In 2018, Travis Scott took us on a trip through ASTROWORLD, a career defining album that earned him a GRAMMY nomination and worldwide fame. After five years, he makes his return with UTOPIA, his fourth studio album.
“Utopia is something that people feel is so far-fetched and out of reach, some perfect state of mind. But you create it yourself. There are people who achieve Utopia every day,” Scott told PIN-UP Magazine in May. “With every album I live in these worlds in my mind — I’m trying to show people experiences where utopian things can exist, and you can enjoy yourself and have a good time.”
Scott attempts to do just that in his 19-track album featuring artists like Drake, Beyoncé, and Bad Bunny, with many comparing the sound to Kanye West’s polarizing yet critically-acclaimed album Yeezus.
And so far, reviews for Scott’s new sonic venture are a mixed bag. In their 5.7/10 review Pitchfork calls the album “an empty spectacle.” The Guardian shared a similar sentiment stating that Scott, “gets lost amid sublime soundworld.”
Scott delivered an album that is typical of his previous releases: palatable lyrics, breakthrough production, and his signature autotune singing. The Houston rapper even provides a rare moment of vulnerability in song MY EYES where he addresses the unfortunate deaths of 10 people at his 2021 ASTROWORLD Festival show in Houston.
“I replay them nights, and right by my side, all I see is a sea of people that ride wit’ me,” Scott sings in MY EYES. “If they just knew what Scotty would do to jump off the stage and save him a child.”
Scott is referring to the death of nine-year-old Ezra Blount, who was at the concert with his father.
From sample based music to electronic production reminiscent of the 80s, this album has something for everyone, and so far, it seems like almost everyone is listening. According to Spotify the album was streamed over 100 million times upon release, making it the biggest rap album of the year so far on the platform.
Scott will be performing UTOPIA at Ancient Rome’s largest chariot-racing track Circus Maximus, which shares the name with track 12 on the album and the release-day documentary he co-directed with Harmony Korine among others.
Whether this album will be bigger than ASTROWORLD is yet to be known. So far, it’s bigger than any rap release we’ve seen this year.