21-year-old Atlanta MC Bktherula recently released her latest full-length LP LVL5 P2. The project serves as one of her most ambitious outings yet following her mixtape LVL5 P1, which she released in February of 2023. In the four years that she has been releasing music professionally, the Warner Music Group signee has amassed over 1 million monthly Spotify listeners, with many surely flocking to LVL5 P2 with joyous anticipation. The album spans 13 tracks disbursed over 31 minutes, and includes a pair of well-placed features from the likes of Cash Cobain and JID. Here's a brief overview of Bktherula's latest project, as well as a review of the material therein.
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LVL5 P2 Brings Trippy Glitch-Hop Production
As soon as the album opens, fans can tell that LVL5 P2 is no run-of-the-mill trap outing. On the opening track, aptly titled "Code," Bktherula offers crackling glitchy synth pads and buzzing bass lines, which make the track feel like you've been transported inside a computer to engage in a shoot-out with a malicious virus. BK's dissonant, sometimes arrhythmic rapping is reminiscent of other abstract artists such as RXK Nephew, and her lyrical content clashes interestingly with the soundscape of the song.
This trend continues through the following few tracks, with outings such as "Nun," "Tatti," and "Boi" each focussing on Bktherula exploring themes of self-empowerment and sexual liberation. In these songs, BK raps about stealing women from the less popular people around her and being unable to remain satisfied with one partner, resulting in her frequently hiding her phone and engaging in trysts. These themes continue throughout the album, being frequently referenced through the full run-time.
A Bit Too Repetitive
Unfortunately, Bktherula's lyrical content sometimes repeats itself, causing some tracks to fade into the background. While the 21-year-old femcee undoubtedly possesses great talent, listeners can only hear someone boast about stealing their girl so many times before it becomes monotonous. Tracks like "Shakin It," "Wishuwasdacrew," and "Insane" showcase Bktherula effortlessly gliding on the beat, offering an enjoyable listening experience. However, these tracks fail to explore new lyrical territory on the record, suggesting that merging them into one track while discarding the other two could have been a better approach.
The track "Crayon" sees Bktherula doing her best Playboi Carti impression, which sounds delightful, but makes listeners want to tune in to Whole Lotta Red more than it makes them want to continue listening to LVL5 P2. Likewise, JID steals the show so hard with his lyrically-verbose guest appearance on "Woman" that it inspires listeners to turn the album off and switch to a full-length JID project. "Woman" is easily the stand-out track on the album, with BK providing an excellent vocal performance of her own, despite the fact that she can't hold a candle to JID's impeccable rhymes.
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The Album Ends On A High Note
Despite the problems with LVL5 P2, Bktherula managed to end the project on a high note, with the thematically focused "Racks Up." The final track offers a well-written and concise exploration of the themes that plague the entire album, such as infidelity, trust issues, and struggling to find a partner who can adjust to BK's fast-paced lifestyle of fame, riches, and nationwide tours.
At the end of the day, each track on this record has merit, but Bktherula's inability to diversify her range of topics on LVL5 P2 makes it a repetitive listen, even with its brief run-time. Your best bet with this album is likely to pick a handful of songs to add to your playlist, rather than running back the full project multiple times.
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