Our Take: 2/5 Stars

Iann Dior’s sophomore effort, “On To Better Things,” (OTBT) was released January 21 by 10K Projects and demonstrates an evolution in his sound.

Dior entered the industry through SoundCloud in 2019 and blew up with the emo-rap wave at the time.

His work inspired a connection with the hip-hop production collective Internet Money, growing his circle to the likes of Juice WRLD and Trippie Redd.

Inspiration from the collective could be seen in the music that Dior was releasing towards the end of 2019 with his first album “Industry Plant,” which was named as a response to the accusations that Dior was a product of the industry. His popularity blew up with his feature on 24kGoldn’s “Mood” in 2020, being a popular TikTok sound bite.

“I’m picking up where Juice WRLD left off,” Iann Dior told NME, setting a very high bar for himself.

Over the course of the album, the listener hears Dior experiment with new songs; however, the thesis that he is sad does not change.

There are parts where Dior sounds confused about what he is doing, jumping from emo trap to pop-punk to trap, there are a lot of different flushed out sounds but Iann Dior sounds out of
place on most.

On OTBT, Dior faces his fame and fortune and hits all the tropes required for a hit emo track. For someone who is so tortured, on most tracks, it feels like he has nothing more to provide than mentioning the fact that he is sad in passing.

It is a quick listen, adding up to a little over 35 minutes, but it sounds even shorter since several songs flow right into the next. 

There were two interludes on the album which indicated a sonic change. He had started with the melodic emo-rap reminiscent of his earlier SoundCloud work, just polished. The Lil Uzi Vert and The Kid LAROI influences can be found here. 

The central part of the album revolves around his pop-punk phase. He considers Machine Gun Kelly a mentor. 

He tries throughout the album to imitate what was done on Kelly’s “Tickets to My Downfall,” going so far as to feature Barker on several tracks. Ultimately, the imitation was okay at best since the lack of emotions and interesting concepts saw Dior add nothing to what was an amazing production.

The final part of the album was a fusion between the two genres, but rather than the sum being greater than any individual, the combination reduced the effectiveness of both.

It is safe to say that this album had a very small chance to be as cohesive as it was presented. The production, spearheaded by Internet Money’s Taz Taylor, keeps Dior in mind while switching genres.

The production allows for a more focused Dior and enjoyable song, even when Dior vocally falters.

Iann Dior may have steered clear of industry plant rumors, but after this project it is clear he is an industry analyst, keeping track of the hottest trends to emulate and the largest audiences to hunt.

Our Take: 1/5

DS4EVER is Gunna’s third full-length studio album. Building off the success from what started as a mixtape in 2016, it has been said that the drip season era will come to a close with this album.

Based on past projects, fans had a clear idea of what to expect. The lifestyle, the triplet flows, the hypnotic melodies and grandiose production. Gunna knows his sound and how to stay in the lane Young Thug paved. 

However, this album is both too much and not enough at the same time. 

Gunna sounds like he does want to change, but he has gotten sonically complacent. One can ultimately only release the same song a few times before fans notice — listening to DS4EVER in a void, it is difficult to tell where one song ends and where another begins.

However, rather than refining the sound or improving on nuances, Gunna dives further into the hole. He is monotonous, the mixing sounds rough and the psychedelic experience other projects delivered were not found at all.

There is not a need to start from scratch, undergoing a transition akin to Young Thug’s, however, identifying issues within oneself as an artist to further develop good media is the bare minimum to be expected. Yes, he is not a traditional rapper, but melodic rap has grown since 2016, and it seems like Gunna is going in the wrong direction.

Lyrics have seemed to have eluded Gunna in recent albums, but with statements like “I nutted all over her face, and now she looks like a cow,” songs are even less cohesive. 

More importantly, statements like these force listeners to do a double-take, ruining any vibes that were previously set.

However, even if all metrics indicate DS4EVER as a subpar album, the marketing behind the album must be applauded. 

