That’s where my biggest issue with this record comes from: A$AP Rocky sounds less interesting in rapping here and more basic than ever. However, while these are all interesting moments none of them seem particularly impactful and Rocky’s verses on these tracks all make them more underwhelming. There’s even a lo-fi verse from Kodak Black on “CALLDROPS” which takes his phone call from prison and puts it directly on the track. Several tracks feature uniquely sung guest appearances, from the dark and moody “Fukk Sleep” with FKA Twigs giving a haunting performace and the surprisingly soulful hook from French Montana on “Brotha Man”. Rocky considers his isolation and evaluates his priorities as he describes himself as “Face-to-face with my demons at a barstool/ Haven’t checked on my niece in weeks” and helps end out what is easily the strongest song on the second half of the album. The album finally ends with the gorgeously layered “Purity”, featuring a complex Frank Ocean verse and dark singing on the hook, a pitched down Lauryn Hill adding distant but distinct vocals and a fast, personal verse from Rocky to end the track. Rocky sounds more comfortable here too, and it ends up being good but also extremely conventional for what a Rocky track should be rather than testing some new sound. A$AP comes through the cloudy Clams Casino production on “Black Tux, White Collar”, with a sharp beat switch and energy brought by the end of the track. Their slower pace doesn’t add much to the songs themselves, and Rocky doesn’t have much to say lyrically on any of these tracks.Ī nostalgic return to Live.
They feel drawn out and are slow tracks which seem like they could’ve been throwaways from Rocky’s last album. The 3 worst songs of the album, “Kids Turned Out Fine”, “Hun43rd”, and “Changes” all come one after another and deflate all momentum from the album. “OG Beeper” also feels static and feels much longer than its two minutes and 35 seconds. Similar sentiments come from “Gunz N Butter” which has a twisted vibe to its vocals and its production, with constant Juicy J vocals repeating through the record seeming more annoying than anything else. “Buck Shots” features a banging beat with solid rapping but seems a little basic compared to the rest of the tracks due to its simplicity in direction.
It’s towards the middle where the album becomes either simplistic in its direction or messier than it needs to be. Skepta’s upbeat production and infectious hook with a solid verse help make “Praise The Lord (Da Shine)” a highlight of the album, with a great trading of bars towards the end of the track. help flesh out the track even further than the original. The classic Moby sample on “A$AP Forever REMIX” represents a throwback to the atmospheric vibe of Rocky’s earliest projects, while the addition of Kid Cudi and T.I. It works well to set the tone and establish the unpredictable nature of the album. The album starts with the aptly named “Distorted Records”, with heavy distortion for the first 30 seconds until a heavy bass accompanied with a hungry performance from Rocky comes in. While the shifting production, unique features and heavy use of effects and varying tones help showcase the testing concept there are still issues with how well it ends up sounding. A$AP Rocky’s third album TESTING shows consistent experimentation, with inconsistent success from Rocky himself.Īfter 3 years since his last project, A$AP Rocky returns with an album based upon the concept of experimentation through “testing” different sounds and achieving different sonics separate from other major artists today.