Travis Scott's new album ASTROWORLD is here. In addition to previously released single "Butterfly Effect," ASTROWORLD contains 16 additional tracks, and there are some impressive features: Frank Ocean makes a rare appearance while Drake and The Weeknd contribute vocals. Production comes from sources as wide as Boi-1da, Pharrell, and Tame Impala. Executive producer Mike Dean is credited on every song.
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It’s rumored that Stevie Wonder plays harmonica on “Stop Trying to Be God,” though he has no official credit at the time of writing. It is also believed James Blake and Kid Cudi appear on the same song. Scott thanked Wonder in a tweet sent after the album’s release.
Phillip bailey James Blake Stevie wonder thank u. #stopttrynnabegod — TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) August 3, 2018
See ASTROWORLD's tracklist and production credits below, via TIDAL.
5 Things We Learned On First Listen to Travis Scott's 'Astroworld' Album
When Travis Scott announced that Astroworld would be arriving, curiosity regarding the artistic direction of the album piqued. The father of Stormi Webster had promised that his third solo offering would echo his debut album Rodeo more than it'd be a follow-up to Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight. What that would mean was anybody’s guess.
Two years have passed since the initial announcement, and Scott has had some monumental changes in his life. His relationship with Kylie Jenner produced a daughter, and Scott decided to drop a collaborative album with Quavo titled Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho that didn’t quite meet the expectations. Just as things got silent, Scott announced a released date five days in advance. Fans scurried in anticipation of what they hope would be the epic Travis Scott album we have all been waiting for.
As the man who many say is responsible for influencing Kanye West’s sound, Scott has lofty expectations attached to his third outing. He’s already a star, but there’s something missing that will push Scott to the Rockstar stratosphere.
So is this the album that does it for him? Here are five things that struck our ears upon the first listen to Astroworld.
Travis Scott pushes his artistic boundaries even further than expected
After a first listen, it’s obvious that Scott had a goal to tap into his curation superpowers. There’s a clear overarching goal that he’s looking to accomplish by crafting an album that wastes nothing. Not a guest or an instrument feels out of place. Each song has a unique aesthetic and ambiance that highlights Scott's strength; it’s as if the influence of Kanye West was magnified and brought into 2018. There’s the youthful energy the Quavo and Takeoff assisted “Who? What?” that will have heads nodding in approval, as well as the maddening Beastie Boys loop that is submerged under Frank Ocean vocals on “Carousel” that demonstrates Scott’s ability to tap into numerous vibes and deliver them effectively.
The title is appropriate for the musical journey
Astroworld is one hell of a ride, where each song is like a different attraction while managing to fit the overall theme of Travis Scott’s hyperactive mind. The aesthetic and textures of the album are brilliantly laid out as the listener journeys from one ride to the next. You'll enjoy some rides more than others, but this is undoubtedly Travis Scott’s most mature work to date. Songs like “R.I.P. Screw,” which involves a homage to the late Texas DJ, serve as the calm walk to the next adrenaline-filled rush, like the volatile “No Bystanders,” where you’ll most definitely want to throw a chair through a window. It’s the ebb and flow that makes this album everything you want out of the shuttered Houston theme park that it is named after.
Astroworld is an epic collaboration project where every guest nails it
Yes, it’s a Travis Scott solo album, but this could be deemed as something akin to a DJ Khaled album, with all of the guest spots. While it can be considered a crutch for some artists to jam pack their album with guests, Scott effectively orchestrates each guest's involvement, making sure they all play a vital role in shaping the sound of the album. Think of it as Travis Scott having a plethora instruments at his disposal and knowing how to play each one. Other collaborative albums have guests for the sake of having the opportunity to show the world how deep one's personal contacts list is, but Scott ensures that each guest has a purpose. No guest is misused or inserted arbitrarily.
"Sicko Mode" is the most daring use of Drake
Imagine that you have a Drake feature in your back pocket. Normally, you wouldn’t do much more than let the 6 God rip one of this trademark verses. But Travis Scott eschews normalcy and opts to go a different route with Drake on "Sicko Mode." Right as Drake gets into a groove, Scott abruptly cuts him off mid-verse, switches up the beat and goes a completely different route. But fret not, the rest of Drake’s verse is coming back around. You just have to wait for Travis Scott to get a couple of verses in, with Swae Lee and Juicy J dropping by for the bridge. Several minutes later, Drake returns to finish what he started as the two polish off one of the more unique songs on the album.
