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Everything U Gotta Hear; EUGH presents P3

With the increasing popularity of squeaky clean, trap-inspired dancehall that the scene has become since he jumped on the scene, PARTYNEXTDOOR has been a slowly moving vessel for the genre, in (the place nobody seems to call) the 6. His influence, along with 40, on Drake to become a patois inflecting, self-proclaimed badman is undeniable, and his work (lol) on Rihanna’s Work has pushed modern dancehall to a new generation for good. The influence he has given is clearly shown on a cut like the previously released single Not Nice, built around a Vybz Cartel sample. Although certainly a more authentic representation of modern dancehall than Drizzy's efforts, it seems as if Drake lifted the style of One Dance directly from this single, and returned the favour with a verse on Come and See Me.

On the opening track High Hopes, PND develops hard on the OVO trademark brooding trap'n'b atmosphere, with dope experimental production on the tape from the man himself, and fire vocal performances to accompany it. His raspy delivery in the second verse is equal parts creepy and compelling, and the chorus sets it apart from the rest of the album as a genuinely alternative R&B track, a description he and his label-mates brand themselves with as often as possible.

Although occasional corny lines are a staple of OVO sound, PND comes through with, and blends the boundary of almost as many painful lines as satisfying ones;

‘You’re a vegan but you’re going ham’ vs. ‘Damn girl you're a criminal, you're stealin' my little peace of mind'.

PND rarely strays from lyrics sung/rapped directly to the gyaldem. This one-track mentality peaks on the song Don't Know How with some of the most vapid verses on the record. You could easily contend that the delivery and feel of a track from an artist like Jahron Brathwaite is the focal point and the lyrical content could be forgiven, but from a seasoned and arguably groundbreaking artist like this, I would expect more across the tape. That being said however, the sound on this song is aesthetically gorgeous, as is almost the whole tape. If you want to enjoy a chill and well produced follow-up to Views, this is a great choice, with possibly more replay value.

3.5/5

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