It’s ornately untamed. “AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP,” the newest project from rapper A$AP Rocky, paints the portrait of an artist boldly stretching the margins of his own canvas.
Released May 26, the album features guest appearances from Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Rod Stewart.
A psychedelic crescendo from its onset, “L$D” begins as nothing more than a few scattered notes in space. As the song progresses and new bits of sound are introduced, layers begin to amass, gradually turning those scattered notes into a succinct, euphoric ode to acid. Rocky’s softly sung melodies permeate throughout the track, increasing in complexity with passing time. Midway through, the minimalistic instrumental fades out before climaxing into a woozy chorus. Unexpectedly, the chorus dissipates and transitions into a falsetto melody.
The Kanye West-assisted “Jukebox Joints” revolves around a cozy, lo-fi chorus and a few grainy soul samples. Rocky begins by floating over the old voices, detailing sexual exploits while also reflecting on past mistakes. His lyrics are calm and intimate. After a few minutes, a surge of static interrupts the first instrumental and introduces a new, equally soulful one. A new Rocky verse emanates from the speaker as the new batch of old voices begins to loop, but the verse is short-lived. A singing Kanye comes in with a catchy little melody before he starts venting. Another surge of static signifies the song’s end.
Further along, Rod Stewart’s rasping voice marks the start of “Everyday.” The track’s infectious chorus samples an old Python Lee Jackson track Stewart sang on in 1972. He and singer Miguel split the singing duties down the middle, adding deepness to the melody. Rocky’s first verse is laced with feelings of escape and helplessness, coated by a thin layer of pride. But after the chorus loops, the once-calming instrumental evolves into a riot-like sound. A supercharged Rocky breaks through the speakers, looking past whatever reflections he made earlier in the song. Miguel eases into a smooth bridge before making his way back to the chorus.
All I can say is at long last.
[A version of this story ran on page 10 on 6/4/15]
