By Will Han
3.5/5 stars
Travis Scott’s 5th studio album UTOPIA was arguably the most anticipated album in 2023 for a number of reasons. Travis’s rambunctious larger-than-life character has always drawn a sizable audience, and factoring in the nightmarish AstroWorld tragedy forcing Scott’s withdrawal from the mainstream media for almost two years, many people pondered how the artist would rebound. The 19-track UTOPIA reflects the bold return of the Houston-born rapper/producer with unapologetic creativity and ambitious records.
As with the phenomenal Rodeo and trend-setting AstroWorld, Scott’s production is strong throughout the majority of the album. Love him or hate him, one of Scott’s more respectable qualities as an artist has been his willingness to take risks to create intriguing sounds and samples. Right away, “HYAENA”’s electronic, discordant harpsichord motif is eyebrow-raising. Songs such as “TELEKINESIS” and “LOVE” mirror the stratospheric, bellowing production that made Rodeo such a groundbreaking project. Additionally, Kanye West’s influence on UTOPIA is evident. Scott, one of Kanye’s more notable disciples, samples “Black Skinhead” in “CIRCUS MAXIMUS” and “GOD’S COUNTRY” which was originally an instrumental created for Kanye’s Donda. Whilst both songs are arguably two of the weaker tracks on the album, Travis Scott is successful in generating creative, ear-candy production.
Travis Scott’s vocal performance is not lacklustre but is overshadowed by many of the samples. For example, he puts in a particularly strong performance on the track “MY EYES” as he adjusts from an introspective, Frank Ocean-style meander to one of the best verses on the album, executed with piercing lyrical conviction. However, Drake, with his opening “Is you fucking crazy”, is the main highlight on “MELTDOWN”. Similarly, Teezo’s verse in “MODERN JAM” is second to only the SZA cut in “TELEKINESIS” in terms of melodic highlights on UTOPIA: both of which are the main sections of interest over Travis’s decent but non-extraordinary verses. And of course, Playboi Carti’s feature on “FE!N”, for musical or non-musical reasons, had people falling out of their chairs. Whilst features enhance the album, it would have been good to see Travis dominate more of the tracks.
Some critics point out that UTOPIA’s themes are wildly inconsistent – focused on creating a megahit project with some of the biggest artists in the world, like the Weekend, Bad Bunny, and Beyonce, instead of achieving instrumental and lyrical coherence. Whilst I agree to some extent, I actually think the diversity on the album is one of its greatest strengths. Scott has never been one to shape an entire album around political or social concepts like Kendrick Lamar with To Pimp a Butterfly or Kali Uchis in Isolation. Yet the eerie, conflicting feel of the album portrays an incredibly powerful ambivalence that anyone could find themselves in. Tracks “FE!N” and “TOPIA TWINS” are suitable for energetic raves whereas “LOST FOREVER” , despite being an equally boastful track, is more unnerving. Similarly, “TELEKINESIS” takes its listeners on a beautiful ascension to the heavens, only to be followed “TIL FURTHER NOTICE” offering a dark, yet equally ethereal ending. From the animalistic to the contemplative, from the positive to the gloomy, Scott’s audience do not know exactly how or what to feel after listening to UTOPIA, except for the feeling of discovering a new emotion or part of themselves that they didn’t know existed, yet not quite being able to pinpoint. There’s no direction you’re supposed to go, but that’s the point.
Overall, whilst UTOPIA doesn’t top Scott’s debut album Rodeo, it remains in the same league as a well-produced, IMAX-esque project with its incredible highlights overshadowing its lowlights. And barring the possibility that the Metro-JID collaboration or the Ty Dollar $ign and Ye duo drop an all-time classic, I believe Travis Scott likely receives the Grammy which he has long sought for this album.
