After releasing the hugely popular but artistically underwhelming
Views in 2016,
Drake went back to the mixtape approach for his next release, 2017's
More Life. Over the course of 22 songs and almost an hour and a half of music,
Drake digs deep into trap and nocturnal R&B, unleashes the kind of boasts he's honed into an art form, and comes to life on the lovely island-inflected groover "Get It Together," which features
Jorja Smith killing it in the role often occupied by
Rihanna. The bubbling "Passionfruit" is
Drake at his smooth, melancholy best, showing off his skill at creating surprising melodies and entrancing atmosphere. Elsewhere,
Drake brings in a wide range of guests, from big names
Kanye West and
Young Thug to up-and-comers like
Skepta, as well as sensual crooner
Sampha, who gets a track ("4422") all to himself. ~ Tim Sendra