“Stop Trying To Be God” might be the collaboration of the year
Travis Scott has some epic moments on this album. But none may be more remarkable than “Stop Trying To Be God,” where he brilliantly brings together Kid Cudi, Stevie Wonder’s harmonica, James Blake and Philip Bailey. Scott delivers a narrative about remembering where you came from, but the guests are what really add the bells and whistles to the song. Kid Cudi’s hypnotic hum and Stevie Wonder’s harmonica are instrumental in pushing the song along, before James Blake’s melodic vocals bring it all home. Its beautiful, atmospheric vibe is one that will catch the listener by surprise and cause the staunchest detractor to reconsider their opinion on Scott’s ability as an artist. Hearing Stevie Wonder play harmonica over a Travis Scott production while James Blake croons is something that sounds absolutely outlandish, but Scott manages to bring it all together brilliantly.
Photo: Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Governors Ball
Travis Scott got famous for helping shape Kanye’s abrasive, rap-punk sound on Yeezus; now he’s even more famous for having a baby with Kylie Jenner and also building a reputation as one of the rowdiest performers around. (If you’ve entered a Travis Scott mosh pit and lived to tell the tale, count your blessings.) His orbit has only expanded since Yeezus, making his latest album Astroworld — named for the now-defunct Houston theme park — quite the cast of characters. It’s a truly random assortment of collaborators including everyone from John Mayer to Stevie Wonder to James Blake. Let’s break down the most interesting appearances. (This isn’t comprehensive; others like Quavo and Takeoff from Migos, 21 Savage, Shek Wes, Juice Wrld, CyHi the Prynce, and more, were also involved.)
“Stop Trying to Be God”
Though he’s not credited, Scott’s reps have confirmed to Pitchfork that Stevie Wonder plays harmonica on the track, which Scott teased back in February with a photo of them together in the studio. Travis thanked Wonder in a tweet after the album’s release, also thanking Earth, Wind & Fire’s Philip Bailey, who sings on the song (though uncredited). James Blake is credited as a co-writer and co-composer, and sings at the end of the song, as does Wonder. And it appears Kid Cudi has an uncredited feature as well (humming, of course).
🌎 A post shared by flame (@travisscott) on Feb 14, 2018 at 6:16am PST
Phillip bailey James Blake Stevie wonder thank u. #stopttrynnabegod — TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) August 3, 2018
“Astrothunder”
Did you guess that John Mayer would pop up on Travis Scott’s album? First of all, why? Second, you are correct! He co-produced and co-wrote this one, along with Kendrick Lamar collaborator Thundercat, who also plays bass on the song.
“Skeletons”
At this rate, we may never get another Tame Impala album, but rest assured that Kevin Parker hasn’t been idle. After popping up on Kanye’s latest, he’s now produced this song for Travis. It also throws Pharrell and the Weeknd (he’s also on “Wake Up”) in the mix on vocals and includes this doozy of a line from Travis about how he and Kylie Jenner became a Thing: “We just rocked Coachella, I gave her half of the check / It was good sex, honorable mention to the net.” Well then.
“Carousel”
Frank Ocean! Enough said.
“Sicko Mode”
Though Drake is the only credited feature, Rae Sremmurd’s Swae Lee (who is both credited and uncredited elsewhere on the album, too) and Juicy J are also there. It also samples 2 Live Crew member Luke Campbell’s hit “I Wanna Rock (Doo Doo Brown)” and Biggie’s “Gimme the Loot.”
Travis Scott is the son of Houston, Texas. He has biological parents who brought him into this world, sure, but it was the city he was born and raised in that ushered him into the life he’s now living. With the release of his latest album, ASTROWORLD, Travis has been vocal about two things: 1) the influence of the real-life, now-nonexistent Six Flags AstroWorld on his adolescence; and 2) the fact that ASTROWORLD is an ode to Houston.
