On his eighth studio full-length, Atlanta trap king
Future serves yet another set of hypnotizing and haunted tracks with the optimistically titled
High Off Life. Issued during the COVID-19 pandemic (which gets a shoutout in "Solitaires"), the set offered fans a welcome distraction from quarantine with a familiar blend of wanton hedonism tempered by the occasional dose of deep reflection. Selling the same old lifestyle of fast cars, free-flowing substances, and an endless supply of sex,
Future adds little to his usual equation, which can be a reliable comfort or a 21-song slog, depending on the listener. Of the immediate highlights, his
Travis Scott collaboration "Solitaires" is the album's champion, a flawless blend of their complimentary vocal styles and top-notch production by
Wheezy that combines bass booms with haunting atmospherics similar to
Scott's "Sicko Mode" and "Highest in the Room." Additional standouts include the surprising dance bop "All Bad," which features
Lil Uzi Vert on a playfully upbeat ode to the ladies who please them, and "100 Shooters," a boisterous rouser that recruits
Meek Mill and
Doe Boy for a pair of aggressive, show-stealing verses.
Future's early 2020 single "Life Is Good" -- the original title of the record and the rapper's highest-charting song to date -- occupies two slots on
High Off Life: first in its original format with
Drake and later in remix form with extra verses provided by
DaBaby and
Lil Baby. Additional guests include
YoungBoy Never Broke Again ("Trillionaire"),
Young Thug ("Harlem Shake"), and
Lil Durk ("Last Name"), who all provide welcome breaks to
Future's solo introspection. Those moments -- like "Accepting My Flaws," "Pray for a Key," and "Posted with Demons" -- offer their own benefits, allowing listeners into his psyche like on 2017's
Hndrxx and the 2019
Save Me EP. With so many tracks, there's something for every mood and listener, a lengthy collection of familiar sounds punctuated with just enough choice cuts to keep it interesting. ~ Neil Z. Yeung
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