Kevin Abstract's 'Blush' Is a Heartfelt Homage to Houston
A hometown-inspired LP lifted by a lineup of local artists and close collaborators that reiterates Abstract’s superhuman sonic capabilities.
Kevin Abstract was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, a few hours outside of Houston, where he spent the majority of his adolescence before moving to Georgia. For his fourth solo studio album, Abstract is harkening to the spirit of his hometown for another genre-blurring, needle-pushing album with some of his sharpest storytelling yet.
Blush sounds homegrown, Abstract calling the genre “Texas Pop,” but ultimately defining it as “just music that sounds like home.” With that sentiment stringing through each of the 18 tracks, features come from a handful of local Houston artists like Love Spells, along with a collection of Abstract’s close friends and creative collaborators, including JPEGMAFIA, Danny Brown, Dominic Fike, Ameer Van, and top-to-bottom executive production from Quadeca.
“2024: I was dealing with heartbreak, addiction, and feeling completely lost. Felt myself erasing myself from me. I ain’t even look like me when I looked in the mirror,” Abstract wrote on his alternate Instagram account, @clifford___73, which he began using to roll out the album, sort of acting as a growing moodboard for the project.
“So I left the city I’ve been in since 19 and went back home. Just to see some n*ggas who know me honestly,” he continued, travelling back home to Houston and setting up shop at his friend Boyer’s, where he recorded when he first started making music in middle school.
“No fancy hardware or nothing like that. Just me, a mic, and some feelings I hadn’t said out loud in a while. Outside of the ones I wrote most this record bout. Kiko sent me some beats [...] and somehow, although it is haunting, it turned into something I love. And helped me start to find myself again. We kept making sh*t. That turned into Blush.”
1. Introduction
2. H-Town
3. Copy
4. Danny’s Track
5. Yoko Ono
6. NOLA
7. Post Break Up Beauty
8. 97 Jag
9. Text Me
10. Geezer
11. I Wasn’t There
12. Blush Interlude
13. Maroon
14. Pop Out
15. Doggystyle
16. Girlfriend
17. Bloom
18. Abandon Me
19. Red Light
Stream BLUSH now on all major streaming platforms.
