We are witnessing the dawning of a new age in the artistic journey of Florida hip-hop icon Denzel Curry. The rapper has been forthcoming about the drastic change in style that fans can expect to come from his new release, Melt My Eyez See Your Future. He’s said he wants to shed his alter egos in favor of speaking directly from the heart. On the record, he tackles social issues alongside his deeply troubled introspection.

The album opens with a choir of backing vocals on “Melt Session #1.” A light synth organ picks up with snares and backing piano flourishes. This sets the tone for most of the album, which soaks listeners in a number of jazzy instrumentals. Denzel glides effortlessly over the beat, reflecting on his struggles with friends, romance, stress from work and his mental health. “Walkin” follows suit similarly with a backing tremolo choral melody, light snares and bass.

We hear thumping footsteps and rattling of spurs from cowboy boots. Denzel speaks on issues of class, the desperation that comes from poverty and how these issues feed into a larger cycle of unrest that destroys the mental wellbeing of those affected by it.

“Worst Comes to Worst” is easily the most pessimistic track on the album. Over a grimy old-school beat with prominent snare and scratching, Curry raps about how it seems like society is on the verge of collapse, how we question the viability of our long-term survival, and how it’s pushing people to the brink of their sanity.

JPEGMAFIA and Buzzy Lee (Sasha Spielberg) make an appearance on “John Wayne,” where Curry explores systemic racism in the U.S., citing racial unrest brought on by xenophobic attacks and police brutality in the last few years. Warping, ambient tones lead into a bouncy bass melody on “The Last.” Denzel tackles unrest brought on by homelessness, violence, racism and internet outrage. His conclusion: It’s all feeding the ever-growing fire of the chaotic frenzy taking hold in the States.

The garage-y snares and piano melody pair beautifully with the soul-touching vocals of Bridget Perez on “Mental.” On the song, Denzel dives into the duality of growing older while making timeless music. “Mental” concludes with a powerful spoken word piece by Saul Williams (who also made an appearance on the new Ho99o9 album). Curry collaborator Kenny Beats also returns (following the duo’s 2020 EP, Unlocked). However, he matches the set tone of the album with a cooler instrumental while Denzel and T-Pain rap about others expectations of them when it comes to money.

We also get a star-studded cypher number on “Aint No Way,” with the likes of 6lack, Rico Nasty, J.I.D and Jasiah all performing over an instrumental that goes back and forth between boom-bap to trap. “Angelz” revisits the personal anguish haunting Curry. He feels unfulfilled from his material gains and wealth, contending with the social isolation from the fallings out he’s had with friends.

“Sanjuro,” featuring 454, is a bombastic trap number that sees Denzel Curry affirm his dedication to speaking out for the voiceless members of society. Despite his later dismissal of being seen as “woke,” it doesn’t change how notably conscious he is on Melt My Eyez See Your Future. The ambient, washed-out vocals and tones of “Zatoichi” paint a picture of serenity, but this track is explicit in Denzel’s commitment to uplifting others and enabling social progress. He notes the fleeting nature of life itself as a cause for action.

The album concludes with “The Ills,” which sees him illustrating how his introspection pushes him to take bold artistic strides. It’s a powerful closing thesis, illustrating exactly the reason why Denzel Curry felt it was time for him to take things in a new direction.

Follow editor Tim Hoffman at Twitter.com/hipsterp0tamus.