New York rapper A$AP Rocky continues to ‘test’ the listeners on his new, brief, and groovy Tame Impala-fueled single, “Sundress.”  

A$AP Rocky certainly did ‘test’ his fan base with his third studio album, TESTING.  TESTING had its fair share of moments, but personally, the album didn’t quite match the quality of his previous efforts, Long.Live.A$AP (2013) and At.Long.Last.A$AP (2015).  As the old saying goes, “you win some, you lose some.” Regardless, the New York rapper has returned with a brief new single, “Sundress.”

A$AP Rocky, Testing | Album Review 💿

Safe to say, “Sundress” is another example of A$AP Rocky ‘testing.’  First of all, it is important to understand where the source of this particular record comes from.  A Tame Impala song, “Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind?” is sampled, giving “Sundress” it’s unusual, left-of-center sound.  At first, it’s a bit off-putting, but after a while, it sounds a bit more natural to the ear.  Arguably, the first half of the song is totally bizarre, yet, the chorus is undeniably infectious:

“I guess you feel into the wrong hands, yeah

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

And now you’re F-in’ with the wrong man, man

Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah.”

The second verse makes much more sense in regards to A$AP Rocky artistically, finding him drop more traditional bars. Had the entire song embraced the normalcy of the second verse and beyond, it would’ve been a more comfortable listening experience.  Focusing on the bars that Rocky spits, he doesn’t say anything we haven’t already heard.

Final Thoughts

The first time I heard “Sundress,” I honestly wandered WTF I was listening to. I liked aspects, but found myself totally thrown off by others. The second time it was less bizarre, but still unusual.  I say all that to say, “Sundress” is a tough record to evaluate and likely, will either fall on the positive extreme for those who love it and ‘Stan’ for A$AP Rocky, or perhaps be utterly panned.  From my perspective, it’s creative, and there’s something there.  I see the potential for “Sundress” to grow on me, but it’s not completely winning me over just yet.

A$AP Rocky » Sundress [Single] » RCA » Release: 11.20.18

Photo Credits: RCA