ATLiens

OutKast are the infamous kings of hip hop duos, who would make some of the most influential and defining hip hop albums in the 90s and 2000s with classic releases like Aquemini, Stankonia and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. But before they breached into the mainstream and started making their major mark on musical history, they released ATLiens, which proposes none of their future innovations and instead ends up being a fairly simplistic 90s boom bap album. The start of the album is sensational, with promising beats that sound lavish and incredible, but as the album goes on it only gets dicier and dicier.

The abundance of dated aspects is insane. There's a chorus on Babylon stripped straight out of the NSYNC formula maker, plus some pretty ropey singing on Growing Old. And to further my grievances, a lot of the songs sound the same especially in the middle and towards the end of the LP. But as said before, the first part of ATLiens is insane. Two Dope Boyz, ATLiens and Jazzy Belle have greatly crafted beats and snappy flows from the boys. If the whole album could sound as great as those handful of good songs at the start, then I'd happily jump on the ATLiens hype train, but sadly it doesn't capture my imagination and interest like Aquemini or Stank does. It's just another 90s boom bap album that I cannot get on properly with.

Favourite Song: ATLiens

Best: Two Dope Boyz, Wheelz of Steel, Jazzy Belle, Wailin'

Worst: E.T.