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Music week in review: A$AP Mob, Queens of the Stone Age, Lil Uzi, & more

It’s another week of varied releases from across the music world.

We’ve got new stuff from some of the best collectives in music, from Queens of the Stone Age to A$AP Mob.

It’s an album-heavy week of releases, here’s what you should be bumping right now.

A$AP Mob – Cozy Tapes Vol. 2

The official hypebeast soundtrack is finally out and it’s lit. With appearances from a wide spectrum of the hottest rappers in the game as well as some up-and-comers, Cozy Tapes is a pretty damn good showcase of rapping talent.

With features from everyone from Key!, a personal favorite who is due to blow any time now, to Frank Ocean to the young Smooky MarGielaa, A$AP Mob is putting on the whole team with this album.

After multiple straight weeks of releases from various members of A$AP Mob (Ferg and Twelvyy) and now this, as well as a nationwide tour set for fall, the Harlem collective is on fire right now.


Queens of the Stone Age – Villains

Queens of the Stone Age are an American rock institution.

With 20 years of face-melting guitar riffs, it’s pretty damn awesome to see they still got it. Led by the legendary Josh Homme, Queens of the Stone Age are rocking harder than ever.

Queens of the Stone Age made Villains alongside producer Mark Ronson, whose work is mainly in the R&B, pop, and hip-hop lanes, and gives Villains a little more groove than Queens has had in the past.

Their sound is still crisp and edgy. It’s great to have Queens of the Stone Age back and holding it down for American rock music.


Lil Uzi Vert – Luv Is Rage 2

Lil Uzi Vert has returned with his irresistible bops on Luv Is Rage 2.

A couple months ago, we investigated why Uzi is so damn effective at what he does. With production from all the most relevant tastemakers, Luv Is Rage 2 is another vintage Uzi collection.

The Philadelphia native is fucking around and becoming one of the hottest and most talked about rappers in the game with many singing his praises and detractors saying he embodies “mumble rap.”

If you’re coming into this project with preconceived notions towards Uzi and his music (you should prolly just relax) you will most likely have those preconceptions affirmed. But if you’re willing to have some fun, Luv Is Rage 2 is for you.


The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding

The War On Drugs, the brainchild of Adam Granduciel, have crafted a multi-layered and complex album of pure musical goodness with A Deeper Understanding.

Granduciel is a famous perfectionist and obsessive artist; every guitar chord, vocal note, and drum beat is almost ridiculously perfect-sounding.

It’s understandable to see why Granduciel has drawn comparisons to Bruce Springsteen. His perfectionism is Bruce-like, he writes songs that depict small slices of Americana that are both hyper-specific and universal, his voice even kind of sounds like Springsteen, and the music is both pleasant to listen to and impressively crafted.

Cheers to Granduciel and co. for this project.


Action Bronson – Blue Chips 7000

Action Bronson is killing it on multiple fronts right now. After dominating the TV game, and now the cookbook lane, he’s back to doing what got him here in the first place.

With fire retro-inspired production from Alchemist, Action delivers his standard combination of hilarious punchlines and braggadocious boasts.

There’s a some appearances from all the members of Action’s now famous crew, with Mayhem Lauren popping up a couple times and Big Body Bes here to talk the most shit.

Blue Chips 7000 won’t be the most interesting hip-hop album of all time, but you’re gonna have a damn fun time listening to it.


Brockhampton – Saturation 2

Brockhampton is a massive hip-hop collective from San Marcos, Texas doing some of the coolest shit in music right now.

I mean, what other hip-hop group has official creative directors and app designers? They’re like a hip-hop startup.

Damn millennials.

But for all their intense image curation (their visuals are amazing), Brockhampton are fucking good.

Saturation 2 is the second album they’ve dropped this year. Immaculate production combined with fire verses in a diverse set of flows, Brockhampton are a joy and a very fresh voice in the hip-hop game.

If you’re looking for some different sounding rap music, peep Brockhampton (and watch their videos).


MadeinTYO – True’s World

MadeinTYO’s 6 song EP True’s World is a fun blend of some great beats and laidback flow that saw the rapper land on the XXL Freshman List.

Much like Lil Uzi, there’s something just infectious about MadeinTYO’s style, he has a knack for choruses and adlibs that have you going back for more.

It’s gonna be fun to see how MadeinTYO’s career progresses over the next year or so.


Corbin – “Mourn”

Corbin, the artist formerly known as Spooky Black, dropped a new track “Mourn” and announced a debut album by the same name due in September.

With production from Shlomo and D33J, “Mourn” is a murky R&B track with hard-hitting snares.

Corbin came up very quickly with a loyal SoundCloud following generated off a couple individual releases over the years.

It will be interesting to hear a whole studio album from the artist from Minnesota.