Claude Brun
Originally Published June 8, 2018

After three years in the making, expectations for “Testing” were set high. Feature credits from Dean Blunt and Kanye West as well as multiple Frank Ocean features raised those expectations even further.  Thankfully, Rocky delivers what may be his most consistent album yet. His past projects contained some true modern classics but often felt tonally inconsistent, something that Rocky has remedied on this project. The sound palette is delightfully retro, industrial and futuristic at the same and manages to be carried effectively across the entire tracklist.

Some repetitive moments such as “Praise the Lord” featuring Skepta are overshadowed by Rocky’s consistent dropping of clever bars delivered with his trademarked nonchalant flow. While the production never failed to impress me, there are moments when it becomes so dense that it can be a little disorienting. However, these moments are few and far between and definitely don’t ruin the generally very impressive production, which is the highlight of the album.

★★★1/2