While I feel Future’s joy is self-evident, it dawns upon me not everyone is talking about this album. While I originally considered this a near-perfect album, I now consider this perfection incarnate (and my gut instinct had been that from the get-go, to be honest). What’s not up-for-debate is that Honest consists of 1-3+ fantastic songs. What’s also not up-for-debate is the album’s contemporary status – this is new music, representative of this year and the next few upon the horizon. For whatever reason, no albums seem to have sounded quite like this, prior to this year.

I’m not holding it against you, but people are obviously enjoying these tunes, myself included. It’s very rare I find Future’s lyrics LITERALLY insightful – it’s the emotional nature of his delivery. This provides a depth and completeness not possible with traditionally lyric-oriented rap. Future’s certainly gotten better at the conceptual side of song-writing: his singing feels purposeful and his themes are sharper than they were on Pluto. None-the-less, Future isn’t exactly the prototype for how you should vocalize lyrics, but because of his improvement, he’s ended up making futuristic, original music. Everyone borrows from everyone; it’s about the touch YOU add to the music, and Future’s is a fresh, motivational perspective.

Despite all that, it seems we only come back to the same sort of “I’m too pretentious to listen to this”-attitude of the naysayers. LISTEN to “Honest”. LISTEN to “Blood, Sweat, Tears”. You COULDN’T have KNOWN what I did for this! You aren’t even listening! Come on! Stop thinking about where the music comes from; the attitude; the literal lyrical content; how the beat was made; the ego of any and all performers within – just LISTEN TO THE SOUND. I find it MIND-BLOWING anyone who actually LISTENED TO THE MUSIC WITHOUT SUBCONSCIOUSLY BLOCKING THE FREQUENCIES could dislike “I Won”.

Speaking of which, let’s not forget the most atmospheric-sounding R&B since The Weeknd, encompassing tracks 6 through 9: I Won –> Never Satisfied –> I Be U. Some called out the fact that Drake’s verse ended early, when in fact only about a second was ‘cut-off’ – had that second remained in, it would’ve sounded complete WITH the fade-out. As is, it (intentionally) leaves one unsatisfied. You still hear his entire verse, but that little jarring of what was sonically-sound leaves you feeling empty – as if you hadn’t just heard the last two minutes of music. After the abrupt-ending, Future shares possibly the most positive song he’s made: “I Be U", a free-spirited, abstract lullaby.

Peaks are nice, but it’s even nicer having someone with you during those peaks. To experience something amazing for the first time, and to then look into the eyes of the person with you and know they feel the same way. You see eye-to-eye; your stare encompasses everything either of you have ever felt. Not a word is spoken – in the silence, there is unison. No one wants to speak, but it’s overwhelming to keep such powerful feelings silent. You have to let them know, for certain, that you are right here. I see you, right now, right here with me. I see you.

Listen: “Honest”