With “So Much Fun,” Atlanta based singer/rapper Young Thug has blasted back onto the scene with his unique sound. His blend of melodic riffing and fast-paced flows has had a huge impact on the sound of contemporary trap music, influencing the likes of Gunna, Lil Keed, Lil Baby, and more. With his so called “slimes,” Thugger has put together one of his best projects in a while.

 The album starts off with traditional dark tinged, minor-key bangers, of which are standout tracks “Ecstasy” and “Hot”.  On “Ecstasy,” the beat is simple yet innovative, with punchy kicks and crashes that complement Thugger’s energy-driven delivery well. For “hot,” Gunna’s bars soar over vintage sounding horns and an exotic, flute sounding vocal sample, drawing parallels to Kanye West’s “Jesus Walks,” in which John Legend’s voice is processed similarly. Richmond based prodigee Nick Mira also contributed to this section of the album, with the guitar loop on the track “Just How It Is.” These tracks are on the simpler side as far as drums go, allowing the melodies and vocals to shine.

After the track “Light It Up.” a thematic shift occurs. The P’ierre Bourne produced “Surf” lightens the mood with its playful synths and bouncy 808s, not unlike his usual style.  Thug and gunna paint a picture of the wave of influence they created and how their followers will “surf” it. Gunna’s verse is particularly pleasant on this track, as his sing-rap delivery blends well with the vibey melody.

Following “Surf,” many of the tracks to come consist of similar structure. That is pleasant melodies, optimistic lyrics, and drums that almost force you to move. Although it was released a while before the album, “The London” is likely the best example of this. Travis Scott and Thugger both have solid performances on this song, but J. Cole is the true standout. He flows effortlessly over the fast beat, and adds contrast to the near ethereal instrumentation. Other tracks worth listening to are “Bad Bad Bad,” with possibly Thug’s best verse on the album, and “I Bought Her,” with interesting retro-synth instrumentation.

Overall “So Much Fun” has been one of the best albums melodic trap has produced, thanks to Young Thug and his ability to break the mold many rappers fall into. With all considered, it gets a 7.4/10 from me.