OCTANE

Don Toliver continues to refine the sound that's made him one of the most recognizable artists to emerge from Houston in the past decade on his fifth studio effort OCTANE. Across a hefty 18 tracks, he fully leans into his psychedelic trap instincts, delivering an interesting record with some hidden gems.At this length, it's hard to argue that every song is essential. While there aren't many outright misses, OCTANE would have benefited from a tighter edit; cut down to a standard 10 to 13 tracks, it could've been an unskippable. Instead, the tracklist hits a slump towards the end, diluting the overall impact. That said, pulling off a perfectly paced 18-track album is no easy feat, and Toliver does more than enough to keep it respectable. The album's strongest moments come at the very beginning and the end: opener "E85" is an immediate statement, opening with an unexpected sample from Malcolm Todd's "Chest Pain" that fully transcends you into Toliver's world, bringing back some of that HARDSTONE PSYCHO rock instrumentation, with gritty guitar textures cutting through the haze.The "Rock Your Body" sample on "Body," on the other hand, doesn't really land — the production feels awkward, and the melodies forced. Using a Kid Rock sample, "Sweet Home," however, closes the album beautifully; it's wholesome, wistful and nostalgic, leaving you with that familiar feeling you get when the credits roll after a good movie.The album is tonally well-balanced, each track offering a little something different; what some might see as a lack of a defined sound, I hear as range. Slower, vibe-y cuts like "Long Way to Calabasas," "Rosary" and "All the Signs" sit comfortably alongside punchier tracks such as "Excavator," "ATM" and "Call Back." Songs like "Tiramisu" and "Rendezvous" land perfectly in the middle, offering the best of both worlds."Rendezvous" in particular stands out, with Yeat delivering a surprisingly smooth, glitchy vocal performance that meshes well with Toliver's style. And as expected, he and Travis Scott never miss — "Rosary" is sure to be on everyone's late-night driving playlists. Features from Teezo Touchdown, Rema and SahBabii, however, are a bit mid, if not misplaced.OCTANE could've been pushed further in terms of cohesion. The transitions from song to song are fine, but mostly unremarkable. None are bad, but few stand out, leaving the album feeling more like a well-curated playlist than a fully immersive record. One of those few standouts is the way "All the Signs" goes into "Call Back," revealing just how effective a more transition-focused approach could've been.Vocally, Toliver's voice is still gorgeous, with that soulful, robotic tone sharpened over four albums. The Houston lineage registers clearly in every syrupy hook, and his melodic instincts remain elite. The man also knows how to pick a beat, with production highlights coming from Cardo and Honorable C.N.O.T.E., who keep the sound polished and dynamic in a laundry list of contributors that further impede OCTANE's cohesion.One thing's for sure: this is an album made by a man in love, as Toliver embraces softer emotions in his lyrical content (thank you, Kali Uchis). By the final stretch, the record does feel like it's winding down, and you're left empty-handed without one last big peak before the sentimental closer. (Sadly, "TMU" is not a shoutout to my university, despite lyrics about "call[ing] the school.")Still, OCTANE is a well-rounded — and while it may not be flawless, it's another strong entry in a consistently compelling catalogue. His mom called it a masterpiece, and I guess that's all that matters.