Utopia, Travis Scott’s highly anticipated fifth studio album, was released on July 28th, 2023. Having been intensely hyped up for years prior to its release, the project was met with immediate traction. Following up his insanely successful past projects, Rodeo and Astroworld, would be a hard feat, however, he aimed to sustain this unstoppable momentum. Citing the project as a different route from his past discography, he rebuilt his reputation from the tragedy at his Astroworld concert. With an album of such unprecedented hype, it comes as no surprise that Utopia boasts a generous runtime of 73 minutes. With a lineup of 19 tracks, the project boasts captivating features from the esteemed talent of Drake, 21 Savage, Playboi Carti, and Beyonce.
Background
Recording for Utopia began in 2019. Since many of the tracks featured were not initially meant for this project, recording ultimately took place in many places throughout many years. Tracks such as, “Thank God,” “Telekinesis,” and “God’s Country” were initially meant for Donda by Kanye West, while “Til Further Notice” was slated for Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains. Travis had begun his media proposal of the project in mid 2020, initially teasing the album in July. Following up his initial “trailer,” Scott continued posting a plethora of tweets successfully building up hype for Utopia‘s release. Included in these sets of tweets, Travis Scott revealed he was aiming for a different sounding project than his listeners were used to.
Sounds / Connections
Utopia features a very similar feel to other projects within the industry. Taking inspiration from Yeezus by Kanye West, the album has received many comments on the clear connection. Obviously, Travis assembled a clear-cut list of many A-list rappers, as well as other musicians to construct the album he desired. Teezo Touchdown, James Blake, and Beyonce are some of the names that seemed to be out of place prior to listening. Every feature on the album, however, held a part in the perfection of each song. Apart from the long list of collaborators, the project features a handful of samples and other nods to other artists. Samples from older songs, including Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain” and Gentle Giant’s “Proclamation,” fill out the first track “Hyaena.”
Travis initially iterated that this project was going to be different than his past albums and songs, and it was shown. Some songs have Travis exploring different cadences, tempos, and vocal ranges. “My Eyes” features Travis exploring a slower tempo and higher pitch to assemble one of the most interesting sounding tracks. While Utopia is riddled with these instances, Travis remains the same Travis Scott everyone has grown up loving. There are songs, such as “Looove,” where Travis experiments with a beat that deviates from his usual style. This deviation showcases his creative exploration and adds a refreshing touch to the album. This song is one of a handful of instances where Travis achieves these successes. While some of the tracks seem more as filler songs to add to the runtime, the showcase Travis displays is ultimately successful.
Vocal Performances
As touched on previously, vocal performances spanned on every end of the spectrum on this project. When Travis is engaging in the rap style reminiscent of his earlier work or embracing a fresher approach, he unquestionably stands out. As the album progresses, his contribution becomes more apparent. Whether through his impressive vocal delivery or his occasional moments of clever lyricism, he truly uplifts every song that he plays a big part on. “Fe!n” is one of the instances in his clear deviation from his usual vocal style. Featured alongside the high-pitched vocals of Playboi Carti, Travis matches his tempo and pace, creating an instant hit. Travis’s dynamic range is not just limited to his vocal performance but extends into his ability to adapt to various themes and moods throughout the album.
Features
The biggest part of this project is the features, and rightfully so. Utopia holds 23 features with 18 different artists, making it a diverse and exciting album. These artists span from Drake, known for his rap prowess, to SZA, an incredibly talented singer, and The Weeknd, who consistently delivers hauntingly beautiful vocals. Some of these features do fall flat in parts, whether it is due to weak verses or simply not fitting into the overall concept. However, there are undeniable gems among them that truly shine and elevate the tracks they appear on. For example, “Meltdown” is a standout track that is elevated by the strength of the featured artists. Drake captivates listeners with his intro and lead on his feature. Furthermore, Beyonce delivers a stunning vocal performance on “Delresto (Echoes).”
Conclusion
Utopia held a staggering reputation going into release day, and while some fans were left disappointed, it certainly lived up to the hype. Travis joined a list of only 15 artists who had every song on an album debut on the Billboard Hot 100. Utopia debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200 albums, an impressive feat for a hip-hop album. All in all, while many Travis fans will not claim the project to be his best, it certainly left an impact in a genre that was yearning for more when released.
Song Rankings:
- “I Know?”
- “My Eyes”
- “Fe!n” (feat. Playboi Carti)
- “Looove” (feat. Kid Cudi)
- “Meltdown” (feat. Drake)
- “Hyaena”
- “Telekinesis” (feat. Future and SZA)
- “Thank God”
- “Modern Jam” (feat. Teezo Touchdown)
- “Lost Forever” (feat. Westside Gunn)
- “Topia Twins” (feat. 21 Savage and Rob49)
- “Sirens”
- “K-Pop” (feat. The Weeknd and Bad Bunny)
- “Skitzo” (feat. Young Thug)
- “Delresto (Echoes)” (feat. Beyonce)
- “Till Further Notice” (feat. 21 Savage and James Blake)
- “Circus Maximus” (feat. The Weeknd & Swae Lee)
- “God’s Country”
- “Parasail” (feat. Yung Lean & Dave Chappelle)
Final Notes
Song rankings are always subject to change over time, so don’t take these too to heart. They also are just my opinion and are based on the first listen. Please consider subscribing to the blog. This will allow you to receive emails of new blogs and possibly get them early. Finally, go give Utopia a listen for yourself.