88rising’s debut album, “Head in the Clouds” (2018), radiated a perfect summertime vibe full of bright hip-hop and R&B tunes. In a similar way, the label’s follow-up album, “Head in the Clouds II” (2019), serves as a fitting sequel, once again revolving around a summertime theme. However, this latest album takes a completely different approach from its predecessor; instead of celebrating the height of summer, it reminisces summer as it comes to a close. This theme makes sense, considering the first “Head in the Clouds” release debuted in July 2018, and this second edition was released weeks after the end of summer. Furthermore, the album cover art for “Clouds” features the group on the beach in the middle of a sunny summer day, while the cover art for “Clouds II” features a metallic surfer during sunset on a different beach. Despite the changes in style, 88rising continues to improve its sound, both from an individual aspect and as a whole.88risingis a music collective mainly composed of Asian singers and rappers. Usually performing solo, the artists currently signed to the label have released music through 88rising for nearly two years. As the group rose to fame, its artists did as well. Indonesian rapper Rich Brian landed features with the likes of 21 Savage and RZA. Japanese American crooner Jojihas worked with high-profile producers such as Clams Casino, RL Grime and Getter.However, 88rising’s members have proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with when recording together. Their first collaborative album was generally well-received and boasted features from rappers such as Goldlink, 03 Greedo and Playboi Carti. On “Head in the Clouds II,” the features also stayed strong, with returning members like Goldlink and Phum Viphurit and new faces like Swae Lee and Major Lazer. Even so, the highlights of this album come from individual performances from the members.To kick off the album, “These Nights” radiates an ’80s summer energy with a boundary-breaking vocal performance from Rich Brian. The 19-year-old rapper showed growth throughout this album through his delightfully corny lines on the R&B ballad “Shouldn’t Couldn’t Wouldn’t” and his superb delivery on the closing track “Gold Coast." The Chinese hip-hop group Higher Brothers continued to up both its energy and zaniness. The group’s primary crooners Joji and AUGUST 08 changed their vocals to work well with the instrumentals, and their lyrical ability has only improved. Indonesian singer NIKI certainly proved to be the standout performer in the group. From a dreamy voice that cloaks the decadent instrumentals of “Strange Land" to her powerful, to-the-point delivery on "Couldn't Shouldn't Wouldn't," NIKI demonstrates her large vocal range. Furthermore, she gives a badass love anthem through her sung/rap performance on "Indigo," one of the most party-ready songs on the project.Artist development is one of the more promising aspects of "Head in the Clouds II" and is one of the reasons why the album is so solid. The song structure and design on this album show 88rising's ability to pull off so many different approaches. The group draws influence from EDM in the songs “Breathe” and “Just Used Music Again.” Hip-hop drum patterns and rapped vocals carry songs like “Hopscotch” and “Hold Me Down." However, the single that stands out from the rest is "I Love You 3000 II."Featuring gorgeous vocal performances from Stephanie Poetri and outside contributor Jackson Wang, the song features a guitar-led instrumental that will bring listeners to tears. Lyrically, the song focuses on themes of marriage and includes many references to the film "Avengers: Endgame" (2019).
As it is, "Head in the Clouds II" is a significant improvement for 88rising. In comparison to itspredecessor, this album contains fewer filler tracks and evokes more intense emotions through its overall sound. Each artist on the label has improved upon their sound, which will garner more attention to their individual names and the 88rising name in the music industry. Song choice tends to be a bit confusing, as the order in which the songs are arranged appears to be nearly random. While this is meant to be a collaborative effort, a smooth flow from beginning to end would help future projects from the label. Nevertheless, each individual song on the album shows 88rising at its best state yet, and each artist proves that they are ready to make major waves.
Summary
88rising's second collaborative effort proves to be a sign of improvement, despite issues in consistency.
4 Stars
