Don Toliver has announced that his forthcoming album Hardstone Psycho will be dropping on June 14. While there are very few details regarding the tracklist, features, and general content of the project, fans are already excited about a myriad of possibilities. Hardstone Psycho will serve as a follow-up effort to Don Toliver's 2023 album Love Sick. While many fans appreciated Love Sick upon release, the album failed to leave a truly memorable mark on the hip hop world, meaning there's a bit of pressure on Don to deliver a classic with Hardstone Psycho. Regardless, here are five things that fans would be overjoyed to see on Don Toliver's new album this summer.
5. Features From Kali Uchis
Don Toliver and Kali Uchis have been a romantic item for over four years, which may surprise some fans. In fact, Kali recently gave birth to Toliver's first child, linking the pair for the foreseeable future. Given that the couple share such a strong bond, it would only make sense to see Kali Uchis popping up in a few key placements on Don Toliver's latest album. The couple have previously collaborated on songs such as "Fantasy," "4 Me," and "Drugs N Hella Melodies."
The existing promotional material for Hardstone Psycho points to the project exhibiting themes of personal vulnerability combined with hard-edge trap bangers. Both of these musical styles seem like the perfect backdrop for the musical power couple, especially now that they share a child together.
4. A Few Festival Bangers
Like the other signees of Travis Scott's Cactus Jack outfit, Don Toliver has made a name for himself off his festival appeal. The 29-year-old vocalist has garnered a reputation for delivering electrifying sounds that stir up crowds, and Hardstone Psycho's June release makes it ideal for a few Summer anthems. With any luck, Don Toliver's upcoming album will have at least 2 or 3 contenders for song of the Summer, even if they do have to compete with smash hits like Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" or Tommy Richman's "Million Dollar Baby."
3. An Appearance From Travis Scott & Other Hip Hop Icons
As mentioned above, Don Toliver is famously signed to Travis Scott's Cactus Jack imprint, and the pair have collaborated on numerous hit records. Travis holds front-and-center features on each of Don Toliver's previous albums, making it something of a no-brainer for the Houston MCs to continue linking on Hardstone Psycho.
Don Toliver's projects tend to be a bit feature-heavy, meaning there should be plenty of room for acts like James Blake, Nav, Sheck Wes, and other frequent collaborators to jump on the album as well. While Don has shown time and time again that he can carry a record without any assistance, fans would surely love to hear him showcasing his chemistry with a few of his industry friends.
2. Some Deep Emotionally Resonant Crooning
When Don Toliver announced that his forthcoming album would be titled Hardstone Psycho, many fans were a bit confused. After all, many listeners wouldn't describe Toliver's smooth, rhythmic vocals as "psychotic." The confusion cleared up as Don began rolling out the project with several singles and visuals, including the recent track "Attitude."
Apparently, the album is meant to serve as a tribute to Don Toliver's late uncle, who served as a guiding force in Toliver's life before passing away. His uncle was part of a motorcycle gang, hence the imagery and aesthetic used in the "Attitude" music video and subsequent album promo. If Don Toliver follows through on this premise, paying homage to his lost loved ones, we're hoping to hear a few deep and emotional cuts on this album, dotted between the fast-paced party tracks.
1. A Tight, Concise Tracklist
While Don Toliver's skills are certainly appreciated on albums such as Love Sick and Life Of A Don, these albums have been criticized for dragging out their runtime with unnecessary filler. In the modern streaming era, short concise tracklists loaded with non-stop hits tend to perform well, as they provide infinite replayability over time. With any luck, Hardstone Psycho will clock in at only 10-14 tracks, offering a perfect blend of laid-back chill vibes, festival bangers, and emotional deep cuts, without overstaying its welcome. No matter what Don Toliver delivers on his upcoming album, we're sure that his core fanbase will be head over heels for the fresh release. The project has already produced a few hot singles, offering some real promise of the quality of the overall work. Hardstone Psycho drops June 14.