. 

In interviews leading up to the release of ASTROWORLD, Travis said this album would be his most personal to date, and on "COFFEE BEAN" it is easy to see why. 

This is one of Travis' most personal songs to date, and reflects on the initial controversy that surrounded his relationship with Kylie, "Your family told you I'm a bad move" is just one bar that refers to the controversy surrounding their relationship.