By Alvin Halimwidjaya
The first real piece of news I read about Travis Scott was from when he lashed out at a fan who called him A$AP Rocky a week or two ago. The day after, I decided to buy his debut album, Rodeo, and I am glad I did. After helping Kanye on his album, Yeezus and winning Best Mixtape at the 2013 BET Awards, Travis Scott has successfully introduced his unique sound to the world.
One feature that draws a larger audience to Rodeo is the range of artists featured on the album. In “90210,” we are introduced to Kacy Hill, a fairly obscure pop artist with a talented voice, who acts as a muted, yet ideal counterpart to Scott’s vocals. Scott also recruits some heavyweights throughout the album, with Future and 2 Chainz lending verses in “3500” and The Weeknd contributing to “Pray 4 Love.” In addition, he collaborates with single members of rap groups in a few tracks, such as Swae Lee of Rae Sremmurd in “Nightcrawler” and Quavo of Migos in “Oh My Dis Side.”
“Maria I’m Drunk” embodies the heavy yet laid-back sound this album is trying to present. It also features one of the most interesting collaborations, with Young Thug being the main collaborator, and Justin Bieber, in another attempted reinvention with an understated yet solid verse.
The whole album has a heavy sound, differing from other notable rap artists. Recently released albums, like Dr. Dre’s Compton and Meek Mill’s Dreams Worth More Than Money, are very aggressive; however, instead of trying to knock you off your feet, Rodeo is the kind of atmosphere that you want to drown yourself in. While songs like “P*ss on Your Grave” obviously carry a more aggressive tone, this album is something you can listen to whether you are throwing a party or just chilling with your friends in your room at 1 a.m. Though it is not necessarily the kind of music you would want to listen to when trying to go to sleep, Travis Scott’s generous dashes of autotune, heavy beats and balance between upbeat and laid-back sounds produce the kind of music that you would zone out to with both headphones in. Rodeo has something for every mood, whether you are getting hyped or just going for a walk.
