A Great Chaos

The Atlanta-born artist and Playboi Carti disciple (he’s signed to Carti’s Opium imprint) steps out from the limelight of his mentor, establishing his own vision that stands out in Atlanta’s always evolving scene. Distorted synths and rumbling drums provide the backdrop for Carson’s futuristic croons, which are affected by layers of Auto-Tune and digital manipulation. If Outkast were the original aliens out of the ATL, Ken Carson is a cyborg, reprogramming the city to sound like Young Thug soundtracking <i>Blade Runner</i>. Lyrically, Carson reflects on struggles, successes, anger, heartbreak, trauma and more. From the song titles alone, it’s clear that <i>A Great Chaos</i> is a deeply personal effort. “Fighting My Demons” and “Paranoid” reflect the bad, but “Rockstar Lifestyle” provides an ample turn-up moment. The album ends with “i need you”, a metallic, bass-heavy ode to true love that finds Carson stripping the window dressing and revealing his rawest self: “Like oxygen, without you, baby girl, I can't breathe.”