A Trip to ‘Astroworld’: What to expect along the ride inside Travis Scott’s mind
Travis Scott finally blessed us with his long-awaited album, “Astroworld,” in what felt like Christmas in August. The Houston native’s third studio album comes to us almost two years following “Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight.” It was definitely worth the wait.
Scott’s projects progressively get better as they’re released. Looking at the development from his debut album to “Astroworld,” the 26-year-old artist has learned what his fan base wants and delivered accordingly. The album is full of surprises, featuring a star-studded cast that you wouldn’t notice just looking at the tracklist. His use of hidden features paired with its title combines for a more exciting thrill ride into the mind of the rager himself.
We begin our journey with “STARGAZING.” The howling undertones created a spooky vibe, before switching into a fast-paced, three-verse tangent with a significantly less auto-tuned Scott rapping over rapid snare riffs.
Out of his three albums, Scott pays homage to Houston the most in “Astroworld.” The title itself is named after the old Houston amusement park, Six Flags AstroWorld, that was closed and demolished back in 2005. With songs like “R.I.P Screw” and “Can’t Say,” Scott references artists he grew up with.
Scott is known for his extremely hype, mosh pit-provoking crowds and his ability to create bangers through autotune and high energy beats. Oddly enough, I didn’t find many bangers on “Astroworld.” Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely songs that go hard — but I think the balance between fast and mellow songs is what’s most prominent.
Songs such as “SKELETONS,” “ASTROTHUNDER,” “YOSEMITE” AND “COFFEE BEAN” are where Scott deviates from his normal hype sound, rapping over slower and more drawn out drum patterns.
Another song that proves notable is “STOP TRYING TO BE GOD.” The most thought-provoking track on the album, here Travis Scott recruits Kid Cudi, Philip Bailey, James Blake and Stevie Wonder for a slow, introspective ballad about staying true to one’s self. He raps, “Stop tryna be God Almighty / F*ck the money, never leave your people behind.”
The nearly two year wait for “Astroworld” has proven to be worthwhile, given the precision that the album’s production possesses. Scott has a strong arsenal of producers and engineers, including himself, considering each song has its own unique sound and vibe. Provoking positive feelings and experiences among his fans is what he strives to do and ultimately succeeds at when practicing his craft.
In his speech at the album’s listening party, he said: “One thing I just wanted to do is like create a vibe … I just wanted y’all to like, be able to live your life to this, rage to this, sweat to this, get married to this (and) find somebody you love to this.”
“Astroworld” deserves the hype surrounding it. Scott took his time on this one, and it’s more than apparent in the final product. The complexity of the production, its carefully embedded features and the rollercoaster ride of the listening experience coexist blissfully, making for an album that gets better with age.
Cydney Lee is a junior psychology major. Her music column appears biweekly in Pulp. You can email her at cmlee100@syr.edu or follow her on Twitter @cydneylee_.
