After the largely indifferent reception to last year’s Culture III, it became clear that the rap trio Migos needed to switch things up creatively. But while Only Built for Infinity Links takes a more streamlined approach—literally, as it features just two members of the group, frontman Quavo and nephew Takeoff, which means that an extra verse has effectively been lopped from every track—it’s ultimately just more of the same.
The production team assembled for the album mirrors that of Culture III, with the likes of Buddah Bless, Murda Beatz, and Zaytoven providing the same beats that have populated previous Migos releases. The most egregious of these is Atake and Sluzyyy’s “To the Bone,” a second-rate imitation of “Need It,” sans that track’s ebullient bass loop.
That isn’t to say that this stable of collaborators can’t still turn in richly textured instrumentals, like the Zaytoven-produced “Look @ This,” with its piercing grand piano intro. But these elements are often in service of rather inane ends—in this case lyrics in which Quavo demands that the blind, specifically Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles, admire his extravagant jewelry.
The strongest showings come from longtime collaborator DJ Durel, who helms a pair of back-to-back brass-knuckle heaters that liven up the album’s back end. “Big Stunna” and “Us vs. Them” each have noticeable flaws—namely phoned-in guest spots from Birdman and Gucci Mane, respectively—but their inclusions provide this decidedly unruffled affair with flashes of life.
The vast majority of Only Built for Infinity Links finds both Quavo and Takeoff going through the motions with little to no technical flair, or even much in the way of natural charisma. Their unbothered demeanor is a constant reminder of how much of a non-event the album ultimately is, like the way they listlessly trade bars about putting “a hole in your chest” on “Tony Stark,” or the empty sex brags littered throughout “See Bout It.”
In the absence of Offset, Quavo and Takeoff still adhere to a strict hierarchy of talent: Predictably, the former remains at the top, singing the vast majority of the album’s hooks and leading nearly every song. Since he and Takeoff seem so averse to innovating the Migos sound or style, perhaps a more fitting title for the album would have been Culture 3.5.
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Quavo & Takeoff music always giving me motivation the best musicians ever