With a star-studded feature list, Gunna had no lack of eyes willing to assist. Lil Baby made an appearance on “25k jacket” to remind everyone of Gunna and Baby’s joint track “Drip Harder” and of their wonderful back and forth chemistry. Young Thug is featured on several songs including “pushin P.”

Other big artists like Drake, Future and 21 Savage are also featured on a few songs. 

With such a large, united fan base; the album was an inevitable success. However, following the recipe perfectly can only ensure the meal can be made the same or worse quality, rather than the best. Gunna understood the concepts of what makes a good album excluding the actual songs on it. 

Pushing P has become a cultural phenomenon, virtually overnight. Gunna explains its use during the interview with the Breakfast Club “it’s primarily used in a positive way — if you wake up to a beach view, that’s P. If you spent thousands on a Rolex watch, that’s P. If you do something bad or stupid, though, that’s not P.”

The real heroes for this album were the producers. Mike WiLL Made-It, Metro Boomin, Wheezy and others who ensured the trap beat never let down and gave ample scaffolding to even make Gunna sound good.

For a story eight years in the making, the conclusion to Drip Season was lackluster and pitiful at best. Gunna has the recipe and now just needs the finesse associated with it.

The Weeknd’s fifth studio album, “Dawn FM,” sees Abel Tesfaye further open up on debaucherous lifestyle and shows signs of fear atop the euphoric 1980’s R&B sound he introduced on “After Hours.” 

With another number 1 debut on the Billboard charts, this is the Canadian R&B artist’s fourth consecutive album to achieve this feat.

The Weeknd was discovered in the Canadian underground, making dark songs centered around a debaucherous lifestyle.

As he has risen in fame, the antihero seemed to trade his authenticity for the mainstream success seen in “Starboy” and “After Hours.”

With “Dawn FM”, Tesfaye reflects on his past for what seems to be one last time before he goes towards the light.

This further adds to the narrative that “Dawn FM” is the second album in another trilogy.

Initially hinting at the album May 2021 in an interview with Variety, he mentioned, “If the last record is the after-hours of the night, then the dawn is coming.”

In an interview with Billboard, The Weeknd provides insight into the album’s theme.

“They’re [the listener] stuck in this purgatory state, which I always imagined would be like being stuck in traffic waiting to reach the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “And while you’re stuck in traffic, they got a radio station playing in the car, with a radio host guiding you to the light and helping you transition to the other side. So it could feel celebratory, could feel bleak, however, you want to make it feel, but that’s what the dawn is for me.”

Narrated by Jim Carrey, who serves as a guide, between-worlds radio announcer, “Dawn FM” introduces dark heavy tones additional to the tracks that ground the listener.

This heavy environment puts the sound of the album into focus. Tesfaye worked towards keeping the album upbeat retro-funk vibe alive. He started writing during the pandemic, and urged to create something that sounded like the opposite of being stuck inside, telling Billboard, “I wanted to make music I thought sounded like going outside — I was obsessed with that feeling.”

He executive produced the album alongside pop powerhouse Max Martin and experimental electronic musician Daniel Lopatin. They found a nice balance with Martin’s more polished and pleasing effects complementing Lopatin’s erratic tendencies. With additional production from Calvin Harris, Swedish House Mafia and Oscar Holter, this XO artist had a sonically tight, star-studded production.

It is difficult to talk about “Dawn FM,” without mentioning Tesfaye’s unprecedented success with “After Hours.” “After Hours” received record-breaking fanfare but more importantly resonated with listeners and inspired several successful pop  songs. Comparing the power of any individual song from “Dawn FM” to “Blinding Lights,” “Save Your Tears” and “In Your Eyes” is difficult.

Although there are no particular stand-out tracks from “Dawn FM,” the album is a much more pleasant, cohesive listen with wonderful storytelling and a more polished sound that was introduced in “After Hours.”

