Review Score:

B+

July 11 / 2025 –

Blush is a strange project. The first teaser I heard from it was “Geezer,” in a video uploaded to Kevin Abstract’s YouTube channel. Abstract and Dominic Fike both playfully rap and sing over a vintage guitar lick while sitting in the front seat of a car, with a POV that almost implies you’ve been kidnapped. But rather than taking you to a second location, the boys just want to sing their little song about small-town nobodies.

The “Geezer” teaser would lead you to believe this was a collab album with Fike. And it is, in part. But really, Blush is another musical collective assembled by Kevin Abstract, with faces new and old. Danny Brown, JPEGMafia, Ameer Vann, Love Spells, and Quadeca all make prominent appearances, along with some new (to me) faces: Sekou, DERBY, Truly Young, Drigo, roro, SoGone, Makana XO, Diego, E Bleu – and if I missed anyone, I’m sorry, but good lord, this is a packed project.

I missed the boat on Brockhampton. It passed me by, and even though I know I’d probably like their discography, I haven’t committed to listening to the whole thing front to back. Rather, I’ve been working in reverse – listening to projects from Abstract and Matt Champion post-Brockhampton breakup. I know that’s the wrong way to do it. But it’s necessary context, as any kind of Brockhampton nostalgia eludes me.

So, as I began to listen to this album from start to finish, I found a lot to like. Many of these tracks stayed on rotation, and those that didn’t stick with me initially began to grow on me. All of this is to say that my initial reaction is: I enjoyed this project. But it’s really less of an album than it is a hodgepodge of ideas. Nowhere is that more evident than in the list of writers, performers, and producers, which is extensive. Kevin Abstract’s name is on the cover, but his role here is something closer to organizer than performer. He doesn’t appear on every track, and when he does, it’s often between features from other artists.

The album’s highlights are generally the songs with fewer cooks in the kitchen. In fact, Quadeca is really the standout on Blush. “Abandon Me” is one of the best songs I’ve heard this year – it’s written, performed, and produced solely by Quadeca. “Danny’s Track” is written and performed by Brown. And while it has three producers, that’s actually on the lower end here, as credits range anywhere from one to ten.

These expansive, feature-heavy songs have their moments. But really, that is to say that I like moments more than I like full songs. “Pop Out” is the busiest of these tracks. Love Spells, who shines on the project overall, performs the opening verse. Later in the track, Drigo and E Bleu sleepwalk through their verses. “Pop Out” is a microcosm of the album as a whole: some high highs, but the lows – while not terrible – pale in comparison to the genuinely great material.

The same is true of something like “Girlfriend.” The track builds slowly. Kevin’s flow is solid and really clicks into place after the drums come in during Truly Young’s verse. But bridging the gap between those is another lackluster Drigo verse.

I suppose it seems like I’m being more negative than positive, when the opposite is true of the album itself. Tracks are more forgettable than they are poor in quality. All in all, this is an ambitious project from Kevin Abstract, who continues to subvert expectations with each new album. It hits more than it misses, and when it hits, it hits hard.

Review Score:

B+

Gubb wrote this review. You can’t get mad at Gubb.