Even if it wasn’t accompanied by a literal theatrical release movie, Travis Scott’s long-awaited fourth studio album would still be a blockbuster release. Since emerging as an energetic, enigmatic force in hip-hop 10 years ago, Scott has specialized in gargantuan songs with sledgehammer drums, thunderous synthesizers, and trash-the-hotel-lobby hooks. All of those qualities remain on Utopia, Scott’s first solo album in nearly five years, though there are enough tweaks to the formula that it doesn’t totally feel like Astroworld 2.
Utopia doesn’t reach the thrilling, cinematic highs of *Astroworld–*there’s no “Sicko Mode” or “Carousel” here, but it also doesn’t see Travis sitting on his laurels. He’s clearly inspired, which manifests in embracing club and house music, and choosing exciting upstarts for prominent roles on the LP. As with any Travis Scott album, the feature list is the equivalent of Wes Anderson movie, with stars from around the pop spectrum appearing in roles of varying sizes: Beyoncé, Drake, Justin Vernon, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, SZA, and Young Thug, just to name a few. Scott is frequently outshined by his collaborators, but you get the sense that he’s alright with that, willing to take a backseat for the sake of making a great song.
Here are GQ’s first impressions of Utopia, another deeply ambitious but lyrically opaque entry in the Travis Scott canon.
This is Travis Scott’s Yeezus.
In social media chatter, Utopia has already been branded as Travis Scott’s Yeezus, referring to Kanye West’s renegade 2013 album in which he eschewed the luxurious maximalism of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy for angular, experimental electronic sounds and collaborations with Arca, Daft Punk, and Hudson Mohawke.
That influence, as well as the success artists like Beyoncé and Drake have had embracing house and club music, clearly looms large over Utopia. As Instagram fan account Donda’s Place noted, “Modern Jam” even literally repurposes a beat from an early version of Yeezus’ “I Am a God,” originally produced by Scott, West, Mike Dean, and Daft Punk. (West is not credited on “Modern Jam,” though he is on “Thank God,” which was originally slated to appear on his album Donda.)
It’s crucial to note that Scott isn’t just mimicking Kanye–he was a key collaborator on Yeezus. Scott co-produced on “New Slaves” and “Guilt Trip,” and spoke to outlets like Billboard about how working with West on that album shaped him artistically.
“Modern Jam” is a blast, as Scott raps in a springy, ‘80s cadence and has some fun with his voice, ending stanzas with high-pitched yelps. “Looove” also feels Yeezus-inspired with ominous, decaying synths reminiscent of “New Slaves” and Scott rapping nimbly atop cacophonous percussion. The Beyoncé collaboration “Delresto (Echoes)” keeps B in her dance music bag, with the Renaissance superstar shining in the house diva role. These moments largely work, and provide a compelling tonal counterbalance to the classic bleary-eyed Travis songs like “I Know? and “FE!N.”
Travis is back in his beat-making bag.
A cruise through the credits reveal Scott has a more active hand in production on Utopia than any of his previous albums (Complex tallied it to 63 percent), a return to form since his early years in the industry were marked with more production work than as a a lead artist. with production credit on 63 percent of songs here compared to 29 percent on the latter. (These numbers still pale in comparison to earlier projects like Rodeo and Owl Pharaoh.) Scott also brings in a slew of established acts in the electronic space to split production credits, including Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, E*vax of Ratatat, and U.K. producer Dom Maker.
Travis continues to be an expert curator, and the young artists he invests in largely shine.
Travis’ ear for talent has always been one of his best qualities, and there are few bigger platforms for a rising artist than a prominent guest spot on a Travis Scott track.
Grant Rindner
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