Rollingstone was lucky enough to get an early listen of Drake’s album at his home studio in Toronto with producer 40. Three confirmed song titles have been made public: ‘Shot For Me’, ‘Free Spirit’ featuring Rick Ross and ‘The Real Her’ featuring Lil Wayne. Below is a little taste of what to expect:
He cues up several tracks in various states of completion, all of which sit squarely in the sparse, somber register that’s become his trademark. “Shot for Me,” the likely album opener, is a marvel of melancholy bravado: He sings “Bitch, I’m the man” in a moan that undercuts the brag, over a beat (courtesy of Shebib) that pairs aching synthesizer notes with an exhilarating barrage of high-hats. Other highlights include “Free Spirit,” featuring Rick Ross and the refrain “Tat my name on you so I know it’s real,” and “The Real Her,” a narcotically woozy love song with detuned pianos and a Lil Wayne guest spot. Drake is also looking forward to collaborating with Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. buzzy R&B gloomster the Weeknd — and, if he gets his wish, veteran beatsmith DJ Premier, Florence and the Machine’s Florence Welch, and the xx’s Jamie Smith. “No matter who’s on it, it goes through the Drake filter,” Shebib says. “He’s so hands-on about how everything sounds.”
For the entire piece, go to Rollingstone