Travis Scott’s UTOPIA album spans a total of 19 tracks and runs for just under an hour and 15 minutes. This project breaks Travis’ five year hiatus after the critically-acclaimed and award-wining ASTROWORLD. Fans had been sitting on the edge of their seats in anticipation since Scott teased the ablum on Instagram in July of 2020; therefore, the anticipation for this album was akin to the likes of Eternal Atake by Lil Uzi Vert or Whole Lotta Red by PlayboiCarti.
The most prominent reason for this was the incident that happened at one of his concerts titled “ASTROFEST,” in which the that formed in front of the stagemosh pit became uncontrollably large. Crowd control was handled so poorly by Travis Scott and his security that ten people tragically lost their lives. This album and its backing production are eerily reminiscent of his debut studio album Rodeo, known for a psychedelic-trap sound with hit songs such as 90210, Antidote, and 3500. The dark production immerses the listener in what feels like a moving abyss. And as each track progresses, you fall further into the namesake “utopia,” the world which Travis Scott seemingly molds as his own throughout the progression of the album.
With production from the industry’s most established producers, such as Mike Dean and Metro Boomin, the album not only feels complete but also has a distinct theme that progresses as the listener moves down the track list.
The album contains a star-studded cast of features, including the likes of SZA, Drake, Playboi Carti, and many more. In traditional Travis Scott fashion, the feature list remains hidden for the first few days of the release.Highlights on the album include tracks like FE!N, which features both Sheck Wes and Playboi Carti, the latter of which being an incredibly unexpected yet exciting artist to hear on the project.
My favorite track on the album, though, is undoubtedly track 16, LOVE. This track features a groovier vibe and feels like it’s almost paying homage to Kanye West and Kid Cudi. For Travis Scott gave the real, authentic fans what they wanted: a new album, but with the old, gritty, and dark sound that brought him to fame. I recommend this album to any listener with ears.
Grade: 9.5/10
