Travis Scott - Utopia July 28th

[Urbanmiracle]

This didn’t grab me immediately like Astroworld did but it’s decent. A few bangers on here but Astroworld I could play straight through. This is eh. And yea the yeezus comparison is on point but atleast Kanye fine tuned it and reduced it. Yeezus was short and sweet. Some of these songs didn’t need to be all on the album. But it’s decent.

 

[JayStarwind]

I don’t think Travis will ever top Astroworld….It was the perfect rap album for its time and era.

Im running through Utopia right now and this sounds more like a soundtrack style album with how it’s structured. I didn’t even know until recently that this will be attached to the movie that’s already out?

I also here Yeezus era Ye influence on this as well with the sounds and song structures but yeah fans of Astroworld probably won’t like this album.

Yea Astroworld was perfect beginning to end, this not so much. I'm still enjoying it though.

The second half of MY EYES mainly because it sounds like it could fit right on Astroworld.

 

[Manolo]

Ya'll trying to flip this and blow it up into something that it isn't, like it's "different".

This ain't Travis going in a "whole new direction" like how Kanye did, this is simply mid music with no direction

It’s a few things that work in Travis favor with his fans even when he’s all over the place.

1. The grandiosity of the production. There’s so many sounds, beat switches, loud drums and random effects that I think it just overwhelms them into thinking it’s fire. Just that “epic” feeling they get at all the musical grandiosity going on, no matter how much of a mess it is or how bad his raps are, overrides their logic and makes them think “oh shyt he spazzed!”

2. The huge features. Nothing that features Beyonce, Drake, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, and Carti all on the same project can be seen as wack to anyone. It’s like being an ugly nikka who bags nothing but supermodels. Eventually all of that social proof/co-signs will make people stop focusing on your looks. Just the fact he has all of them on a project together means it’s fire. Again no logic involved, just emotion

3. The heavy Kanye influence. From using actual Kanye beats (Circus Maximus uses the same exact drums from Black Skkkinhead) and songs (Modern Jam, God’s Country, Delresto and Telekensis all leaked as Ye demos before this) to just biting Ye cadence and delivery, it makes fans feel like they’re listening to Kanye himself. Since Ye is legitimately a GOAT who fell off, this trick here gives the impression that you’re listening to a newer, fresher GOAT. When Ye’s worst music has much more direction, focus and substance than Trav’s

All of this combined works like a magic trick on his fans. IMO this is why he‘s done every one of his albums in this very calculated and strategic way that includes all 3 tricks

 

[seymour cake]

The track with drake hard. That's on repeat

 

[Yecht]

It’s a few things that work in Travis favor with his fans even when he’s all over the place.

1. The grandiosity of the production. There’s so many sounds, beat switches, loud drums and random effects that I think it just overwhelms them into thinking it’s fire. Just that “epic” feeling they get at all the musical grandiosity going on, no matter how much of a mess it is or how bad his raps are, overrides their logic and makes them think “oh shyt he spazzed!”

2. The huge features. Nothing that features Beyonce, Drake, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, and Carti all on the same project can be seen as wack to anyone. It’s like being an ugly nikka who bags nothing but supermodels. Eventually all of that social proof/co-signs will make people stop focusing on your looks. Just the fact he has all of them on a project together means it’s fire. Again no logic involved, just emotion

3. The heavy Kanye influence. From using actual Kanye beats (Circus Maximus uses the same exact drums from Black Skkkinhead) and songs (Modern Jam, God’s Country, Delresto and Telekensis all leaked as Ye demos before this) to just biting Ye cadence and delivery, it makes fans feel like they’re listening to Kanye himself. Since Ye is legitimately a GOAT who fell off, this trick here gives the impression that you’re listening to a newer, fresher GOAT. When Ye’s worst music has much more direction, focus and substance than Trav’s

All of this combined works like a magic trick on his fans. IMO this is why he‘s done every one of his albums in this very calculated and strategic way that includes all 3 tricks

Most of his fans are weirdos, its not this deep

 

[Manolo]

Most of his fans are weirdos, its not this deep

Nah man I’ve actually worked with Travis and have made music for most of my life. Do you think all of his albums follow a specific blueprint for no reason? Or that he managed to become a superstar with questionable bars and talent for no reason? There’s 1000 nikkas who tried and failed to pull off what he’s doing. There’s a science to what he’s doing

 

[ABlackMan]

3 of the songs (God's Country, Delresto and Telekinis) were literally kanye songs that leaked some while ago, the song Circus Maximus is produced by the same guy that produced black skinhead and uses the same drum pattern, the song modern Jam uses an earlier version of the beat which became I am A God off Yeezus, and kanye has writing/production credits on Thank God. You might not hear the influence but it's by a matter of fact there.

