The tracked leaked with a verse by Popcaan, which is missed here, but the base track is still light and fun. The second half of the record kicks off with Controlla, which is the first track to really show off the dancehall influence that informs much of the rest of the album. Whilst the album does appropriately heat up in the second half, the first becomes a bit of a slog, in spite of the well intended concept, and numerous well-executed songs. In a pre-release interview with Zane Lowe, Drake stated he intended for the record to mirror the seasonal-cycle of Toronto, with their very cold winters and hot summers. Unfortunately, the relaxed tone begins to drag by the tenth track. It feels like the proper successor to Hold On, We’re Going Home, with its gorgeous keyboard chords and 80’s-style beat. The standout track from the first half of the record is Feel No Ways, produced by Jordan Ullman (one half of OVO signee Majid Jordan). One of Drake’s greatest qualities, is that even when he gets deep into self-loathing a regret, he’s always funny (not always intentionally), and that levity makes this very long album easier to sit through. However, it’s enlivened by one of Drake’s most gloriously ridiculous brags – “turn the 6 upside-down, it’s a 9 now”. The track is fun, although its vibe is quite relaxed and grooving, not the banger that many fans expected. The production by 40 and Boi-da (another one of Drake’s frequent collaborators) is exceptional, something that holds true for the entire album. The transition into 9 is perfect, and the chilly, sparkling synth riff that lights up the first real rap track of the album sounds amazing. The tracks swells gorgeously, and whilst it’s slow, it’s moody and defiantly gripping in a way only Drake can do.
As the track progresses, Drake sings about paranoia and friendship over stately strings and drums – “all of my “let’s just be friends” are friends I don’t have any more”. The opening track – Keep the Family Close – literally begins with the sounds of howling wind, presumably intended to evoke the cold of the album’s quite amusing cover art. However, the first half of VIEWS is very sensual and dreamy, with a greater singing-to-rapping ratio than any of Drake’s previous projects. Both IYRTITL and WATTBA were very club-ready projects, much more influenced by rap and trap than his “soft” older work. It’s interesting then, that VIEWS opens so slowly. Between hands-down winning his beef with Meek Mill, and releasing two solid projects in If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late, and his Future collaboration What A Time To Be Alive, he has never been more in the public eye than he is now.
Given that Drake has been hyping VIEWS as his love letter to Toronto and his relationship with it, it’s somewhat of an understatement to say that expectations are high.ĭrake had a phenomenal 2015.
#Views from the 6 album do series#
Also, and most crucially, Drake himself is one of the biggest pop-stars on the planet, with a series of hits, culminating in last year’s Hotline Bling. His producer and musical partner, Noah “40” Shebib is arguably the most influential hip-hop producer of the decade, with an entire genre of sad-sack R&B springing up from his influence (Tinashe and Travis Scott are good examples). Huge pop-stars like The Weeknd rose to prominence via Drake’s endorsement, and his OVOSOUND roster is filled with rising stars like PARTYNEXTDOOR and dvsn (and until recently, ILoveMakonnen). The influence of Toronto in the pop music scene has been palpable this decade, and Drake is undeniably the genesis of that trend.