Destroy Lonely Refines His Signature Style On “Love Lasts Forever” Album

Destroy Lonely is an Opium artist through and through. He’s cut from the same cloth as his label boss, Playboi Carti, but he has managed to carve out his own lane. Lonely’s music is cloudier than Carti’s, with more of an emphasis on melody. Well, easier on the ear melodies, at least. The rapper’s second album, Love Lasts Forever, has arrived, and it bears this knack for melody out. Destroy Lonely manages to hold down 21 tracks with only two features, and provide a varied exploration of his sound. “Forever,” the intro, is a surprisingly pop-friendly excursion. It mashes up synths and Autotune with a mid-song beat switch that goes deceptively hard.

The rest of Love Lasts Forever is fun of these fun surprises. Lil Uzi Vert hopes on a propulsive, tribal sounding pattern on “Love Hurts.” Destroy Lonely sounds utterly hypnotic over the lean-drenched beat to “Pimp Talk.” It sounds like “Still Tippin” updated for Gen Z in the best possible way. The album does run into the flaw of most 20 plus song releases, which is that some songs blend into each other. “Pimp Talk” cancels out the need for “Cadillac,” the same way the spectacularly trippy “Extra High” takes the thunder away from the similarly sounding “Honestly.” A shorter version of Love Lasts Forever is likely better, but it’s still a great sophomore outing for Destroy Lonely.

1. Forever
2. Love Hurts (featuring Lil Uzi Vert)
3. Luv 4 Ya
4. Crystal Clear
5. Baby Money
6. Say That
7. Pimp Talk
8. Cadillac
9. Syrup Sippin
10. Lock In
11. Doubt It
12. Wish You Well
13. Ship Her Off
14. Honestly
15. Take a Trip
16. Extra High
17. Amerika
18. Thrill (featuring Ken Carson)
19. About Money (Bonus)
20. No Worries (Bonus)
21. Pass Me the Keys (Bonus)