Logic
The Incredible True Story

Release Date: 2015 | Tracklist

After Logic's release of "Under Pressure", the Gaithersburg, Maryland rapper needed no more to reiterate the personal struggles of his life into one, inflated record. That had been essentially evident throughout his discography, whether in the "Young Sinatra" mixtapes or his debut album. But a change in direction was in store for him - he needed to bring that. If he wanted to continue sticking out and cruise beyond the dark, dirty sound that has been evident throughout his previous material, he needed to go into uncharted territory. That change meant the move towards more vibrant, pompous production with a twist and that's what you get in the lively concept "The Incredible True Story".

The difference in sound is prominent when you first turn up the first track, the roaring "Contact". The slow, almost vulnerable piano that started off "Under Pressure" is traded off for large, grandiose drums, emotive strings and gracing background vocals that creates excitement and anticipation for the ride ahead. It's like the main score for a blockbuster sci-fi film, and of course it is. That twist is that this has science fiction written over most of it, spaceship power ups, fuzzy space communication, artificial intelligence (featuring Dahlia once more), the whole spiel. This is meant to be an epic of big-beamed, cool sounds and gritty, smooth rapping from Logic which delivers in spades. It's a switch from the darker, street essence of his debut which featured stronger, raw lyrical content and production.

The refined, polished sound works in Logic's favor - charting him to more of a commercialized sound while not refraining from his creativity. The confidence booster in "Lord Willin'" awes as Logic bolsters the listener that you have it in yourself to make it, having the feeling of a Hoodie Allen-esque track because of the promising synths and cheerful yet emotive guitar. He even takes it back a little with a few references to previous content like "925" from his fourth mixtape. It creates a sense of empowerment that is rare for a Logic track, a refreshing reminder that he has more to the table than the hopeless, haunting content that we're used to. He even belts out his inner The Weeknd in the sparkling and spacey "City of Stars", delivering in surprising, elegant vocals in a R&B track filled with glistening strings and ominous background vocals that crowds the glossy atmosphere. The addition of more R&B-oriented material than from "Under Pressure" is a major plus, especially since he had a major hand in conjuring the production.

While he takes a minor yet much-needed reminder of his old sound with the mind-numbing, defining "Fade Away" and the grimy, braggadocio "I Am The Greatest" - "The Incredible True Story" gives Logic the face that felt concealed in his debut album. It was difficult to figure out his identity in his last outing where while he told his reiteration of his struggle - the distinction wasn't there. That factor has found itself and it results in one of the top rap albums of the year, giving Logic a refreshing, powerful sound he can call his own that fronts with his signature rhymes and strong lyrical basis. In the end of the thunderous "Contact", the leading voices of the concept interludes, "space cadet" William Kye bring ups to his "captain" Quentin Thomas on how this album "is the one that changed everything". While not to quite the scale as brought up, this one does change a lot about how we view the Maryland rapper and his place in hip-hop. His true colors come flying free like a bird who's found it in itself to fly. He didn't just elevate himself a bit, he ascended himself to more elite company in the business.

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