A tribute to and celebration of Carol City, the Miami Gardens neighborhood that's home to Denzel Curry. ZUU is the 4th album from the young rapper, and Curry himself puts it best: "ZUU is all Miami." The opener/title track sets the tone, and what unveils throughout the 12-tracker is a detailed picture of South Florida, the good, the bad, but most importantly, the real. Curry can rap, as he's proved on his previous projects, especially the excellent Ta13oo of 2018. His dextrous, spitfire bars stay front and center, and the forward-thinking beats, courtesy of Australian production team FnZ, help Curry navigate the rich musical/rap tapestry of Miami: "raised off Trina, Trick, Rick, and Plies." And the tracks certainly pick up on the city's signature big-bass tradition; straight bangers, but with substance, as records like "RICKY," which chronicles Curry's upbringing, or "BIRDZ," detailing the Miami street life and featuring Rick Ross, showcase. Other highlights include "AUTOMATIC," "P.A.T." (insane flow switch-ups!), "BUSHY B INTERLUDE" (interlude but could have been a full song!), and "WISH" featuring Kiddo Marv. 2023 repress on indie exclusive green and red speckled vinyl.

• red & green speckle colored vinyl
• indie exclusive
• gatefold sleeve
• original release year: 2019
• music label: Loma Vista 2023

reviewed by singing in japanese 08/2019