The trap lord has returned to his throne. UZ is back with a new project aptly title The Rebirth. The 9 track album is the final piece of UZ’s Rebirth, which included a new mask and a tour (which he is currently on) of the same name. With this release, UZ manages to both return to his roots and explore new territories. It packs the hard-hitting and stripped down energy of his iconic Trap Shit series while continuing to push forward. Like many of his works prior, The Rebirth illustrates what peak trap sounds like and serves as a reminder that the genre is as strong as ever.
The project is well sequenced with each song playing a part in the overall experience. ‘Mad’ opens with a slow-burning, cinematic soundscape. It ramps up anticipation to a pinnacle before bringing in the deep bass and 808s. It hits, but with a reserved knock. It’s crisp and clean but tells you not to get ahead of yourself…just yet. ‘Rebirth’ contains a similar dramatic vividness, but it’s enhanced with chants and spiritual bass pads. Deep sub-bass and bent chants explode against precision percussion for a stellar standout.
‘Leave It’ sees the first introduction of proper vocals with Rome Fortune rapping over a menacing bass heavy backing. Rome floats over the beat with ease adding a deeper layer to the overall sound and laying down a simple hook that’ll be going around in your head all day. ‘Futon’ feels like ‘Trap Shit v50’. It’s simple, hypnotic and devastating. It’s assured to be a favorite for early UZ fans. Bok Nero & Macntaj appear on ‘Flash’ & ‘Click’ respectively. In both instances the rappers set the stage, adding hype and swagger until UZ assaults your senses with booming drops. Raw horns, gun shots, grunts, 808s, and yak yak yak’s are layered on the Binks assisted ‘Hollow.’ It sounds like trap so authentic, I half expected to hear a “Damn son, where’d you find this” sprinkled over it.
For the final two tracks UZ takes a bit of a different direction. While ‘Cray’ easily fits the vibe of The Rebirth sonically, it sees UZ connecting with a number of Asian rappers with the bulk of the song not being in English. Fans of 88 Rising are sure to love this, but even if Asian rap isn’t your forte, it undeniably slaps. For the finale UZ completely switches the vibe, collaborating with Nevve for ‘Castle.’ The production is understated, instead opting to make Nevve’s beautiful voice the focus. The emotional sound pales in comparison to the rest of the project but still manages to retain UZ’s DNA throughout.
UZ’s The Rebirth is a strong statement and reminder that UZ is still the king of the trap game. At 9 tracks it gives you just enough of what you need, while making you desire more. It’s an approach more electronic artists should take while crafting albums. UZ overcomes the sophomore slump with a project that actually outdoes his debut Layers. The Rebirth is a genre-defining effort that reminds us what trap is and what it can be. It’s not overproduced, or trying to be something more than it is. UZ has brought that Trap Shit back, sprinkled in some rap and it’s never sounded better. Stream the full project below.
