LATE NIGHT. REVIEWS. FILM. MUSIC. TV.
Ariana Grande, aka the Human Cupcake, is quite firmly America’s Popstar at the moment. But sometimes – especially with her latest singles – it’s been hard to tell whether she wants to be Disney-dream-girl or radio hit-chaser. If you thought of her as either, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised by Sweetener. With a huge helping hand from Pharrell Williams, she’s crafted a sugary-sweet, constantly-exciting album that makes her sound like some sort of new-age Aaliyah.
It’s not hard to see why Travi$ Scott has very quickly become a big deal in hip-hop. Much like his sonic father, Kid Cudi, his songs hover like glowing magnets – you don’t quite know how they work but you can’t look away. It’s why, ten years after Cudi’s debut mixtape, the Lonely Stoner still has a fervent following.
But just like Cudi, Scott isn’t as good as everyone wants him to be. Astroworld is nothing if not fascinating. Its title is actually remarkably accurate; this project sounds like it could soundtrack a stroll through a half-abandoned carnival at midnight on LSD. Scott gives it everything he’s got, stacking a truly gobsmacking amount of talent together across 17 tracks. When it’s great, it’s really fucking impressive. But a lot of the time it just feels like a tease.
— 28 Jul 2018 —
Written by Deshawn Campbell
You won’t find many rappers with the sort of promise that Compton rapper Buddy was showing in 2011. That year, a very impressed Pharrell Williams signed him to the label I Am Other. Soon after, the two debuted ‘Awesome Awesome’ – a Neptunes-produced track with a video showing an 18-year-old Buddy coasting confidently through crisp, sunny New York streets. Pharrell declared him ‘on his way to being one of those super special artists’. We’re sitting here seven years later with Buddy’s debut album, Harlan & Alondra, and it’s fair to wonder where a lot of that promise has gone.
THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL 