On February 14th, you know damn well what I was doing.
Like most singles out there, I found myself doom scrolling through Instagram watching friends or mutuals gush about their significant others on their stories and getting shocked by hard launches that I never would’ve expected. Although it was wholesome seeing these posts and also a little self-deprecating, I didn’t let my self loathing get the best of me. That day I was excited for one thing and one thing only. Our beloved Drake, my favourite rapper of all time, the 6ix god, Champagne Papi or whatever you want to call him, came through for the single gals right in time for a motivation boost with what they needed most: his eighth studio album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U. The day of Cupid couldn’t get any better.
As I was on Facetime with one of my closest friends seconds before the album dropped (shoutout to Rhea), we both saw each other’s live reaction to the album in real time and exchanged glances when every song began. We’d play each song on our own, pause and then debrief every detail of every song after. What a perfect way to spend the night, just me, cozy in my bed, having a listening party on Facetime with one of my best friends. Here’s my honest review of $ome $exy $ongs 4 U.
I’ll be honest, it’s hard for me to ever dislike a Drake album. Growing up in the GTA, I was a diehard Drake fan since I was a teenager, riding with him through 2011 in his Take Care (my favourite album) era to his Nothing Was the Same era in 2013 all the way to Views in 2016 and then finally, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U in 2025. One thing to know is that Drake’s style of music has always remained the same, with his down to earth, hype beats that get the adrenaline and confidence kicking which is what’s got you feeling invincible. Most of Drake’s albums follow a consistent vibe. His album, Take Care, captures a unique blend of moody, hip hop and R&B music, filled with themes like heartbreak, success and loneliness. However, the vibes felt a little inconsistent with this new album. The artists did a good job blending elements of trap, contemporary, funk and R&B music across 21 songs. However in some songs, the transition between a late-night R&B vibe to EDM music seemed a little out of place. CN Tower, Moth Balls and Something About You followed the usual Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR vibe, a smooth late night drive blend of soft, introspective moody R&B and vibe rap. Perfect way to start off the album, especially for our cuffed couples on Valentine’s Day.
Then, as we get deeper and deeper into the album, the music transitions to a more trap, funk and hip-hop vibe. In some of the songs, the transition is seamless. In Nokia, the lyrics match an upbeat Drake vibe, as he pays tribute to the 6ix. Towards the middle, the beats and lyrics transition to a more EDM vibe, where you can’t help but imagine yourself dancing in the middle of the club with your friends, especially when Drake says, “Let me see you dance, let me see you twirl.”
Die Trying, another song on the album and one of my personal favourites, gives me a country vibe, which is quite unusual as the music style is distinct from Drake’s typical sound. The song opens with a sweet guitar riff with a light indie pop tint. The instrumental approach reminded me of Frank Ocean’s Blonde album as the song evokes the same kind of tone and atmosphere. Although they explored a different style of music, Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR still never failed to impress listeners, as they incorporated indie pop music over their typical lyrics, highlighting themes of perseverance and love. Meet Your Padre, comes a close second to personal favorites as it leaves me wanting to actually meet someone’s padre, all while sipping margaritas and salsa dancing on a beach in a resort in Mexico.
All in all, I’ll give the album a solid 7/10 for its ability to merge EDM with soft R&B, indie pop, trap and hip hop. A unique album at its finest. Nokia, however, has got to take the cake for best song on the album, in my humble opinion. The sick whispers at the beginning matched with a loud beat as Drake whispers, “Who’s calling my phone?” has my adrenaline booming. I can definitely picture myself dancing to this sick beat at the club. It’s the perfect hype music when you’re on your zoom at the gym, walking on campus or when you’re driving to meet the homies. If there’s anything I know, it’s that Nokia is definitely going to be the song of the summer and I can already see myself cruising on the highway on my way to pick up my friend as Drake says, “Where the f*** the function?” because where, in fact, is the function?