JUNGLE RULES

Audio Mixer: Jaycen Joshua. Photographer: Koury Angelo. Less than a year after the unfortunate rollout of what was supposed to be his sophomore LP, MC4, rapper French Montana returned with his second official album, Jungle Rules. Much like MC4 -- which was eventually issued as a mixtape -- Jungle Rules is packed with high-profile guests and boasts 18 tracks of varied hip-hop that finds the Bronx emcee dabbling in sounds that might find their way onto a Weeknd or Drake album. The guest features add an impressive wow factor and provide many of the highlights. Rae Sremmurd's Swae Lee elevates the tropical dancehall "Unforgettable," a summery jam that borrows directly from the Drake handbook, while Pharrell Williams helps Montana nail the throwback spirit on "Bring Dem Things," which features vocals by the Kid Daytona on a track that resurrects the early aughts. Travis Scott, Quavo, and Future bring the trap to Jungle Rules, but Young Thug takes the crown on the booming "Black Out." Among the trap, Montana takes a few chances with haunting atmospherics, like on the album opener "Whiskey Eyes," which features Chinx and the gorgeous vocals of British singer Fe, and throbbing standout "She Workin," on which Marc E. Bassy lends his silky voice. On the six tracks where Montana rides solo, he showcases his own skills well enough. The best of the lot, "Famous," is a nice switch from the rest of the album, once again channeling Drake (this time, opting for the Canadian's talent for sensitive emoting set to an addictive beat). There's something here for everyone, whether it's woozy trap, Drake-style hip-pop, or even a few nostalgia trips. ~ Neil Z. Yeung