Virgo World

Long Island rapper Lil Tecca broke through to mainstream stardom with his 2019 single "Ransom," a two-minute song so catchy it nearly demanded repeat listens. Tecca's muted flow on "Ransom" was quickly expanded into his 2019 mixtape We Love You Tecca, and on debut studio album Virgo World, he aims to re-create the beguiling mix of effortless cool and neatly constructed pop production that first brought him viral success. Now among the ranks of multi-million-streaming rappers, Lil Tecca is joined by peers like NAV, Lil Durk, Lil Uzi Vert, and Polo G over the course of Virgo World's 19-song, 45-minute-long track listing. Songs with guest features represent the album's strongest moments. "When You Down," featuring Lil Durk and Polo G, finds Tecca putting forth his own version of the pained, storytelling rapping that his guests excel at. The spacy synths and blissful bounce of "Dolly" similarly sound like Tecca emulating his guest Lil Uzi Vert. Throughout the album, the instrumentals are polished and the production is sharp, with Tecca's infectiousness coming through in his fluid flow on "Royal Rumble" and the catchy hooks of the Skrillex-assisted "Selection." ~ Fred Thomas