FUTURE/HNDRXX - Album Review

The Askronaut lands on his feet with an album for the skreets - Connor Kirst

Future has been a force in hip hop the past few years. With a string of excellent releases from Monster, Beast Mode, 56 Nights and DS2, Future became known as more than just a generic trap-rapper. While ,in my opinion, his work since DS2 has struggled to find the same consistency (other than the Drake collaboration What a Time to be Alive), he returns to form with Future, his 5th studio album.

The 1st of 2 albums that Future has dropped in 2017, Future is an album that has heavy hitting 808s and boisterous songs about stealing your girl - ahem Scottie Pippen -, ingesting many illegal substances and trapping. While this might sound like familiar ground for Future, it's a formula that works, plain and simple.

The production on this album is excellent throughout. Future recruits some of the best producers in hip hop including: Metro Boomin, Southside, Zaytoven among others. This is the perfect backdrop for Super Future's woozy trap tales. PRODUCTION 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5

Lyrically, if you've listened to Future before, you know what you're getting into. He's no Rakim or Big L, but Future gets the job done. Some may unfairly dismiss him as a "mumble rapper", but make no mistake, when Future wants to spit bars he can. Future tells his life story "from food stamps to a whole nother domain" and is much more lyrical than artists who he's compared to such as Desiigner.
LYRICS 4/5

ORIGINALITY 4/5

DOES IT BUMP IN THE WHIP? Dear God, yes this bumps in the whip. BUMPABILITY 5/5

REPLAYABILITY 4.5/5

STANDOUT TRACKS
ZOOM
DRACO - Future's best hook since March Madness??
POA - Giorgio Armani I'm drippin in it/Aston Martin I'm whippin in it/s**t gettin too specific/ten black whips I'm too consistent 🔥
MASK OFF - Young Metro has blessed us with the beat of 2017
HIGH DEMAND - Super Fuuuuu

OVERALL: 4.5/5

This is a pretty good effort from Future. I definitely liked this album more than any of his 2016 releases. It just felt a lot more consistent than Evol, Purple Reign and E.T.. I'm also very glad that there were no features on this album so once this goes platinum I can roast some J Cole fans in my groupchat.

                                                    Sad Future is back in full form

Future Hendrix might be the hardest working man in the game right now. Not many artists will drop 2 albums in 7 days, and Future has released a total of 10 projects since 2015. With Hndrxx, Future paves a new path for himself and really opens up.

On first listen, this album is much more low-key than Future and has a more laid back vibe. Future commented that this is more of a radio-friendly album and perhaps more female-oriented. With features from The Weeknd and Rihanna, I can definitely see that point.

Despite being a little more reserved, the production on this album is still top notch. Once again Metro Boomin and Southside return, while also adding DJ Mustard on "Damage". The smoothest beat on the album, "Hallucinating" is produced by Dre Moon, and the project also features production from Wheezy, an underrated producer best known for his work with fellow ATLien Young Thug. PRODUCTION 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5

While Future stuck to Future's usual M.O. lyrically, Hndrxx is much more interesting. Future speaks on his failed relationship with RnB singer Ciara, the custody battle for his son, regret on other past relationships and more. To me, this album feels much more authentic than a lot of Future's previous work. Hndrxx really shows his growth as a lyricist and I hope to hear more like this. LYRICS 4.5/5

Hndrxx is like nothing Future's ever put out. While he once said "they tried to make me a popstar, they made a monster", Future effectively crosses over into pop/RnB music with this album. It's not necessarily groundbreaking stuff, but it something we haven't seen much from him since he dropped Honest. When Honest came out Future wasn't quite ready for the spotlight. While it wasn't a bad album, he didn't quite have the arsenal that he has now. Future needed Ciara to break his heart, he needed to fight for his child and he needed someone with the pop-sensibility like Drake to show him the ropes. On Hndrxx it all came together.
ORIGINALITY 4.5/5 

DOES IT BUMP IN THE WHIP?? Definitely. Listen to Future during the day and to Hndrxx at night for full effect. BUMPABILITY 5/5

REPLAYABILITY - 4.5/5

STANDOUT TRACKS
MY COLLECTION - some of his most honest work
COMING OUT STRONG - The Weeknd x Future always seems to work
USE ME
FRESH AIR - probably one of the poppiest songs he's ever made, and extremely catchy.
HALLUCINATING - this beat is too wavy
SELFISH - Super and Rihanna harmonize really well on this. I can see this being a huge hit.
SOLO - probably the best song flow-wise on the album
SORRY - arguably the best lyrical song he's made since Codeine Crazy

OVERALL 5/5

It took me a few listens, but I think this might be in my top 3 for Future albums. In my mind, it's hard to top Monster and DS2, but this album comes very close. We've never seen Future this honest and personal, he changed his entire style pretty drastically for this album, and did it after releasing a very strong trap album. Apparently he's dropping another album this week or next. All I can say is that Future is really stepping his game up for 2017 and I can't wait to hear more.