THIS IS FOR HOUSTON TEXAS. MO CITY MY HOME. — TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) August 3, 2018
“THIS IS FOR HOUSTON TEXAS,” he tweeted the night of the album drop. “MO CITY MY HOME.”
In a 2017 interview with GQ, Travis gave his perspective on the importance and relevance of his city. “I feel like Houston is one of the leading things in music culture,” he said. “Everyone loves the Houston culture.”
A scan of the tracklist shows Travis is focused on bringing Houston back to the forefront of music. “5% Tint” takes its name from a memorable line in Slim Thug’s verse on Mike Jones’ watershed moment of a single “Still Tippin’” (“Five-percent tint so you can’t see up in my window”). “R.I.P. Screw” takes its title from a phrase that holds Texas together; I’m a Texas native, so believe me when I say that’s not an exaggeration. It’s a direct mention of the most influential figure in Houston rap, the late DJ Screw, who passed decades ago but continues to shape the sound of the city, the state of Texas, and hip-hop writ large, if we’re keeping it funky.
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Listening to the music itself yields yet another Houston hat tip. On “Can’t Say,” producers WondaGurl and Frank Dukes sample Trae tha Truth’s single “Swang,” a song named for a Texas pastime: driving, better known as swanging. That track is also a dedication to deceased Houston rappers (it was made as a tribute to Fat Pat, and featured Pimp C and Big Hawk, who died after its release) who made the city’s subgenre what it is today.
By following the path of his predecessors, Travis is bringing Texas back into the mainstream. He’s breathing new life into regional classics and simultaneously picking up local fans who might not have previously understood him as a contemporary Houston artist. After all, he’s known for high-energy, aggressive sounds—the opposite of the city’s typically laid-back foundation.
But it’s not just about Houston. Dallas rapper Big Tuck is one of the first voices we hear on ASTROWORLD. He drops off an encouraging voicemail at the beginning of “Carousel,” saying, “ASTROWORLD is now in session, ya understand? I’m the dean of this here—I got this.” After this proclamation, the song starts properly, revealing a sample of Tuck’s Texas anthem “Not a Stain on Me.” If you haven’t heard it, the easiest way to describe it is as a party-starter that floats off of a loop of voices (belonging to the Beastie Boys) hyping up Tuck and, by extension, whoever’s listening. It’s a song that’s played at every function, nightclub, and house party throughout the state, almost as if required by law.
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When I reached Big Tuck on the phone to talk about his appearance on ASTROWORLD, he said things came together pretty quickly. “Sunday, I got a tweet and it was Travis Scott,” Tuck explained. “He was like, ‘Yo!’ I’m like, ‘Wassup?’ He was like, ‘What’s your number?’ and he called, telling me what he wanted me to do. I’m like, ‘Cool. Let’s do it.’ He asked me to do a drop just to make it ASTROWORLD. I did it, sent it to him, and it is what it is.”
The Tuck feature bridges a gap between two cities that haven’t always had love for one another. “It goes way back to the penitentiary, basically,” Tuck said. “That’s where all of the beef was. Dallas and Houston, a feud had been going on for a long time. As far as the music scene now, it’s all love between Dallas and Houston music.”
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Speaking of beef, Houston has had its moments of intracity dissonance. On "R.I.P. Screw," Travis raps, “Had the Southside fade, now let the braids hang.” These were the go-to hairstyles for each side of a very separated Houston: The fade indicated Southside roots, while the braids were repped by the Northside. Slim Thug and ESG, who represent the North and South, respectively, even went so far as to title their we-shall-overcome-the-rivalry song “Braids & Fades” as a means of acknowledging the regional importance of this seemingly benign choice of hairstyle.
The Texas-centric moments on ASTROWORLD are Travis at his most authentic. His long-hyped record would have sounded completely different without the Lone Star State embedded in its most personal tracks. With this album, Travis is proving that no matter how individual your sound becomes, there’s always a way to incorporate the timeless elements of your history and pay homage. ASTROWORLD has made it abundantly clear that Travis stans for Texas culture. And we in turn stan for a young legend who knows where he came from.
