For all the extracurricular controversies associated with Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign, this album’s greatest flaw is its hollow execution.
The “New” Sounds Of VULTURES 2
To start with VULTURES 2’s highs, there are some engaging, vivid, and appropriately grand excursions into the dramatic, raw, and nocturnal hip-hop/R&B that Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign have championed throughout their collaborations. The big highlight is “SLIDE,” with its THX synths opening the track in an immediate and captivating fashion. The hectic and enveloping percussion makes for one of the most uniquely groovy and enjoyable bounces on the album. It also succeeds at achieving this quality standard in some softer moments on occasion, such as cohesive electronic embellishments to a vocal sample on “FOREVER.” Producers like London on da Track, Wheezy, Fred again.., James Blake, BoogzDaBeast, AyoAA, and The Legendary Traxster make up a massive list of co-producers, but this doesn’t translate into ambitious soundscapes.
Rather, the fact that Kanye West is actually absent from many beats here speaks to how thrown-together and un-curated many of these production ideas feel. For example, nothing comes of a rock sample on “ISABELLA. Cuts like “PROMOTION” and “DEAD” contain some of the most generic synth tones and drum sounds you’ll hear all year. Other Ye albums definitely felt like too many chefs were overcooking their meals in the kitchen, but this time around, we’re not comparing it to last year’s album – we’re comparing it to what we just got in February. Through that lens, there’s even less of a reason to act impressed by Donda and Jesus Is King retreads. Speaking of repetition, “FRIED” is an embarrassing attempt to copy the appeal behind “CARNIVAL” with even worse lyrics, and “TIME MOVING SLOW” sounds like an alternate demo version to the already meager “Flowers” off Donda 2.
Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign’s Pessimistic Performances
Just how VULTURES 2’s most generic missteps overshadow its sonic ambition, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s thematic goals on the album fall victim to some of their most poorly written hedonistic material about money, women, the rap game, and passing partners to their friends like a piece of meat. Similar to VULTURES 1, Ty is a more consistent and skilled performer in this second round thanks to his melodic dominance and despite Ye taking even more of a center stage. The first installment, however, Ty held higher and more dependable peaks far more consistently. The Chicago rapper has some passable verses on here like the first half of “530” and chemistry-filled trade-offs between him, Ty, and Lil Baby on “FOREVER ROLLING,” where he actually tries to engage with wordplay and provides a clear narrative. But alas, his hollow pen is mostly his least inspired and most irrelevant yet.
While guests like Lil Durk and Lil Wayne try to sharpen things up and follow Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s lead, their contributions don’t really amount to much beyond a short but solid reprieve from the monotony. Playboi Carti and Don Toliver go a bit further, providing much-needed vocal dynamism to the eerie “FIELD TRIP.” Yet no one stands out the way that guests did on albums like Donda because of how rickety the foundations for their appearances are. One definite exception is “RIVER,” with progressive production and a charismatic Young Thug verse that (if only for its inclusion) speaks to Kanye’s themes of freedom and justice on the track. Ye’s passionate vocal performance and lyricism are a rare highlight here, and Ty Dolla $ign leads the outro with heavenly vocals.
A Carcass Being Picked Apart
Sadly, despite occasional glimpses of loving care, VULTURES 2’s poorly executed formulas don’t earn the benefit of the doubt sequel projects usually get. It takes two steps back from VULTURES 1, which at least had novelty and controversy at its side. Now, it feels like an easy paycheck that doesn’t entice you with its bravado: it just expects you to punch in and praise it for being the same album Kanye West’s made for half a decade. The filler is also staggering, as “HUSBAND” is an unnecessary isolation of the second half of “LIFESTYLE” and “SKY CITY” is a Yandhi-era leak whose official release absolutely guts its previous structure. At least “BOMB” provides a glimmer of West family wholesomeness, even if the discussions of family contrast lazily and messily with disgustingly indulgent misogyny.
That’s perhaps the most salient failure of VULTURES 2: it’s all of Kanye West’s expected vices with his least compelling attempts at contrasting them with his values. The album’s shoddy release, perhaps the shoddiest in Ye’s entire catalog, represents this unwell egomania. As for the moments on here that do have something to say, he and Ty Dolla $ign lack originality, notable production, and noteworthy performances. The last exception to mention is the final verse on “MY SOUL,” delivered by Ty Dolla $ign’s incarcerated brother, which most overtly embodies the album’s “theme”: freedom. But they only focus for a blink of an eye. Elsewhere, it’s a Jersey-house-trap-moody-synth corpse whose scandals, successes, and self-satisfactions not only turn the duo’s few meaningful ideas into ghosts but place shockingly little importance on the album experience that Ye was once so revered for. If they don’t care about their music, why should we?
Source hotnewhiphop.com