Ultimately “Dawn FM” feels like the first steps on a journey for The Weeknd to find peace with himself and his past; perhaps we will see the light of day soon.

Our Take: 4/5 Stars

After 40 years, disco-pop band and darling of the ‘70s, ABBA, returned on Nov. 5 with the release of their final album “Voyage.”

“Voyage” had 118,000 sales in its opening weekend, outselling the rest of the UK Top 40 combined and making it the largest selling album of 2021. The album is projected to top the charts this week.

Rumors started to spread of ABBA’s return in 2018. The four-person band was initially interested in developing digital avatars for a concert resembling their former selves. However as they worked together, they decided to also produce some music as well, going from two songs, then a few, to a whole album. ABBA officially announced their reunion and upcoming album this September, alongside their release of two singles, “I Still Have Faith In You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down.” While both songs were met with critical approval, garnering comparisons to past hits like “Waterloo” and “Dancing Queen,” they adhered to a more mature take on the ABBA sound, which was very indicative of the overall vibe of “Voyage.”

ABBA, a pop juggernaut of the late ‘70s, made a cultural resurgence in 1992 after the release of “ABBA Gold,” a compilation of their hits which remains relevant today. Thus the release of “Voyage” exists in an odd environment: regardless of how good it is, as long as it sounds like ABBA, there will be an audience ready to listen.

Band member Benny Andersson told The New York Times that they are not going to run from their past saying, “What is there to prove? They’ll still play ‘Dancing Queen’ next year.”

Over the course of the 10-song tracklist, fans are presented with an audibly aged version of a band they are used to. With the pop and disco sounds that have always been present in their discography, they stuck to the tried and true formula they invented.

However, with lyrics dealing with themes of the past and parenthood, a maturity in their music is visible. Both Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad now have a limited vocal range, but their natural weary tone adds depth to their vocal performances.

As an entire project, the group provides an entertaining, nostalgia driven album, though there are several songs that raise an eyebrow and would not have passed as a worthy release in the ‘70s.

“Just A Notion” was originally rejected from their album “Voulez-Vous” because of a barren verse, but rather than rewriting, the band redid the instrumental and put back the original vocals for “Voyage.” Even with this update, the song is still lyrically lacking in comparison to “I Have a Dream,” which had replaced “Just A Notion” in 1979.

Two songs in, the listener is greeted with “Little Things,” ABBA’s odd take on a Christmas song. The song skips the winter imagery and seasonal metaphors for a children’s choir and a disturbing verse implying a transactional relationship between parents.

The last song bringing ABBA’s quality control into question is “Bumblebee.” While the use of flute and regard for “Fernando” is appreciated, it is impossible to take seriously. The attempt to make a stand for climate change is worthy of appreciation, however, the naive and subpar lyrics provide no substance, and sacrifice the power of the track.

Standout tracks like “Keep An Eye on Dan,” “No Doubt About It” and “Don’t Shut Me Down” are all well-defined pop tracks with top quality melodies and signature hooks from arguably one of the most disruptive hook-dependent bands.

“Keep An Eye on Dan,” provides the story of a child that has separated parents, through the eyes of the secondary supporter. This unique concept is well-executed in the song, without any sacrifice to the composition of the track. As band member Björn Ulvaeus told Apple Music, “I find it interesting to explore things that happen in relationships that haven’t been explored before. I don’t think that this has.”

Ultimately, the news of ABBA reuniting was exciting, and it is safe to say that they have not only met, but exceeded all expectations with their final album “Voyage.” They have added to their already cemented legacy with an appealing album that will not stand out among their hits, but nonetheless adds to their timeless catalogue.

Our Take: 3 Stars

Ed Sheeran’s fourth solo album “=,” released on Oct. 29, is his first in four years.

After his “Divide” tour ended in 2019, Sheeran was unsure of his future in music. He had settled down and became a husband and a father. He wanted to commit time to his daughter and wife.

