Rapper, writer and producer Logic released his ninth studio album “Ultra 85,” and it is a bold dive into the next chapter of his career.
This album is special for longtime Logic fans, as it was announced in May of 2017, and it is the sequel and conclusion to his second album, “The Incredible True Story.” Similarly to that record, Logic uses many skits throughout “Ultra 85,” which adds a cinematic element to the listening experience. This is how he conveys his storytelling throughout the project, and it is fun the first time while listening to the album, but they are full of cliches and cheesy moments.
Logic’s ability to write and record smooth and entertaining songs shines during the entire hour and 20 minutes. The first track on the album, “Paul Rodriguez,” is around nine minutes, and Logic’s flow doesn’t slow down until the outro of the track. It starts the album out on a high note and introduces the listener to the cast followed throughout the story.
The transition from the skit to “Mission Control” is a blast of nostalgia with a familiar beat from the Atlanta trap artist Gucci Mane. The “Lemonade” sound has been sampled many times since its initial debut by other artists and is often stale and not too different from the original. Logic did a rendition of this beat by adding his touch while still paying homage to Gucci.
Records like “Deja Vu” do a great job of keeping this momentum going while he raps about topics that are more valuable to him than money and fame, like his family. He is taking jabs at the rappers that he considers clones of one another who try to follow whatever is popular to ride a wave of fame. The DJ Drama feature is another element that helps make this track one of the best on the album. The transition into the outro saxophone solo is a beautiful touch as well.
The production across the album remains typical of what most would expect from Logic. It is full of soft jazz beats accompany his rapping and singing very well. There are even a couple of dance-centric tracks that transition into softer records like “Fear,” which surprised me. I wish he sang on this album more as his vocals sound great during the chorus and outro.
“Favela” is my personal favorite from this album. This particular record is a bit sadder in tone as Logic reflects on the abuse and trauma from adolescence. In his youth, music was an escape from reality, his work is always passion-driven rather than trying to check off certain boxes. The title of this track is tied to “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.” Logic recalls fond memories of playing this game, especially the map Favela as the title would suggest. The piano loop and flute combination reminds me heavily of something that would be produced by the likes of Lupe Fiasco.
However, some tracks start to steer away from the traits that make the album so good towards the backend of the album like “44ever.” This, to me, sounds like something that would have been released earlier in Logic’s catalog, where he consistently did the same thing on every track and didn’t experiment. This shows that he is making music he’s happy with and isn’t trying to please anyone.
Another surprise from this record is tracks like “LOVE ME,” which has similar dance-centric vibes seen earlier in the record. There isn’t much depth to this record and sounded like something from at a club. Truly, this one is just a head bopper, and there is not as much emotion as the little may imply.
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” does a great job of explaining where Logic got a lot of his taste in music. He talks about the film Kill Bill and states it’s his favorite of all of Quentin Tarantino’s films and how the soundtrack inspired his taste in music.
The album closes with “Thank You for Believing in Me,” where more of Logic’s singing comes out in full effect. It is a bit melodramatic and over the top, with layered vocal crescendos and electric guitar riffs. It is the finale to this chapter of Logic’s career, so I can understand and appreciate why this would be the closing track on this record.
Overall, this has been one of my favorite listening experiences throughout the Logic lineup. Logic has been an artist that many people have written off over the years because his sound has been very repetitive. It takes all of the tropes that give Logic’s albums an identity and turns them into something new and nice on the ears. “Ultra 85” is the best album from his catalog, and I believe has the potential to become his fourth platinum-certified record or even hip-hop album of the year. 9/10.