Denzel Curry: Melt My Eyez See Your Future

- Florida rapper Denzel Curry’s music has perplexed me since 2018’s Taboo in that while I haven’t ever hated one of his projects -in fact didn’t mind Zuu or Unlocked- I was never quite drawn back. None the less, Curry remains extremely popular and when new album Melt My Eyez, See Your Future received an extreme level of hype, I decided to hop on the train and see what Zeltron had in store for me.

Melt Session #1 opens the project on a high note with an atmospheric and cold synth-line. The track specifically mentions a feature from American Pianist Robert Glasper, as it should, with Glasper’s glittering keys leading a full jazz percussive section to back Curry’s low-key raps. Gone is Curry’s regular aggressive persona and in its place is a singular verse in which the rapper quietly and emotively describes his mental struggles and addictions. The track is where I feel Curry is at his most sincere and leads me to feel a true connection between the artist and the work he produces.

Single Walkin is an exploration of two hip-hop styles with incorporation of the same backing female singing sample; the first half being a classic boom-bap beat and the second being harder and faster trap drums. Curry backs his flow to follow the speed of both styles as he plans to survive his mental demons in the slower-moodier half before rising to the occasion as the bass follows suit. I really like the track, although I do feel like I'm waiting around for the trap section specifically, but I commend Walkin’ for its ability to build my anticipation each time.

Other tracks I enjoy from the first half include John Wayne as Curry compares himself to the late actor, or rather his persona, over swirling jazz production that sounds like the middle of a tornado. It is also nice to see the return of T-Pain with a solid verse on Troubles as the two artists relate the struggles of life that are almost too difficult to fix, despite trying.

Ain’t No Way is a roster of a track with guest features 6LACK, JID, Rico Nasty and Jasiah. With such a plethora of artists, it tries, stylistically, to explore an enormous amount of ground with each guest just about getting their own style, with production to match. While Jasiah is barely on the track, 6LACK delivers a softer, spoken-word chorus that is surprisingly catchy. JID and Denzel come through with shorter verses over a piano-backed, slower, trap beat, but it is Rico who completely steals the show with her hard-hitting raps over distorted faster-paced production. If that sounds like a lot, well it is, and the song, despite being good, feels like a collection of many parts rather than a completely cohesive track.

Zatochi is a culmination of Denzel’s obsession with exploring as many production styles on this record as possible; this time over a '90’s Euro-style breakbeat. Curry is, once again a warrior-with-struggles, like on Walkin, travelling the earth, battling weary sadness, over the slower build of the breakbeat. The most interesting aspect of the track is British rapper Slowthai who only delivers a chorus over the fast-paced collapsing electronic breakdown; he remains stuck in your head with his distorted and aggressive chants.

While there are certain things that make me roll my eyes, like the autotune chorus of X-Wing or Denzel’s reccurring lines about cancel culture, I feel like I can put this record on in the car and not be bored for a minute. Melt My Eyez is a solid enough record for me, personally, but I think there may be even more for others, especially hip-hop heads. Most of all, Melt My Eyez, See Your Future is one that Denzel Curry fans will love, as he sits, soft and reflective, over an edifice of varying production styles and does so with enviable ease.

- James Chadwick.