However, Sheeran told Sirius XM Radio that at some point, he realized that “It is more important for my daughter to grow up knowing that her parents have work ethic and her parents love working hard and love creating and enjoy their jobs, and seeing that rather than looking at your dad as technically unemployed.”

Sheeran started the promotion for “=” with singles “Bad Habits” and “Shivers,” which both dominated the charts, sitting at number one on the UK charts for a combined total of 15 weeks. These dance-pop anthems are reminiscent of the “÷” Sheeran: a singer and songwriter who has a pulse on the heartbeat of pop.

In contrast, the promotional single on “=,” “Visiting Hours” introduces the other more introspective, emotion-driven themes present in the album. What many critics call maturity, however, sounds more like “+” than ever. This album is a polished derivative of the sounds Sheeran had experimented with in “÷,” focused on the experiences that have dominated his life for the last few years. With its balance of pop with more mature themes of family and homemaking, Sheeran had aptly named the project “=.”

Sheeran starts the album by stating “I have grown up/I am a father now/Everything has changed/But I am still the same somehow,” on “Tides,” which is an apt description of the realm in which this album exists, nothing bad but nothing we haven’t heard before.

As much as one searches, it is hard to find a flaw in his album, but it is equally as hard to find an authentic genre-pushing pop song or the most introspective song.

Songs like “Bad Habits” and “Overpass Graffiti” clearly draw inspiration from the 80’s synth-pop that has recently made a resurgence thanks to artists like The Weeknd and Dua Lipa. But in comparison to these other artists, Sheeran’s songs feel void of identity. The content of the song follows Sheeran’s emotional formula without any adjustments for the 80’s instrumentals, which sound as if they were stripped straight from a-ha.

As a songwriter and new father, it was a requirement that Lyra, Sheeran’s daughter, would receive a lullaby. Though “Sandman” presents Sheeran’s raw vocals and emotions, in comparison to Billy Joel and Elton John, it feels like a cheap imitation piece. But just because it does not hold up in front of the best, does not mean it is bad.

“Joker and The Queen” presents Sheeran in his element, with beautiful storytelling and sad guitar sounds that are bound to be joining “Thinking Out Loud” and “Perfect” on every wedding tracklist. “Visiting Hours” and “Love In Slow Motion” round off the album with authentic, beautiful odes to Sheeran’s late friend and mentor Michael Gudinski and wife Cherry Seaborn.

Similar to “÷,” “=” has something for everybody but is better structured and more cohesive. It offers an entertaining listen, but chances are that it is not the album where you will find your next favorite Ed Sheeran song.

Our Take: 2/5 Stars

On Oct. 15, British rock band Coldplay released their much-anticipated ninth studio album, “Music of the Spheres” which is already topping charts in the U.K as the fastest selling album in 2021 so far.

Inspired by the “Star Wars” franchise, lead vocalist Chris Martin used the concept to explore how music would sound across the universe. A space-themed record has been in the works since 2010, when Martin wanted to build a solar system, according to “Roadie #42,” an anonymous crew member of Coldplay.

The rollout for the album followed standard procedures, with two main singles and one promotional single released beforehand. The band also used billboards in Berlin, London, New York and Tokyo to garner interest.

Since “Music of the Spheres” is produced by Max Martin, who has designed pop music for the last few years, each individual part of the sum is adequate. However, the tracklist does not jive with the ambiance set by the short songs.

Unfortunately, this 12 track album does not feel like 11 years in the making. The lack of organization and an interesting sound makes the 42-minute album feel like a lifetime. By hiding under the veil that this music was based on extraterrestrial themes, Coldplay gets away with underproducing some tracks, completely pitching up certain songs using and incorrect transitions. By not committing to their space rock sound, the album seems to fall flat since their compositional mistakes are more prevalent.

There are several interludes which provide the transition between tracks. “Music of the Spheres I,” “Alien Choir” and “Music of the Spheres II” are brief interludes that are short, underproduced and lacking in any emotion. By not maximizing the futuristic, space themed goals that Martin advertised, the transitions missed out on the opportunities to create a more cohesive album.

