October in Singles

1. Something Is Happening And I May Not Fully Understand But I’m Happy To Stand For the Understanding — André 3000

Rapper and musician André 3000’s latest single, “Something Is Happening And I May Not Fully Understand But I’m Happy To Stand For the Understanding,” is as much a mouthful as it is a mind-trip—a sprawling, 26-minute soundscape that feels like being trapped in an ambient rainforest where synths pulse, chimes glisten, voices speak in unintelligible tongues, and woodwinds flutter in unpredictable breezes. Released on Transa: Selects, an EP for Red Hot Org dedicated to raising awareness for transgender rights, the track joins contributions from artists like Sade, Sam Smith, and Beverly Glenn-Copeland. The expansive length of “Something Is Happening” provides ample room for the former Outkast member to experiment with textures and layering, blending the natural sounds of water dripping, a subtle throbbing bass, and meditative, ASMR-esque human breathing and murmuring. About two-thirds of the way through, André 3000’s voice makes an appearance—though it’s so pitched, warped, and distorted, it’s more of a cryptic vocal cameo and less of a bar-heavy verse one would expect. Following the direction of his unexpected 2023 ambient jazz record New Blue Sun, André’s shift toward a more avante-garde style further cements his evolution as an artist beyond rapping. Even with “Something Is Happening,” he offers a word that might feel elusive, untranslatable, and unable to be understood; yet, as the title suggests, he invites listeners to experience a unique understanding—one that is deeply felt within, if not easily defined.

1. ROCKMAN — Mk.gee

New Jersey native Michael Gordon, known by stage alias Mk.gee, returns with his latest single, “ROCKMAN,” a track that deepens his signature vocal layering and disjointed production to a point. The song’s minimalist instrumentation is striking, built upon a faint 808 drum pattern and grungy, arpeggiating guitars, creating a spacious soundscape that allows Gordan’s vocals to take center stage. His delivery has this Sting-esque quality, particularly in its dynamic, emotive range, but the sparse backdrop at times feels like it’s struggling to keep up with the weight of his voice. While the barebones arrangement gives the song a vulnerable, intimate feel, it occasionally teeters on the edge of emptiness, lacking the energy, memorability, and contemporary bite of Gordon’s previous work, such as his debut studio album Two Star & The Dream Police (2024). After multiple melancholic verses and choruses, the track concludes with an eagle’s screech, leaving an unresolved tension that lingers in the air. Overall, “ROCKMAN” is a pleasant listen, but not much more.

1. STILL IN THE PAINT — Denzel Curry, LAZER DIM 700, Bktherula 

“STILL IN THE PAINT” anticipates Denzel Curry’s solo album King of the Mischievous South (2024), a completed version of his summer release King of the Mischievous South Vol. 2 (2024). It retains the defining characteristics of KotMSV2’s style: loud, triumphant trap beats that match the aggressive energy of Curry’s quick, smacking raps. The track is peppered with tributes to Waka Flocka’s “Hard in Da Paint” (2009), which its title derives from; producer Charlie Heat samples the track’s hook, and Curry reuses some of Flocka’s lyrics. Curry’s delivery is powerful and technical, but it lacks lyrical substance; like in other tracks on KotMSV2, he repeats boastful bars (“I hang in the trenches with my partners countin’ skrilla (Pow, pow, pow, blrrt)”) that lack the political undertones and emotional complexities present in past projects like Imperial (2016) and Melt My Eyez See Your Future (2022). The track’s features from LAZER DIM 700 and Bktherula reiterate that quality, but their flows never falter. There’s a fun novelty to LAZER—an artist synonymous with raw and experimental plugg instrumentals—rapping over a more conventional rap beat, but he doesn’t feel out of place; his trademark rapid, spitting flow fits the track’s fast-paced ambiance. Similarly to Curry, Bktherula’s vocals adhere to the beat’s rhythm; eventually, she even adjusts her voice’s pitch to match that of the instrumental. Ultimately, “STILL IN THE PAINT” is a hard-hitting standalone track, but it’s also a reminder of the flaws that hampered KotMSV2’s overall effectiveness as an album—flaws that will likely continue into its completed version’s release.

4. Thick Of It — KSI, Trippie Redd

KSI’s “Thick Of It” may be the song that defines the rest of 2024. The now infamous bar “From the screen, to the ring, to the pen, to the king” has been reused all over Instagram reels; the song itself has become the subject of a series of disparaging internet memes involving the Talk Tuah podcast and Mr. Beast’s children’s lunch product, Lunchly. The overwhelming attention (hate) it has received is wholly deserved. The track lacks artistic merit. The beat is a generic, outdated pop instrumental—even though it’s supposed to be a rap song. KSI’s lyrics are bland and, for lack of a better word, stupid. He raps, “I’m in my prime, and this ain’t even final form,” a double entendre that exudes undeserved braggadocio while including a product placement for his subpar energy drink product, Prime. The track’s only semi-redeeming quality is a verse from Trippie Redd that has some semblance of a flow—but even Trippie can’t save this one.