For a few months now, we've been getting teased by KOTA The Friend with an elite selection of tracks, which included "Backyard," "Birdie." And after much anticipation, the FOTO album is finally here. The 19-track project is simply exquisite and heavily carries the influences of artists like Common, Mos Def and maybe even a bit of Lauryn Hill. It is a smooth body of work, full of hard bars and good vibes. Though the latter was expected considering the few releases we've had this year which were all vouching for the project's overall ambiance.
Moreover, it is fair to say you shouldn't let the boom bap mellow vibes fool you, some of these tracks are packing serious lyrical heat with joints like "Church" and "KOALA." Or perhaps you may prefer to get carried away by slower head-boppers like "Hollywood" and "Chicago Diner." Nevertheless, this body of work is gold, and like a warm bowl of chicken soup on a cold winter day, should be consumed slowly and carefully. Take your time with this and enjoy the ride.
Tracklist
1. Full Bloom (feat. Isa Reyes & Richard Parker)
2. Church
3. Birdie (feat. Hello Oshay)
4. Hollywood
5. Alkaline
6. Sedona
7. Chicago Diner
8. Bagels (feat. Lizzy Ashliegh)
9. Pop's Interlude
10. Solar Return (feat. Saba)
11. Melvin's Interlude
12. Mommy
13. Uncle Cal's Interlude
14. Backyard
15. KOALA
16. Grandpa's Interlude
17. For Colored Boys
18. Good To Be Home
19. FOTO (feat. Hello Oshay)