“Music of the Spheres” lacks the critical acclaim now expected of Coldplay, but it still presents several songs with large collaborations tailor-made for the radio. “Let Somebody Go” with Selena Gomez and “My Universe” with BTS are both notable songs on the album. “Let Somebody Go” is lacking in vocal chemistry between Gomez and Martin but still manages to present a successful mellow pop ballad.

“My Universe” incorporates verses and raps in Korean and has been a smashing success for two of the biggest bands in the world with its catchy melody and lyrics about finding love across the galaxy. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 the week it came out and is instantly iconic for Coldplay and BTS fans everywhere.

The poor organization of the tracklist is definitely worth mentioning, and the sound lacks cohesion. Bouncing from synth-pop to space rock to rock, Coldplay seems to care more for growth over performance, focusing on how to advertise to new audiences over pleasing their typical rock audience.

The most unique feature of the album is the 10-minute closing track, “Coloratura.” It is definitely a statement piece with orchestral undertones and lyrics that reference constellations and Latin phrases. Drawing clear inspiration from Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage” and “Dark Side of the Moon,” “Coloratura” provides an appealing track that ends the album on a high note.

In the end, “Music of the Spheres” is full of several appealing songs but it lacks organization and only loosely hangs onto the theme of space.

In the midst of their first tour in three years, Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler performed at Cadence Bank Amphitheatre last Saturday. The “Stay Next To Me” Tour featured hourlong sets from both Quinn XCII and Chelsea Cutler, an opening act from Tai Verdes and a joint encore.

Recent TikTok sensation Verdes was greeted by a half empty venue, a sleepy crowd and bright sunlight. He sounded amazing, but that was the only positive from his set.

The sloppy, static visuals and stage design, which pushed the band to the absolute edge of the stage, made it clear that there was a clear lack of preparation for set. Although the “AOK” artist was added to the event after initial advertising, he had already performed with Quinn XCII 13 times before the Atlanta show. It still felt like organizers did not give Verdes a second thought.

Even with his limited discography, Verdes produced an apt tracklist and demonstrated that he has the talent to become a lively performer. Unfortunately, he lacked the knowledge to increase the audience participation when they were not engaged, which led to several awkward pauses.

Normally, when the audience does not participate the first two times, performers get a hint, but Verdes was willing to die on this sword. Towards the end of his set, he called out the audience to “don’t be the lame grandparent that whispers at concerts, pull out your mother f phone and sing along!” before performing “AOK.” Ending on a high note, the energy only grew as the crowd started thickening before Cutler’s set.

At Saturday’s show, it was enjoyable to see Cutler, who started off her touring career in 2018 supporting Quinn XCII, grow into her own artist who can now share the stage as an equal.

With a more linear tracklist, Cutler got most of her grimey, older music out of the way early. She set the mood with heartfelt raspy vocals and lively musicians backing her up. Her minimalistic stage design and beautiful visualizations of sound were the most cohesive of all the night’s performances and fit her brand to a tee.

Whether to catch her breath or due to gratitude, she would break into monologue between songs. From thanking Atlanta for allowing the event to happen to advertising her upcoming album, the breath of fresh air did not affect the continuity of her set but got much more of the crowd invested.

After informing the crowd that her next album would be much more happy because she has more to be happy about, the mood she created developed into an energetic audience-led performance which climaxed during her cover of “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers.

Quinn XCII is synonymous with energized live shows. With four sold out headline tours since 2017 and performances at some of the largest festivals under his belt, the Columbia Records artist flexed his experience from the second he stepped on stage.

From the second he walked out, the whole amphitheater was on their feet, and Quinn fed off the energy of the crowd as the night went on.

