By Chris Russ
Drake’s albums have all been heavily drenched in Noah “40” Shebib’s signature sound. You know it instantly when you hear it; moody synths and keys flowing over thudding drums, heavily indebted to Kanye’s work on 808’s & Heartbreak. This sound is an ideal canvas for Drake whether he’s singing or rapping. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late almost completely abandons this signature sound. Even most of 40’s production on this album sounds different. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late is full of beats that are sparse, icy, and metallic. We’ve seen glimpses of this Drake before (“5 AM In Toronto”), but almost every song on this new project carries this vibe. “You & The 6” is the highly-personal heart of this project, but my favorite track might be “Jungle”, the one track that feels the most like it could have belonged on Nothing Was The Same. This is a really solid project but it doesn’t feel as fully developed as his last two albums.
[NO RATING GIVEN]