FUTURE レコード& CD

Review: Future is one of the biggest stars in the US rap game. He is also someone often 'credited' with changing rap's narrative toward constant drug references, overdoses and misgivings. This was his third full length and its packed with bumping and ice cold trap beats and a starkly futuristic yet dystopian sound. Reissued on teal vinyl for this year's Record Store Day it features all the original tracks. At the time, the record was a sequel to his breakout mixtape, Dirty Sprite, with production from Metro Boomin, Southside, and Zaytoven, among others.

Review: When asked in a 2023 interview why he hadn't contributed any production work to long-time collaborator Future's 2022 ninth full-length I Never Liked You, tireless hip-hop producer Metro Boomin revealed that he was aiming to save his beats for a potential collaborative album, which now appears to have been the plan all along. Marrying the aquatic, lysergic production style Boomin has helped to majorly popularise with Future's hazy, xanned out delivery, the duo deliver a trap opus weaving the most accessible and underground facets of the genre into one malleable set of fluid bangers, while the guest feature section boasts a who's-who of modern day hip-hop acts such as The Weeknd, Rick Ross, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar. The project also would eventually be retconned as part one in their ongoing collaboration series with the follow up to We Still Don't Trust you dropping only three weeks later.

Review: Future and Metro Boomin's double-disc sequel, We Still Don't Trust You, is a revitalised exploration of their dynamic, pushing familiar ground into brighter and sappier spaces. Future swings between flexing his status and indulging in tear-soaked reflections, notably in tracks like 'One Big Family' and 'Mile High Memories.' Metro Boomin balances his brooding, maximalist beats with polished, r&b-inflected production, as heard on the synth-pop title track and the smooth 'All to Myself.' While the album is nearly 30 minutes more than its predecessor, Future and Metro shine when they venture out of their comfort zones, making the music both prettiest and nastiest. Standout moments, such as Kendrick Lamar's verse on 'Like That,' inject a sense of animosity and excitement. Overall, We Still Don't Trust You is an adventurous AAA rap album, focusing on heartbreak more than feuds.