In a much more natural organization, Quinn mixed several tracks from different genres and albums to present a cohesive story. Similar to Cutler, Quinn expressed his gratitude for the revival of live music, and said “thank you” 16 times during his set. He also chose to mix in banter on stage, actively participating with his band throughout his set.

The lighting and stage design was spacious and well produced, presenting an exciting visual experience in addition to Quinn’s voice. Highlights of his set were “Straigtjacket” and “Stacy.”

With several collaborations preexisting between Quinn and Cutler, it was inevitable that they would come back for a few duets. Verdes also joined in for a new verse on Cutler’s “Calling All Angels.” The “Stay Next To Me” artists played off each other naturally, actively running around and jumping in for melodies, leveraging their familiarity.

The energy was at an overall high by the time “Flareguns,” and the two artists wrapped up the event wonderfully with “Stay Next To Me” — the title of the tour.

Though there were a few concerns with Verdes’ set, it was still a welcome addition to a well conducted joint concert that reintroduced Quinn, one of the best live performers, back into the touring scene while cementing Cutler as her own artist. The “Stay Next To Me” Tour was a great experience with a fitting venue and atmosphere that developed over the course of the night.

Quinn expressed his gratitude for the revival of live music, and said “thank you” 16 times during his set. He also chose to mix in banter on stage, actively participating with his band throughout his set.

The lighting and stage design was spacious and well produced, presenting an exciting visual experience in addition to Quinn’s voice. Highlights of his set were “Straigtjacket” and “Stacy.”

With several collaborations preexisting between Quinn and Cutler, it was inevitable that they would come back for a few duets. Verdes also joined in for a new verse on Cutler’s “Calling All Angels.” The “Stay Next To Me” artists played off each other naturally, actively running around and jumping in for melodies, leveraging their familiarity.

The energy was at an overall high by the time “Flareguns,” and the two artists wrapped up the event wonderfully with “Stay Next To Me” — the title of the tour.

Though there were a few concerns with Verdes’ set, it was still a welcome addition to a well conducted joint concert that reintroduced Quinn, one of the best live performers, back into the touring scene while cementing Cutler as her own artist. The “Stay Next To Me” Tour was a great experience with a fitting venue and atmosphere that developed over the course of the night.

Our Take: 2 Stars

After an initial introduction in April 2019, “Certified Lover Boy,” Drake’s sixth studio album, was finally released on Sept. 3. After the title of the album was released last August, the release date was postponed to January and then pushed further due to Drake’s medical issues.

Since 2020’s “Dark Lane Demo Tapes,” Drake has kept his community active and invested, dropping snippets from over six songs along with several singles.

Many fans hoped that the Canadian artist understood how he has presented himself in the past, and based on the title and cover of the album and Drake’s “loverboy” persona was expecting a self-parody. “This is the part where Imma find a new part of me to explore,” Drake says in “Champagne Poetry.”

But after priming listeners for what should have been an exciting new side of himself, Drake had nothing new to offer. The 21-song tracklist on “Certified Lover Boy” lacks a narrative arc and feels like Drake has copied and pasted his old songs minus the emotion. The album features Drake unironically hyping himself up for 90 minutes.

Drake has described his album as “a combination of toxic masculinity and acceptance of truth which is inevitably heartbreaking,” but it is far from that. From self-pity to the effects of fame to predatory relationships, Drake checks all the boxes for the Drake album ‘BINGO’ — a card that doesn’t have room for self-reflection.

Drake still has something to prove, but he presents music like he just no longer cares.

He has not changed for anyone: same flows, same topics and still the same amount of streams. As a cultural phenomenon, he does not feel a need to grow, and as a result “Certified Lover Boy” suffers.

Drake’s last three projects have been either bloated or forgettable, but by the numbers all of them performed phenomenally for any artist. The Drake effect allows him to produce subpar albums with unprecedented success. “Certified Lover Boy” is no different — setting a new largest week for a rap album since his own “Scorpion,” which set the record three years back.

