More Chaos: Album Review

Ken Carson, a 25-year-old artist from Atlanta, signed to Playboi Carti’s Opium label in mid-2020 as its first official artist. That year, he dropped the Teen X EP, a test for Carti’s core fanbase. The project featured raw vocals and mimicked a vamped-out version of Die Lit.

After Carti’s Whole Lotta Red, Ken released Project X, a teen party-themed debut that gained him early recognition. He later followed with X and A Great Chaos. Ken often structures his albums in pairs, Project X and X feel connected, and More Chaos continues the vision from A Great Chaos. More Chaos spans 22 tracks with almost no features. Unfortunately, despite some highs, it’s his weakest project so far.

The first half suffers from heavy repetition. Many of the first 11 tracks sound nearly identical. “Money Spread” and “Dismantled” stand out, but the overall experience is loud, abrasive, and lacking direction. While that fits the chaotic theme, it comes off more exhausting than engaging.

Things improve with “Down2Earth,” the start of a short “love song” section that adds much-needed variety. The next two tracks feel like filler, but they lead into the long-hyped fan-favorite, “Kryptonite.” It’s the best-mixed song on the album and shows Ken’s range and control when he dials in.

Thankfully, the final stretch saves the project. Tracks like “Psycho,” “Inferno,” “Thx,” and especially “Off The Meter” featuring Destroy Lonely and Playboi Carti, are major highlights. “Off The Meter” brings back Teen X energy and sounds like a vaulted gem from 2021–2022. Ken’s hook is catchy, every artist delivers, and the beat by Outtatown and Starboy is wonderfully addictive with an almost spiritual lead.

In the end, More Chaos is inconsistent. It starts off weak, repetitive, and bloated but finishes extremely strong with a much tighter, more inspired sound. Despite its flaws, the closing stretch shows that Ken still has something to offer, he just needs to sharpen the overall vision.

Rating: 5.5/10