At the record’s best, the array of producers, from Saba himself to fixtures like Mejiwahn, FELIX!, cam.yh, and Ben Nartey, keep the atmosphere zippy, like they’re passing [untitled] beat folders back and forth in real time. “don’t be long” and the sputtering beat switch that powers “itachi” nail the exact balance between fleshed-out song and laidback recording session where C0FFEE! thrives. At its worst, the something-for-everyone aesthetic skirts into songs being little more than glorified demos. “supplier interlude,” gorgeous as it sounds, is a passing idea more fit for an Instagram Live leak than an album. It’s fitting that “LOOKING FOR PARKING,” the worst offender here, is in the middle of the tracklist, because it feels like filler, a half-finished idea taking up space. It’s also telling that “Today Years Old,” the best song here, is also among the most developed—it sounds ripped from the CARE FOR ME sessions, which makes several other tracks pale in comparison musically.
That said, these nitpicks aren’t enough to blow a tire. C0FFEE! is clearly a transitional stopgap, one for Saba and team to cleanse their palette and play with old and new sounds. I’m fascinated by the decision to not only record in a car, but to set so many of the stories being told in cars: police drug searches at the border, first romances, cold winter mornings where the heater is your only solace. There aren’t the same grand aspirations as on earlier albums, but after you’ve bared your soul so many times, even comfort and relaxation offer opportunities for reflection.
