Future | Pluto 3D [Explicit Content] | CD

Recording information: 11th Street Studio, Atlanta, GA; Boom Boom Room, Burbank, CA; Chalice Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Triangle Sound Studios, Atlanta, GA.
An Atlanta rapper with ties to OutKast, Future is a true ATLien, mumbling his way through infectious hooks and frequently drenching his vocals in Auto-Tune, not to correct the pitch but to further muddle and murk his delivery. It was the perfect complement for YC's snarky vocals on his hit "Racks," and it made for an excellent centerpiece for "Tony Montana," Future's own mixtape hit that, landing on his official debut here, still sounds like a draggy and dark David Banner cut made with both the syrup sippers and the goth kids in mind. In other words, the man is either "niche" or "limited" depending on your viewpoint, but this scattershot yet uniquely attractive debut does an excellent job of swaying listeners toward "niche" by keeping the guest list purposeful and the production varied. Good luck defining yourself on any track R. Kelly is going to declare his comeback, and yet Future's grand rollout goes from an everyday intro into Kellsville within two tracks, although "Parachute" ("because I am going down on ya") is a true highlight and there's little reason to ease fans into an album that's like a T-Pain-ish circus at half tempo. T.I. and Juicy J offer worthy catch phrases and better choruses on their cuts before the chilled and biographical "Truth Gonna Hurt You" appears like halftime, conveniently splitting the album as the pattern begins again. Breaking up the hooky solo numbers on part two are great Drake, Trae tha Truth, and Snoop Dogg features, and by the end of it all, Future comes off as a memorable name in spite of his narrow style. Pluto is fat and redundant at 15 tracks, but it delivers whenever you desire that purple and woozy, Cudi-meets-Khalifa flavor. ~ David Jeffries

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop
• Released: 11/27/2012