Following his trio of Top Three collaborative mixtapes with
Young Thug,
Zaytoven, and
Juice Wrld,
Future revisits his
Hndrxx persona with his seventh solo full-length,
Future Hndrxx Presents: The Wizrd. Issued in early 2019, the 20-song set features many of the same sounds and sex-money-drugs lyrics to which fans are accustomed, balancing booming anthems with moments of introspection -- thus consolidating the
Future and
Hndrxx sides from his 2017 personality-splitting releases.
Southside,
Wheezy,
Tay Keith, and
Richie Souf are just a few of the producers who help maintain
Future's hold on addictive trap soundscapes, elevating tracks such as "Jumpin on a Jet," "Crushed Up," "Talk Shit Like a Preacher," and the wild "Faceshot." Navigating through the glut of rumbling-bass anthems, surprises such as the tender (for
Future) "Promise U That" and "Krazy But True" pair sweetly with searching bookends "Never Stop" and "Tricks on Me."
Young Thug and
Gunna guest on the passable "Unicorn Purp," while
Travis Scott slaps his unmistakable charm onto "First Off." Lording above the pack, highlights "F&N" and "Baptiize" hypnotize with urgency and inspired production choices that jolt
The Wizrd to life. Much like
Scott's smash hit "Sicko Mode," the keys to both tracks are mid-song tempo switch-ups that surprise and excite in equal measure, the latter twisting an icy first half into a swirling thrill-ride closer that interpolates
Future's own "Slave Master" from his 2015 effort
DS2. If
Future had simply focused on these standouts,
The Wizrd could be impeccable. However, given its runtime and filler moments, this remains yet another serviceable trap buffet that would benefit from some trimming to maximize impact and allure.