Ultra 85 by Logic | Album Review
A Surreal Concept That Was Perfectly Implemented On A Long-Awaited 9th Album
LISTEN TO Ultra 85: SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
In the last 2 years, Logic has been extremely consistent and striking with his releases. Hailing from Maryland, Logic is an accomplished American artist who excels as a producer, rapper, and singer. Since 2009, he has been consistently on it, except for a brief retirement in 2020, which lasted under 500 days.
Coming back to 2024, it is safe to say that Logic entered his 2nd prime. By sticking to a more traditional jazz hip-hop production style, Logic created some of his most impressive work with Vinyl Days and College Park. His pursuit of this aesthetic became his new go-to structure in terms of the soundscape that worked pretty well for him.
However, after an astonishing seven-year development period, Ultra 85 seems to be Logic’s farewell album, while also marking his potential comeback to the mainstream music scene.
With a fresh approach and sound, the artist stepped away from his early days aesthetic and focused on the creation of a blockbuster prequel album to The Incredible Story.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into what worked and what didn’t work on Logic’s Ultra 85.
As soon as I heard the record, my first impression was: damn, he worked hard on this, didn’t he? From the very beginning, you can witness the “reported extensive work” on a record, and this impression will stay with you until the end.
Album seems much more consistent, and cohesive than anything Logic has ever put out. Looking back at his previous work at College Park, the skits and the overall experience he crafted around the record seemed tiring rather than captivating, but it seems like he has achieved a better equilibrium in this case.
The cosmic atmosphere feels both open and dynamic, and with the artist’s active involvement in every little detail from skits to tracks, you get one of the best, if not the best Logic project.
In Ultra 85, the artist presents a broad array of sounds, showcasing various sub-genres. From the hip-house vibes of “Fear” to the rock-infused tracks like “In Retrospect”. However, it is in the aspect of jazz and conscious hip-hop that Logic truly shines on.
Known for his lyrical prowess, Logic truly hits the peak here. Exploring personal growth, reflecting on the past, and imparting life lessons are all elements that contribute to the creation of Ultra 85. It feels as if this record captures his truest and most reflective essence. His storytelling doesn’t come across as clichéd or worn out, but inviting and surreal. Drawing you into these otherworldly landscapes, Logic conveys a deep sense of honesty and sincerity.
Despite me not usually being big on lyrics, and having a low passing bar, I’m quite impressed with a lyrical aspect of the record.
His execution here feels right on the spot, as his rapping excellently compliments the production and grabs your attention instantly. It’s hard to say that he is playing it safe here; instead, he appears to be incredibly thorough in his approach.
The record could be perceived as slightly bloated, especially considering its lengthy duration of 1 hour and 17 minutes. However, if we were to remove anything from this track list, it wouldn’t have the same impact. With Logic’s charisma and contagious energy, he effortlessly pulls you into the song, and regardless of its duration, his technical abilities will leave you impressed.
Ultra 85 is a bunch of old Logic’s great ideas that he can finally implement. It is a concept album that Logic made interesting and captivating. His use of loops, samples, and flips in this production creates a seamless resonance that works equally well in the full context or separately.
I love this record. It’s hard to find any major flaws in this album, apart from a slightly bloated track list and some songs that seem to drag on just to include skits.
I hope that the record won’t get boring or too old for me super fast, as it naturally happened with Logic’s previous works, but as of right now, I give it an 8.4.
FINAL RATING: 8.4/10 ( GREAT )
FAVORITE TRACKS: “Fear”, “Paul Rodriguez”, “Ghost in the Machine”, “Innerstellar”
LEAST FAVORITE TRACKS: “Gardens III”
Scores guideline:
0–2 (dramatically bad)
2.1–4.5 (bad)
4.6–6 (mediocre/mid)
6.1–6.9 (Ok)
7–7.5 (good)
7.6–8.6 (great)
8.7–9.9 (amazing)
10 (perfect)
