Both drill pioneer Lil Durk and Atlanta-based Young Thug protege Lil Baby came off of chart-topping 2020 albums of their own before joining forces on collaborative effort The Voice of the Heroes. The 18-track project finds both rappers operating at the top of their games as they play off of each others energy. Theres a crackling excitement throughout the album, coming through in both the slippery, fast-changing flows of 2040 and the pained storytelling of Make It Out. Production varies from track to track, with dark and overwhelming drill tracks sitting next to gentler, more emotionally reaching tracks like Rich Off Pain, which features a moving sung hook from Rod Wave. The nearly hour-long running time drags somewhat, and some songs could have been left off the final cut. Still, The Voice of the Heroes is carried primarily by Durk and Babys chemistry as they adapt to each other without either of them watering down their individualistic styles. A minimal number of features include Meek Mill, Young Thug, and Travis Scott on the unconventionally constructed yet uniquely catchy album standout Hats Off. ~ Fred Thomas
Rovi
勢いに乗る現行シーンのヒーロー同士がタッグを組み、昨年リリースした全米No.1ヒット作がフィジカル化。半年遅れで何かを語るような類いの作品じゃない気もするものの、アトランタとシカゴの両巨頭によるコンビネーションが風格と余裕を垂れ流した問答無用の仕上がりなのは疑いない。スマッシュ・ヒットした表題曲をはじめ、トラヴィス・スコット、ミーク・ミル、ヤング・サグ、ロッド・ウェイヴを迎えた豪華コラボにも注目!
bounce (C)狛犬
タワーレコード(vol.458(2022年1月25日発行号)掲載)