Of course it’s there. They interchangeable to an extent. Mentor mentee but this sounds nothing like a ye project lol least the last ones I listened to you feel me, lot of folks said Yeezus but yeezus was super impactful bro. Granted I was what 19 and now I’m 30.

Bruh I listened to this whole album and didn’t bust a move once or FEEL any of it and i support TS.

 

[Yecht]

Nah man I’ve actually worked with Travis and have made music for most of my life. Do you think all of his albums follow a specific blueprint for no reason? Or that he managed to become a superstar with questionable bars and talent for no reason? There’s 1000 nikkas who tried and failed to pull off what he’s doing. There’s a science to what he’s doing

He's definitely very melodic, and everything you said is true. But it don't talk all that to fool a bunch of drugged up 20 somethings bruh

 

[ABlackMan]

I WANT ANYBODY THAT LISTENED TO THIS ALBUM TO COME BACK AND POST ABOUT THE DREAMS THEY HAD TONIGHT.

After playing this shyt I was falling asleep on the couch, in that space where you almost asleep but you catch yourself like “yo wake up”, but man I had wild visions of faces I never seen before like aye yo nah

 

[Knucklehead]

It’s a few things that work in Travis favor with his fans even when he’s all over the place.

1. The grandiosity of the production. There’s so many sounds, beat switches, loud drums and random effects that I think it just overwhelms them into thinking it’s fire. Just that “epic” feeling they get at all the musical grandiosity going on, no matter how much of a mess it is or how bad his raps are, overrides their logic and makes them think “oh shyt he spazzed!”

2. The huge features. Nothing that features Beyonce, Drake, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, and Carti all on the same project can be seen as wack to anyone. It’s like being an ugly nikka who bags nothing but supermodels. Eventually all of that social proof/co-signs will make people stop focusing on your looks. Just the fact he has all of them on a project together means it’s fire. Again no logic involved, just emotion

3. The heavy Kanye influence. From using actual Kanye beats (Circus Maximus uses the same exact drums from Black Skkkinhead) and songs (Modern Jam, God’s Country, Delresto and Telekensis all leaked as Ye demos before this) to just biting Ye cadence and delivery, it makes fans feel like they’re listening to Kanye himself. Since Ye is legitimately a GOAT who fell off, this trick here gives the impression that you’re listening to a newer, fresher GOAT. When Ye’s worst music has much more direction, focus and substance than Trav’s

All of this combined works like a magic trick on his fans. IMO this is why he‘s done every one of his albums in this very calculated and strategic way that includes all 3 tricks

I respect all of what you say here but what this also says is that in a world where everyone says “all the shyt sounds the same” this album delivers a lot of variety and at least isn’t monotonous compared to a playlist.

 

[Manolo]

He's definitely very melodic, and everything you said is true. But it don't talk all that to fool a bunch of drugged up 20 somethings bruh

You’re right but his team is very calculated. Him and his fans might be some drugged up idiots but his team are more educated and experienced people who think the way I just broke down in that post

 

[Manolo]

I respect all of what you say here but what this also says is that in a world where everyone says “all the shyt sounds the same” this album delivers a lot of variety and at least isn’t monotonous compared to a playlist.

Yeah there’s value in delivering variety or just something that feels new and different. I do respect that about this album but it falls short in a lot of key areas

 

[IIVI]

It’s a few things that work in Travis favor with his fans even when he’s all over the place.

1. The grandiosity of the production. There’s so many sounds, beat switches, loud drums and random effects that I think it just overwhelms them into thinking it’s fire. Just that “epic” feeling they get at all the musical grandiosity going on, no matter how much of a mess it is or how bad his raps are, overrides their logic and makes them think “oh shyt he spazzed!”