A Drake drop would not be complete without some drama surrounding it. “TSU” samples “Half on A Baby” and presents a co-lyricist credit to R. Kelly, who is currently on trial for sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

Chief collaborator Shebib spoke out about the R. Kelly credit, saying that it “doesn’t sit well with me … I’m not here to defend Drake’s lyrics, but I thought I would clear up that there is no actual R. Kelly present and it’s a bit misleading to call him a co-lyricist.” Nevertheless, many listeners dislike the exposure the song gives R. Kelly.

The album release also includes a low-effort album cover from Damien Hirst with rows of pregnant women, and a Nike drop that looks like it was made with WordArt. The album is intended to present in an ironic manner, but without any self-reflection coming from Drake himself, everything feels off. The album cover looks more like visual vomit than a clever homage to his “playboy” persona; the merch looks like basic phrases in bad fonts on the back of a good Nike tee.

Furthermore, with constantly shifting drop dates and given past history, it is impossible to mention “Certified Lover Boy” without also mentioning “Donda,” Kanye West’s recent album.

Starting from a long winded messy history with rapper Pusha T, both West and Drake have only added to the fire. During the promotion of “Donda,” West posted an Instagram story with Drake’s address along with screenshots of direct messages where West says “You will never recover. I promise you” to what seems to be Drake. However, “Donda” lacked drama and stuck to West’s themes of faith and family.

On the other hand, Drake built his promotion around the beef with West and leaned on it on the album. He dismissed West’s attempts at fashion, rapping a dismissal at West’s brand Yeezy, “Have somebody put you on a Gildan, you play with my seed” on “7AM On Bridle Path.” Drake also includes track names like “Knife Talk” and “No Friends in The Industry,” hinting at his ongoing issues with the other rapper.

Ultimately, “Certified Lover Boy” lacks any growth for Drake in terms of sound and the only accomplishment it achieves is that it is an improvement on 2018’s flopped project, “Scorpion.”

“Certified Lover Boy” had potential that was stifled by Drake’s lack of interest in growth, causing the album to fall into mediocrity.

Our Take: 3 Stars

Kanye West’s tenth studio album, “Donda,” named after his late mother, was finally released on Sunday, Aug. 29.

There has been a lot of hype regarding the album, but that is nothing new for West. From presenting a fashion show for the introduction of “Yeezus” to making an iMax film for “JESUS IS KING,” Kanye knows how to manufacture excitement. For “Donda,” he hosted three listening parties across two venues (Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium and Chicago’s Soldier Field Stadium) that gained millions of online viewers and several thousand in person.

West stated on Instagram that “Universal put my album out without my approval and they blocked Jail 2 from being on the album,” so it seems that he was not informed that “Donda” would be released on the 29th.

With a 27-song tracklist and an almost two-hour playtime, “Donda” lacks organization and structure. West explores different sounds from his previous albums, and ends up with a project less organized than 2016’s “The Life of Pablo.” Nevertheless, “Donda” has received a better reception than did the three albums since “The Life of Pablo.”

While working on 2010’s ”My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” reports stated he wouldn’t leave the studio in Hawaii for five days, taking power naps with his sound engineers always on hand.

West didn’t just go back to his old practices with “Donda;” he also returned to his experimental roots with the several artists featured on the album, including Jay-Z, Lil Durk and The Weeknd. “Donda” uses the same formula as for “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” to produce another solid album with many notable bangers, like “Jail” and “Hurricane.”

West has nothing to prove with “Donda”, and it feels like he takes the backseat in many tracks, stepping down to let younger artists like Lil Yachty shine.

With 30-some original features, West returned to his exploratory self.

He invited smaller artists in niche genres and chose to try new flows of himself, such as a drill on “Off the Grid.” He understands that he must develop as an artist to stay relevant and relevant he remains. By working with the next generation of musicians, he grows his listening population while finding new talent to develop.

