>>42160167I wouldn't call it basic at all. And there's plenty of melody.
The beats are trap and they aren't super complex but they have a sound to them that is simultaneously gritty and rough but also lush and hazy. It's like if Pierre Bourne tried making beats for BFTD2-era Chief Keef, kinda.
Carti's vocal acrobatics, quotable lyrics, catchy hooks, and varying moods/energy are extremely impressive to me, though. I plan on writing a full review at some point. The album sounds good on both speakers and headphones.
It's not like Die Lit or his self-titled at all, it's something entirely different, with a lot of punk and horror inspiration, even elements of "shoegaze" distilled into a trap rap context. Carti's music is kind of the definition of "doing a lot with a little." No one would ever say he's some legendary spitter like Nas or something, but I don't think there is anyone else who actually sounds like him and I really admire that.
I get more excited about how genuinely unique and interesting albums are rather than strictly my subjective enjoyment of them sometimes, but this delivers both. I plan to write a full review on RYM later.
For now it's like a 9/10.