2. The huge features. Nothing that features Beyonce, Drake, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, and Carti all on the same project can be seen as wack to anyone. It’s like being an ugly nikka who bags nothing but supermodels. Eventually all of that social proof/co-signs will make people stop focusing on your looks. Just the fact he has all of them on a project together means it’s fire. Again no logic involved, just emotion

3. The heavy Kanye influence. From using actual Kanye beats (Circus Maximus uses the same exact drums from Black Skkkinhead) and songs (Modern Jam, God’s Country, Delresto and Telekensis all leaked as Ye demos before this) to just biting Ye cadence and delivery, it makes fans feel like they’re listening to Kanye himself. Since Ye is legitimately a GOAT who fell off, this trick here gives the impression that you’re listening to a newer, fresher GOAT. When Ye’s worst music has much more direction, focus and substance than Trav’s

All of this combined works like a magic trick on his fans. IMO this is why he‘s done every one of his albums in this very calculated and strategic way that includes all 3 tricks

Yup, especially regarding the first point: if there's one thing I learned while making beats (I also used to make music) it's that a lot of these little switch-ups, drops, etc. really go into making your music much more full than it really is. As you know you can have 5 instruments, but you can make your music sound real deep and complete by consistently switching it up every 4-8 bars. Even if it's the exact same motif/phrase on a loop, you drop one of those elements out on the fourth bar and it makes it sounds like there's a ton of variation when it's really the same element. shyt, you can loop the exact same melody but have a different instrument layer it and the average listener would lose their mind. same goes for playing the melody in a higher octave, etc.

As I'm sure you know most people who aren't all that into music really aren't listening like that while most producers hear it all the time. In fact, one of the rules many producers follow is to keep it simple because the artist needs their pocket. A lot of modern music is so simple, but has all these little "tricks" to make it seem more than it is that fools both the casual listener and even the artist themselves.

People will go on to thinking these cats are taking their time, 3-5 years, but honestly a lot of this is cookie cutter and finished fast af with some variation to make the production sound more 'complex'.

It's like everyone here is losing their minds, but cats like Nick Mira (who is honestly one of the best producers today) make like 5-10 of these beats through the course of a 2-3 hour stream.

Nick showing the screen this time:

 

[Manolo]

Yup, especially regarding the first point: if there's one thing I learned while making beats (I also used to make music) it's that a lot of these little switch-ups, drops, etc. really go into making your music much more full than it really is. As you know you can have 5 instruments, but you can make your music sound real deep and complete by consistently switching it up every 4-8 bars. Even if it's the exact same motif/phrase on a loop, you drop one of those elements out on the fourth bar and it makes it sounds like there's a ton of variation when it's really the same element. shyt, you can loop the exact same melody but have a different instrument layer it and the average listener would lose their mind. same goes for playing the melody in a higher octave, etc.

Most people who aren't all that into music really aren't listening like that while most producers hear it all the time. In fact, one of the rules many producers follow is to keep it simple because the artist needs their pocket. A lot of modern music I'm sure you know is so simple, but has all these little "tricks" like you mentioned.

It's like everyone here is losing their minds, but cats like Nick Mira (who is honestly one of the best to do it today) make like 5-10 of these beats through the course of a 2-3 hour stream.

Yeah you’re right. Producers and listeners tend to hear music completely differently. Once I hear a song a few times I’ve dissected everything going on in the track and why it works or doesn’t work

Travis is great at what you said. Knowing how to keep the song interesting, when to take sounds out, when to drop them in and when to switch the beat. He never uses a long, repetitive, monotonous beats. Another thing that gives that “next level” impression is hard, heavy bass which him and Mike Dean utilize the best

Good looks on the Nick Mira videos btw

 

[CrimsonTider]

This didn’t grab me immediately like Astroworld did but it’s decent. A few bangers on here but Astroworld I could play straight through. This is eh. And yea the yeezus comparison is on point but atleast Kanye fine tuned it and reduced it. Yeezus was short and sweet. Some of these songs didn’t need to be all on the album. But it’s decent.

Nothing sweet about Yeezus