Overall, “Donda” still feels rough, especially in comparison to the usual polished Kanye projects. Awkward self-censorship and a lack of high hats didn’t take away from the listening experience but were definitely missed.
But if you have ever been a West fan, there is at least one song on “Donda” that suits you, from the heavy drums in “God Breath” to “No Child Left Behind,” which sounds like a song from “JESUS IS KING” done correctly.

Although the album is titled “Donda,” West’s mother’s name, there is a clear lack of emotion present within this album.

He had a close relationship with his mother, who died in 2007 following a cosmetic surgery procedure. Her death and other experiences had pushed West to make “808s & Heartbreak.” In comparison to the deep conversations and strong emotions found in “808s,” “Donda” is a little flat.

Ultimately, “Donda” is an achievement of texture and logistics. From well-produced beats to several amazing featured artists, most of the songs are a good listen.

Yes, it may not have any absolute hits like past albums, but it is a breath of fresh air from West’s last three subpar albums.

Notable tracks include “Jail’’, “Off the grid,” “Moon,” “Pure Souls” and “Come to Life.”

The only busts are “Junya” and “Remote Control,” which have horrible courses and flat drumlines.

Yes, there are fillers, and yes there are long outros, but these are bound to happen when one publishes a 27-track album.

Though the album as a whole is confusing and struggles with the heavy drums, Donda’s individual parts are good enough to listen to its sum — all two hours of it.

Being an international student is difficult — yeah, that’s an understatement. Being an international student at Tech is a convoluted mess.

Wait, there is more. Being an international student who left home during a global pandemic to come to a school that doesn’t seem to care much about its international population is disheartening.

Normally when the population talks about the difficulties of an international student, we are looking at the social, cultural, and academic barriers but gloss over the administrative hassle.

Taking care of classes and mental health can drain a student, forget about also dealing with massive documents with convoluted explanations by yourself.

I have justified this lack of attention by lying to myself “Oh it’s fine, I knew being an international student would be difficult” or “Tech is probably too busy to deal with me.”

Ultimately, I attend this school. Tech advertises they are here to help a student in need. But how? By passing an international student department to department hoping they give up asking questions?

Last summer, to quarantine, I was told to arrive two weeks before the start of classes. I was ready, I was good to go, which is already a better situation than most international students at that time.

However, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into and seems like Tech did not know either.

There was no communication from OIE, even after writing/calling/pleading to them, no communication was given.

I was bouncing between OIE, Housing, and Bursar to just understand what I should do when I land, it had gotten so bad I was being told to email contacts who were the ones that transferred me over. I had delayed the flight a week.

Desperate, I had emailed any email I could get my hands on from Tech’s housing website just hoping for info.

Eventually after making it to campus, only then did OIE respond stating the procedure—with original dates. Even getting my vaccinations approved was a hassle.

I am a student from Canada, where we present documents in English and have all medical records localized yet Stamps had me running.

I had gotten all the vaccines required by international North American students, yet they would only accept my documentation when I had gone in person and explicitly explained the receipts. Otherwise, I was getting denial after denial for correct documentation … just in a format staff wasn’t used to.

In a similar situation, a freshman who is not able to make it onto campus due to visa troubles (due to COVID) is in a real bind with the removal of many online classes. They were forced to scour the bottom of the barrel just to be considered a full-time student. With the lack of online options, Tech perpetuates an inequitable environment expressing its lack of concern for international students.

I just find it quite ironic that a school that advertises promoting diversity, equity and inclusion lacks the resources to assist their population and go as far as to practice exclusionary practices.

Yes, increasing diversity within the Tech community is a great goal but one must also sustain the population. However, utilizing resources to bolster positive practices within the Tech community would produce a healthier environment for everyone.

Yes, definitely there are faculty and staff who have assisted me through my journey and I am grateful to them.

However, it should not be their responsibility to fix issues that are caused by OIE’s negligence or the politics surrounding the university.

Ultimately, I found my home on campus, which most international students do, but having to suffer to find it shouldn’t be necessary.