“Dismantled” is one other standout, for the best and unsuitable causes. Sonically, it’s a quintessential Ken Carson music: Its uneven blips of equipment are always in movement, grounded by a thick bassline that hums like a generator. He raps with the identical conviction that dominated A Nice Chaos, a presence that feels inconsistent on this album—prolonged verses on “Ok Gap” and “Evolution” present flashes however are too long-winded. (Not each music is “Me N My Kup.”) However “Dismantled” begins to get startling if you notice he’s placing a lady by brutal intercourse: “Rip this bitch aside/Once I get to the lodge, she gettin’ dismantled,” he raps on the hook. It’s simple to shrug off Ken’s jarring one-liners when you’ll be able to’t assist however snigger at them, however this isn’t that. On “Root of All Evil,” he brags, “I’m going Chris Brown, wall to wall/She know the way it get,” like that doesn’t learn as a grim double entendre in 2025. Add in the truth that Ken and Opium’s personal allegations of home abuse are public data and these lyrics turn out to be nauseating. Even would-be romantic songs like “Kryptonite” discuss ladies like they’re concubines.
One of many strangest songs of the bunch, ultimate monitor “Off the Meter,” options Destroy Lonely and Playboi Carti—after half a decade, Carti has lastly consummated his function as label boss by acknowledging his signees on wax. What’s humorous is how a lot it seems like Carti discovered a random .wav file from 2022 and simply threw a verse and a few Swamp Izzo tags on it. It’s a enjoyable monitor, however Ken and Lone sound rattling close to pre-pubescent in comparison with the muddier cadences they’ve honed since, whereas Carti faucets right into a degree of dynamism that Ken barely touches throughout Extra Chaos. Hearken to Ken nodding off on the finish of his “Confetti” verse, or flatlining by most of “2000,” after which take heed to Carti stretching his vocal cords like putty, inflecting with reckless abandon. Even in spite of everything this time, it’s nonetheless the trainer and the scholar.
All issues thought of, it’s consolation on the high that holds Ken Carson again. It’s why the again half of Extra Chaos drags; he’s going by acquainted motions in hopes of constructing lightning strike twice. Identical to A Nice Chaos, Extra Chaos offsets its aggressive first half with bubblier textures and candied Auto-Tune on facet two, however generally Ken sounds so bored when he’s not making an attempt to leap out his physique. “200 Kash” is delightfully sludgy, however the hole, lust-driven relationships he croons about on “Down2Earth” and “Kryptonite” are tedious reminders of X, even when the beats are half-decent. By the point he claims that “Pat Bateman ain’t received nothing on me” on “Psycho,” I begin to surprise if that is simply the equal of clocking in for him.
If lyrical density is a priority, you’re lacking the purpose of Extra Chaos, however Ken Carson’s emphasis on vibes and pointed aggression can solely take him to this point. A Nice Chaos separated him from his friends, demonstrating how a lot floor he may take up exterior of Playboi Carti’s shadow. An identical method suffices right here, due to a masterful crop of producers: Opium’s ordinary suspects (F1lthy, star boy, Outtatown), DRACO.FM standouts (skai, legion), and SoundCloud veterans like 16yrold. However as an entire, Extra Chaos is a lateral transfer, not a step up. It doesn’t assist when you think about the chameleonic depth and firepower of final month’s MUSIC, an excellent longer saga of postmodern lure. Carti’s album left no room for his circulation or cadence to get stale, shapeshifting in tight areas like Orochimaru. Is it flawed? Undoubtedly. But it surely thrives on the scathing unpredictability that Extra Chaos can’t fairly pull off.
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