Album review: ‘FUTURE,’ ‘HNDRXX’

Atlanta rapper Future surprised everyone by releasing two albums in two weeks.

After releasing his self-titled project “FUTURE” on Feb. 17, Future announced a second album would soon follow. He delivered on his promise Friday with his second 17-track album of the month, “HNDRXX.”

Despite the proximity of their release dates, the two albums showcase Future’s diverse abilities, each with a completely distinct theme.

“FUTURE”

Future
Epic Records
Released Feb. 17
2/5 paws

“FUTURE” features high-tempo trap beats to match equally intense rapping in an album whose niche is club staples.

The album’s opener, “Rent Money,” launches into a prideful tirade about Future’s own money and fame. He references his own past of selling drugs in order to pay his rent money, and compares his success to former mafia members Al Capone and John Gotti. The song is a classic trap anthem, filled with heavy Roland TR-808 drum beats and rapid hi-hats.

“FUTURE” reaches its peak in “Mask Off,” a song that pairs the Atlanta rapper with his frequent collaborator and producer Metro Boomin.

Future’s rapping captures a stimulating and exhilarating sense in “Mask Off,” which was modeled after the highs of MDMA and Percocet. But beneath the numerous references to drug use, Future shows his willingness to take his mask off and rap about his own vulnerabilities. He references the pain of growing up poor, how lost loves in his past motivated him to chase money and how his own drug addiction could prove fatal to his own life.

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Unfortunately, the rest of “FUTURE” never quite matches the quality of “Mask Off.” “Scrape” and “Poppin’ Tags” feature classic Future beats, but the rapper seems to regress back to rapping about enjoying his lifestyle of drugs and money rather than the taste of depth he gives to the listeners in “Mask Off.”

Future gave his fans what they expected in his self-titled project. It continues with his established intense and energetic sound, but leaves a sense of lacking, only briefly touching upon deeper and more meaningful topics for the artist.

“HNDRXX”

Future
Epic Records
Released Friday
4/5 paws

In an Instagram post, Future called “HNDRXX” – his second project of the past week – the album he always wanted to make. On its release a week after “FUTURE,” his fans finally learned what he meant by the cryptic post.

On “HNDRXX,” fans are introduced to a completely new Future. Through heavy distortion and auto-tune, the rapper ditches his familiar trap and hip-hop sounds for a more rhythm and blues-influenced album.

Future and producer Metro Boomin are an unstoppable duo in the album’s opening song “My Collection.” The opener – unlike the typical Future song – is underscored by a calm and lulling beat over which the rapper croons his sorrows and difficulties with past exes.

Future’s collaborator The Weeknd dazzles during his feature in the album’s second song, “Comin Out Strong.” The song’s catchy hook promotes the iconic tune of The Weeknd as he smoothly switches between high and low notes.

Future debuts his upper vocal register in the song’s second verse, and his desperation and weakness truly shine as he cries “Do you know who I am?” He sings about the need to seem strong despite the hate and doubt he faces from others, and it becomes clear “HNDRXX” is unlike any of Future’s previous self-aggrandizing work.

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Over the airy and simple beat of “Selfish,” Future and R&B singer Rihanna join forces in the album’s most introspective and touching moment. Rihanna’s pure and light voice beautifully contrasts Futures’ deep and gnarled vocals.

Singing about the pain of broken relationships, Future discards the visage of a prideful person unaffected by his past. His distorted and deep voice serve as a multidimensional contrast to the light and upbeat drum beats in the background.

The rest of “HNDRXX” is filled with R&B melodies – Future reveals he can sing and keep up with the impressive vocals of The Weeknd and Rihanna.

A change of sound was exactly what the trap icon needed.

While “FUTURE” was intense and energetic, it ultimately fell into the same repetitive pattern as the rest of his works. “HNDRXX” flaunts Future’s surprising ability to sing. It proves the Atlanta rapper is not a one-dimensional artist, and showcases his ability to branch out into other genres of music. It’s a welcome change if this is the direction Future is heading in.

But if anyone thought the rapper was done for the month, unconfirmed reports are already rising up about the possibility of a third album coming soon.