Seen as a pillar of the 2020s rage rap scene, Atlanta rapper and Opium label member Ken Carson released his fourth album “More Chaos,” on April 11, a sequel to his previous project “A Great Chaos.” Consisting of 22 songs with no features except for the bonus track “Off the Meter” with fellow Opium members Destroy Lonely and Playboi Carti, the project boasts aggressive vocals and production in a quick 61-minute runtime.
Carson’s dark-emo and funk-inspired discography has cemented him as a commander of rage rap, with instinctive and primal mosh pits often forming at his concerts. “Lord Of Chaos,” the introductory track of the album, plays into this image as Carson assuringly raps, “I’m the lord of chaos, I got the mosh pit in control.” This narrative of established confidence and ego carries throughout the album, with raucous tracks “Root Of All Evil” and “Blakk Rokkstar” showcasing Carson’s relaxed flow.
For the most part, “More Chaos” is rudimentary towards what Carson knows: drugs, money, fame and sex. The rapper’s laid-back articulation, repeated one-liners and speedily churning verses aren’t profound, but don’t have to be. “More Chaos” affirms Carson’s charismatic reputation, and bouncy tracks like “Trap Jump” and “Lord of Chaos” allow fans to have a casual yet invigorated listening experience, demonstrating a shift in hip hop subgenres that exist to entertain. Meanwhile, Carson’s shift towards gore-core — a violent aesthetic as referenced on “Inferno” — and vicious verses on bass-heavy tracks “Xposed” are appropriate for a party, mosh pit or concert.
Throughout the album, the rapper’s slurred diction rolls off his signature strident, chunky and booming production style. The direct piano line on “Trap Jump” amplifies Carson’s smooth delivery, and producer Pierre Bourne’s unique inclusion of a woman screaming in the background of track “Ghoul” displays cohesion to the album’s grunge theme. Furthermore, the transition from a subdued introduction to a heavy bass in “Inferno” shows Carson’s producers have acquired more complexity, displaying some growth from the production of Carson’s previous album “A Great Chaos.”
However, while “More Chaos” is consistent in Carson’s hedonism and lyrical prose, its grating production becomes overwhelming and overdone far too quickly. The repetitive hi-hats and 808s bass hits on “Money Spread” and “Thx” are when the instrumentation’s clash with Carson’s voice becomes the most prominent. When Carson leans into a manic and vociferous track, such as “Evolution” and “Live Leak,” the constant bass and synths become cacophonic and abrasive, a common pattern on his previous album “A Great Chaos.” Despite the artist trying to experiment with this sound differently, such as incorporating a beat switch on “Diamonds,” Carson’s return to a generic flow over a clashing background drowns him out.
The formulaic repetition and meager experimentation aren’t executed to Carson’s best abilities, and instead leave “More Chaos” as a project defined purely by its sonic mania. The genre switch from rage rap to an autotuned Soundcloud mumble rap style on “Down 2 Earth” is random and a lackluster attempt at venturing out. Bonus track “Off the Meter” feels like an addition to pander to fans, being the first track to feature Opium members Playboi Carti, Destroy Lonely and Carson together. However, Carson’s repetitive verses are overshadowed by Lonely and Carti, namely for their abilities to remain synchronized with the beat while switching up their flow.
Overall, “More Chaos” lives up to its name, pairing laid-back verses with energizing production but falls victim to messy, repetitive mixing that adds a sense of disorder. Carson would have a more concise and furbished project if the album’s size had been halved, cutting back the screeching filler and fluff. Still, with the project being Carson’s first album to chart at number one for album sales, it’s clear his unique delivery on punk-rock and rap won’t conceal any chaos in his time to come.
RATING: 2.5/5
