It's Back To Square One With Future In "HNDRXX"

Normally, we're pretty annoyed at any mention of Future in music. He released his self-titled record last week, and FUTURE was actually pretty fresh for him. It featured lots of new risks and and changes for him. Different styles, different flows, a different Future. Things were actually looking up for him, in our eyes.

Then he released HNDRXX. All that progress in FUTURE just went down the drain. 2017 has not seen such an uninspired and tired hip-hop album yet. Take everything that's bad about Future - same beat, same dead flow, same formulas - and make seventeen different songs that are all written in the same fashion, and you have HNDRXX.

There's so much wrong in HNDRXX that it's hard to say what's good. The only good moment on the record is 'Coming Out Strong' featuring The Weeknd, and it's entirely thanks to The Weeknd. This song is essentially a Weeknd featuring Future song, and as sad as it is, that's what makes it the best song on the album. Future actually holds his ground here, sounding fitting above the moody instrumental. The beat isn't all that entertaining or well constructed, but it's not looking to be overwhelming, knowing it's place in the background.

That's it for positives. There is a lot to say about where this record goes wrong. Every complaint we had about Future in his previous records is back in this one. There's literally no variation on this record. Every single song sounds the exact same. There's not a different instrumental, not a different flow, not a change in tone of voice... he doesn't even try and change the bass synth he's using. It's completely monotone throughout it's entire course. Not even Rihanna can save the record with her feature on 'Selfish.'

Perhaps the worst part of this record is his singing. We've heard rappers sing before - Kanye West is perhaps most notable when it comes to this. Future has tried his hand at it on this record, and, boy, is it awful. You first get a good taste of it in 'Damage,' and the sheer level of autotune is not only unsuccessful in every way you look at it, but also just plain bad. Maybe half of the songs feature him singing, and it's almost cringey.

Where did things go wrong? Future finally had things going in his favor. It's back to square one with Future in HNDRXX, though. There's three good minutes in this hour and ten minute record, and the rest is just uninspired, tired, and monotonous hip-hop that's recycled over and over again until it's completely beaten to death by the end. Future has potential, it seems to just be a matter of whether or not he wants to use it.

Favorite Track: Coming Out Strong

Least Favorite Tracks: Incredible, My Collection

Rating: 40 / 100

Buy or listen to HNDRXX here: