Don Toliver delivers a mix of sounds and styles on his fifth studio album, Octane. 

Toliver recently announced this project and released it only a few weeks later. He is one of the few artists in the rap industry to actually deliver music to his fans soon after announcing it, rather than keeping them waiting forever. 

The album’s name, Octane, is most likely a reference to the fact that his album is high intensity at points and shows his care in crafting his albums. Most of the songs also make call outs to cars, so this is likely another one of the reasons. 

The album is 49 minutes in length and includes 19 songs. Overall, Octane stands out particularly because it feels like Toliver went experimental for most of the album and went heavy on samples. 

Toliver starts off strong with “E85” and a guitar sample from Malcom Todd’s “Chest Pain.” Todd is an artist to keep in mind, as he is making a name for himself. E85 is a type of gas that includes higher amounts of octane, a nice reference by Toliver. 

Toliver’s second song, “Body,” is very catchy right off the bat, with him sampling Justin Timberlake’s hit song, “Rock your Body.” He uses this sample for the intro and repeats the word “body” at the end of every one of his sentences in his bridge and choruses.

“Rendezvous” follows up with a catchy melody and features Yeat. Toliver and Yeat performed a joint set at Summer Smash last year and are definitely a solid duo. Yeat sings rather than rapping, making for a nice chorus.

“Long Way to Calabasas” slows things down later in the album and sounds like Toliver’s signature style.

Some more notable songs include “Rosary,” which features Travis Scott, “All the Signs,” featuring Teezo Touchdown, and “Gemstone”. Scott and Toliver have collaborated many times before, as they are both on the Cactus Jack Label. To no surprise, they flow perfectly together, and any time they collaborate it is a success. 

“Sweet Home” is the perfect song to end the album and it ties everything together nicely. Toliver’s flow and adlibs work harmoniously together. The beat nicely mixes drums and bass together as well.

Ultimately, Toliver has released a really well put together album. From the various samples to the multiple features, Octane is a very solid piece in Toliver’s discography.