No Pressure / Logic / July 24, 2020
- Joshua Yoo
- Jul 30, 2020
- 1 min read
Updated: Sep 13, 2020
Logic’s retirement came as quite a surprise for followers of his (albeit a bit less of one due to his recent multi-million Twitch contract). “No Pressure” arrives as a farewell album to his fans, marking a life shift from music to fatherhood, and he commemorates the occasion by linking up with No I.D. for a successor album that finds Logic at his artistic sharpest in a long time.
As a concluding album, Logic lays out all aspects of his life in a pretty direct manner, while still maintaining his smart wordplay and wittiness. Where his previous albums suffered, Logic doesn’t waste time trying to boast or hit back at his critics on this project, and it pays off in giving listeners a truly authentic look into his current outlooks, such as his diminishing love for creating music (“Dark Place”) or his difficult transition to parenting (DadBod”).
The executive production from No I.D. draws heavy influence from preceding century rap and jazz throughout the album, creating some amazingly smooth (“Open Mic\\Aquarius III”), hard-hitting (“Perfect”), or uplifting (“Heard Em Say”) instrumentals that allow Logic to dig in lyrically with the corresponding mood and themes. The production really only faults in some overly busy and distracting instrumentals (“Soul Food II”) and some very noticeable imbalances in the mixing (“Celebration”).
Logic has had an undeniably impactful presence on the rap game in the last decade, and it’s great to see him (allegedly) end his career on a high note. His ability and presence in music will be sorely missed.
Best Track(s): Open Mic\\Aquarius III, DadBod, Dark Place, Perfect, No Pressure (Intro)
Lowlight(s): Celebration, Amen, GP4
SCORE: 7/10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvWTlFPWjb4
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