On his first project since 2021’s “Star of The Trenches”, Brooklyn Drill Rapper E-Star comes back into the fold with a 10-track, 27-minute effort that can only be described as a Drill showcase. Considering its length, it’s a relatively quick project. Most of the songs on the album are in the range of 2-3 minutes, which I think is the perfect length for a Drill track. The genre typically faces the criticism that a lot of it sounds the same, and while there is truth to that statement (in regards to this project especially), there is also enough variation within the structure of each individual track to keep it feeling somewhat fresh throughout.
The opener, “Dark River,” originally sounded like it sampled 21 Savage and Metro Boomin’s “Runnin’”. Ironically, a later track does sample this song, but that association was hard to remove once I’d already made it in my head. It’s a nice way to start off though, as E-Star has some of the most intelligible vocals I’ve heard on a Drill track. Of course there are too many sounds to count (that chaotic energy is part of the appeal of the genre, after all), but I didn’t have to play the track back several times, which was a huge plus as I made my way through the project. On “SNM,” it goes right into the tried and true Drill formula. E-Star’s lyrical ability is definitely something to make note of, but I feel like his bars couldn’t save how I felt about this track. It doesn’t sound out sonically, even though it’s produced by Elvis Beats.
The third track, “Scary Hours,” is where the switch up finally happens. It’s a sample Drill track, but E-Star also gets into his bilingual bag. There aren’t too many instances, but he gets a few bars off in Spanish as well. Personally, it’s an avenue of the track I wish was explored more, since that helps add to his versatility and distinction from other Drill rappers. Following it up is “No More Closed Doors,” which suffers from the same fate as the first track. His vocals are crisp, but the beat isn’t too memorable. Although, there is an energy here that I feel like doesn’t come through as much on the preceding tracks (except for the previous).
“Clout,” is another Sample Drill track, and it samples the Offset track of the same name. The subject matter is identical too, as E-Star warns those who come around him not to chase Clout, as it might not end well for them. It’s one of the better Sample Drill tracks on the album, and the flip into a Drill beat is pretty satisfying. “Downhill,” starts off with a soul sample that hooked me in with its melody. I thought there was a chance that E-Star would switch it up with a different kind of beat, but I was too naive. It’s another Sample Drill track. As true as the others, E-star has some really good bars in here, but I had to take a step back for a second to recenter. I also wish his flow switched up as well, I feel like it’s been very much the same up to this point, which made it hard to get through the first time around.
“Not Today,” is the track I was referencing before, that actually samples “Runnin’”. E-Star does the track justice on this flip, and I was able to enjoy this track more due in part to its sample as way. E-Star adopts a slightly different flow on this track too, that allows him to ride the beat better as well. It’s definitely one of the better tracks on the album, but I also wish that I didn’t have to go through so many other Sample tracks in order to hear it. The first features come through on “3-Headed Shark,” in the form of fellow Drill rappers Mattik and BabyVal. Both artists are welcome editions to the project, and their verses inject some fresh air into the whole thing. I personally feel like this track should have been a bit earlier as well, as the switch up a feature has the potential to bring, would have helped the cohesion of the album if it had been listed just a few tracks prior. The only other feature arrives on the penultimate track, “What They Gon Do”. Ajay Loco is the guest this time around, another Drill rapper who helps rejuvenate the record. His layered vocals are a nice addition, and create a fullness to the sound that wasn’t present before that.
The closing track is by far my favorite, and finally brings the change to the project that I sorely wanted to hear. “Crazy Story,” starts off as a Drill track, but adds elements of Jersey Club into the mix, to create a sonically rich track with a dynamic flow to cap things off. E-Star’s flow rides the bouncing beats of the Jersey Club sound well, and it’s hard to believe that they saved this for the end of the album.
All in all, E-Star made decent use of the tools at his disposal to create a project that is predominantly cohesive in the ways of its production. The beats are well produced, but too many of them blend into each other, and have too many similar elements. E-Star’s bars are the best part of the project, and I’m excited to see how much more he can do when he switches up his flow on different beats as well.
3/5 Stars
Favorite Tracks
Scary Hours
Not Today
Crazy Story
Least Favorite Tracks
SNM
Downhill