Drake had a lot to say on his new album ICEMAN, which joined two other new projects in HABIBTI and MAID OF HONOUR. The rap-centric tracklist delved into post-2024 beef reflections, personal strife, and perseverant confidence in a way many fans had been begging for. But none of it would've hit as hard if the production on ICEMAN wasn't as consistent, hard-hitting, and sharp as it is.
There are many sonic gems to speak of on this new record. But we chose five of the best in the short hours since its release. With more time, these cuts and others will reveal themselves to be even more compelling and well-crafted.
The album's title already set the tone, and the producers on these credits lived up to that with full force. There are amazing soundscapes for the Toronto superstar's woes and wins, making gritty verses and more casual moments come alive.
"Make Them Cry"
Starting off with the consensus ICEMAN highlight, "Make Them Cry" is a Drake fan's hip-hop dream. It evokes earlier intros like "Tuscan Leather" with its three-part instrumental, but does so with even more cohesion between its separate parts. Percussion begins as crisp, turns dusty, and settles into stark territory by the end, never letting The Boy's flow fall off the rails. Lush sample work in all three parts also goes a long way to make each part feel distinct, whereas the washed-out and hazy production approach across all three helps it all come together. It's cinematic and evocative in the best way, while still emphasizing the OVO mogul's penchant for making the most out of disparate space.
"Little Birdie"
Although this track stands in contrast to most of ICEMAN, "Little Birdie" is one of Drake's most creative artistic fusions on the tracklist. The tempo, pace, and bounce of this track might evoke some of the West Coast-adjacent sounds he fully sought to emulate on "2 Hard 4 The Radio" earlier on the record. But it mixes that energy more compellingly with the 6ix's submerged melodies, ghostly vocal samples, and brooding bass. As such, it feels like more of a statement than just hopping on Kendrick Lamar's home turf for a petty imitation. Instead, it turns that pettiness into something Drizzy makes more of his own. Sadly, his buzzy and warbled vocal treatment on the track does take some of the sting out.
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"Whisper My Name"
"Whisper My Name" is one of Drake's most characteristic beats on ICEMAN, serving as a bit of a summary of the whole project's tone. It meshes trap drums with eerie piano line and a wailing synth line that really amps up the menace in Aubrey Graham's delivery. It's not overly noisy like some moments on the album, and it doesn't lose itself in its space either. Of course, more dramatic string and vocal embellishments as the song goes on also builds this idea in a very gratifying way. It's a great balance between grand scale and minimal simplicity, especially for a tracklist that leans more overtly in either direction on other cuts.
"Make Them Pay"
As for the best sample flip on ICEMAN, Drake lets his pen loose on "Make Them Pay." The sample calling out for freedom doesn't make up a complicated loop, but its simple effectiveness hits that much harder when Drizzy sings along towards the end. There's a generally nostalgic tone here thanks to the piano keys and the boom-bap drums, even if the lyrical venom is still there. It turns some of the reflections on this album from vengeful retorts into more aspirational and earnest statements, letting go of some of the rest of the tracklist's frigid or explosive bravado. It just so happens to be one of the best rapping performances here, and lived up to that weight gracefully.
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"National Treasures"
Finally, "National Treasures" is one of the Drake tracks we heard before ICEMAN via leaks. But that first beat still hits incredibly hard thanks to the lush and spacey synth lead that refuses to escape the mix. The trap drums feel large and impactful as well, and the swirling vocal sample for the beat switch immediately catches your ear. Dramatic and heavy percussion hits help keep the chaos in check, and builds up cathartically to the final beat drop. One of the album's most anticipated cuts fortunately lived up to its potential, and it will probably remain one of the fanbase's beloved favorites.
