By SAN AGARWAL
Staff Writer
On October 21^st, the hip hop and rap artist Logic released his first album, Under Pressure — one of the most anticipated albums of 2014. Temporarily reaching #1 on iTunes sales soon after its release, the album is composed of 15 songs, some of which feature Big Sean and Childish Gambino. All of the songs in Under Pressure tell stories from Logic’s life, highlighting events or phases that have shaped Logic not only as a man but also as an artist. Logic portrays his journey through his music, describing how he overcame personal obstacles to accomplish his dreams. Each song also features a unique instrumental rhythm, from slow tunes to upbeat riffs. In my opinion, Under Pressure is the best album released this year; every song surpassed my high expectations.
My favorite song in Under Pressure is “Nikki”, which explains how even though Logic knows his addiction to nicotine is destroying his body, he cannot escape from the addiction. Since the album’s release, however, Logic has announced through his Twitter account that he successfully quit smoking cigarettes, proving the power of expression in his music.
I found Under Pressure especially interesting because it is the first insight listeners have received on Logic’s past struggles. Logic’s ability to convey his emotions about the trauma he has endured, whether it be fighting abuse or helping his sexually harassed sister through her own hardships, is what makes him stand out from other musicians because his fans can relate to him.
I highly recommend everyone, especially those interested in hip hop and rap, to listen to Under Pressure, as its songs are artistically well-presented as well as deep and meaningful. This album has a five star rating on iTunes and sells for $9.99.