Ab-Soul's "These Days" Is Finally Here: Our Review

Ab-Soul's highly anticipated album "These Days" has finally arrived. After months of back and forth and impatience from both Ab-Soul and his fans the album is finally here and it surely does not disappoint.

The album is full of darkness, mystery, songs that will rattle your trunk and some that will not only stimulate but twist your mind.

'God's Reign' featuring Top Dawg Entertainment's SZA kicks off the album with a smooth beat and those mystical lyrics that fans have been looking forward too.

The Black Lip Pastor speaks of his early days from the lows of his girlfriend dying to the highs of being rich.

The song is all about the scale that is life where the positive things that happen come with negatives, "This is how it is these days/You even lose when you win these days."

'Tree Of Life' is track two and was released to the public and created much of the buzz surrounding this album.

The beat just rides so nicely and it's just one of those success songs where Ab-Soul raps about money, success and the fact that it is now his turn to shine amongst TDE and the Black Hippy crew.

'Hunnid Stax' featuring Schoolboy Q is one of the tracks highlight by Empty Lighthouse when it was released to the public.

It is a straight up song about money with a hook from Mac Miller, though he is not credited as a feature, as well as a sample from Lana Del Rey's 'National Anthem.' It is a hype song for sure and having Q on the track will enhance that idea even more.

Ab-Soul released a good portion of the album, which could prove to be a very useful tactic, as fans that really appreciate him as an artist will buy the album either way.

'Dub Sac' was another track previously released and it follows along the same line with 'Hunnid Stax' and 'Tree Of Life' with more of a smooth smoke and drive feel, think of it as replacing a money with a "green substance."

Lupe Fiasco has been working with Ab-Soul lately and 'World Runners' is a product of the two minds coming together.

Nikki Jean is also featured on the song being well known for features on almost every Lupe Fiasco album.

The song is all about not waiting for things to come for you and being ahead of the game at all times.

'Nevermind That' is one of he stand out tracks as Ab-Soul teams up with Rick Ross for this smooth ode to being real, from really taking the drugs you rap about, to getting all the women and hanging out with real killers and gangs.

Through most breaks Ab-Soul just says "Nevermind that baby just move your body," as if to say all he cares about is the woman in front of him.

'Twact' is a track all about getting "turnt up," drinking and smoking. The west coast beat is complimented well by features from Jinx and Short Dawg.

Ab-Soul talks about having "lean" in his styrofoam cup and even pays homage to Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh by ending the song with a quick recital of the hook from 'La Di Da Di.'

Ab-Soul just has some fun on 'Just Have Fun' talking about doing drugs but not letting drugs do you.

In a high state he recollects following through The Beatles' 'Strawberry Fields.' From the start the song is quite fast pace but breaks down to reveal and softer side of Ab-Soul, The track contains an old school church vibe in the breakdown, as he speaks about opening up the power of the mind and embracing the "third eye" since he himself struggles with his eyesight.

In 'Kendrick Lamar's Interlude' Lamar repays Ab-Soul for 'Ab-Soul's Outro' that was featured on Kendrick Lamar's first album "Section.80." This is one of the standouts as Ab-Soul says, "if I ain't better than Kendrick, then nobody is then," a statement that holds so much meaning as the two have been friends and friendly competitors from the beginning of their careers. The jazz beat gives you the feel of a hot summer in N.Y. or L.A. hanging out the window of an urban area listening to the sounds of the streets. Towards the end the narrator from Section.80 is featured briefly to enlighten those who may not have noticed this continuation from the album to 'These Days.'

'Closure' is a touching track as Ab-Soul opens up about life without Alori Joh, his girlfriend who committed suicide.

He says he wishes she didn't like him and reveals possibility of him having relief from another girl who helped him through Joh's passing and hopes that he can return the favor one day.

'Sapiosexual' is an explicit song about sex and illustrates very raw and hardcore sexual acts while Ab-Soul also says "lemme f*** your mind," showing that he not only wants to connect sexually but mentally as well.

'Stigmata' was released two weeks ago and features Action Bronson and Asaad. The song speaks of Ab-Souls rebirth as an artist.

He also shouts out to iTunes who has allowed him to spread his music even further and references Nas' 'The Cross' that according to RapGenius.com is one of his favorite songs.

After Schoolboy Q and Kendrick Lamar both made appearances on the album, Jay Rock became the last member featured in 'Feeling Us,' a song about success and how it is paying off since TDE and Black Hippy have gained so much buzz from being very credible rappers who have taken the hip-hop game by storm as of recent.

For 'Ride Slow' Ab-Soul has enlisted Danny Brown and Delusional Thomas (Mac Millers alter-go) to create one of the most haunting and completely trippy songs on the entire album. This track sounds like a song right out of a horror movies' soundtrack.

The darkness is perfectly executed as Danny Brown references Cypress Hill's 'Insane In the Membrane' while Ab-Soul references Tupac's 'Hail Mary.' The darkness is illustrated with acts of violence and Danny Browns crazy style of rapping.

'W.R.O.H' is the final track produced by JMSN, an R&B artist and producer who has worked very closely with Ab-Soul. The two were rumored to have a joint album but speculation has simmered down since.

The track is an astounding 23 minutes long, with the first four being an actual song and the remainder a genius acapella freestyle battle between Ab-Soul and Daylyt that should almost be illegal.

The only way to experience the incredible punch lines and real bars is to listen to it in its entirety.

The album while moving in a different direction from "Control System," is still incredibly crafted and the content and quality of lyrics is top notch. Ab-Souls' "These Days" was well worth the wait and fans are sure in for a treat.

The album will stimulate your mind and even cause you to take mental pauses.

You can download "These Days" from iTunes right now.