Armand Hammer’s WHT LBL is a rap album that wants to sound like it belongs everywhere at once. The record moves between trap production, jazz-influenced loops, and abstract soul, with Hammer rapping over all of it in a dense, conspiratorial style that owes as much to Kendrick Lamar as to any rapper alive today. Thirteen tracks, 36 minutes, and the goal is simple: make an album that feels both urgent and timeless.
It mostly gets there.
Opening With Codex Giga
The album opens with “Codex Giga,” a track that sets the tone immediately. It’s a slow, hypnotic build, with Hammer’s voice drifting over a sample-heavy loop that recalls classic East Coast hip-hop. The song doesn’t rush anywhere, and that patience pays off. It’s the kind of opener that tells you this is not a record built for radio play; it’s built for headphones and repeat listens.
“Topsy” follows, and it’s a sharp contrast. The beat is lighter, almost playful, and Hammer’s flow shifts to something more agile. This is one of the album’s standout moments, a track that proves Hammer can switch gears without losing his grip on the mic.
“Sardonyx” slows things down again. The title track is built around a loop that sounds like it could have come from a 1970s soul record, and Hammer raps over it with a sense of nostalgia that feels genuine. It’s a strong track, though it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the songs around it.
Artichoke Through Halloween Fell on a Weekend
“Artichoke” is a shorter, sharper track that leans into the trap side of Hammer’s sound. It’s the most conventional moment on the album, and it works because the production is clean and the delivery is confident.
“Sadderday” follows, and it’s one of the more emotionally direct tracks on the record. Hammer raps about loss and grief in a way that feels personal, and the music underneath supports that mood rather than competing with it.
“Flummox” is a brief, strange track. It’s a mood piece more than a full song, and it functions as a palate cleanser before the album’s back half picks back up.
“Tu Tienes Wifi” is a track that’s hard to pin down. It’s playful, almost cartoonish, and Hammer’s rap style here is looser than anywhere else on the record. It’s not a deep track, but it’s a fun one.
“Halloween Fell on a Weekend” closes out this stretch of the album, and it’s a solid, mid-tempo track that shows Hammer can hold a hook without leaning on the more experimental elements he’s known for. It’s a safe bet, and it lands.
Shellfish Through Resin
“Shellfish” is where the album starts to get interesting again. The production is loose, almost free-form, and Hammer’s rap is more conversational than it’s been elsewhere on the record. It’s a track that rewards attention.
“Venn Diagrams” is a track that lives up to its title. The lyrics are dense, and the music underneath is layered in a way that feels like it’s trying to draw connections between ideas rather than simply laying them out. It’s not an easy listen, but it’s a rewarding one.
“Soft Gold” is a shorter, more atmospheric track. It’s the quietest moment on the record, and it works as a breather before the album’s final push.
“Windbreaker” is the strongest track on the back half of the album. The beat is driving, and Hammer’s rap is at its most aggressive here, delivering a verse that feels like a direct attack on anyone who doubted him. It’s a highlight, and it’s the kind of track that could carry a whole album on its own.
“Resin” closes the record on a note of closure. The production is warm, almost meditative, and Hammer’s rap is reflective rather than combative. It’s a fitting end to an album that spent most of its runtime building toward resolution.
Ranking the Tracks
Here’s how the thirteen tracks stack up:
- Windbreaker
- Topsy
- Codex Giga
- Sardonyx
- Artichoke
- Halloween Fell on a Weekend
- Soft Gold
- Shellfish
- Venn Diagrams
- Sadderday
- Tu Tienes Wifi
- Flummox
- Resin
That ranking is not a knock against the weaker tracks. Even at their worst, these songs are still better than most rap albums manage to be at their best.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The album’s strengths are obvious. Hammer’s rap is consistently sharp, and he’s clearly a student of the genre’s history. He borrows from everyone from Nas to Kendrick Lamar, and he does it without sounding like a copycat. His ability to shift between dense, intellectual lyricism and straightforward, radio-friendly hooks is rare, and it’s the reason this record holds together as well as it does.
The weaknesses are harder to pin down, because they’re mostly structural. Some of the middle tracks feel like filler, and the album loses momentum in its final stretch. “Flummox” and “Tu Tienes Wifi” are enjoyable but slight, and they don’t add much to the overall narrative of the record. The closing stretch, from “Soft Gold” through “Resin,” is more cohesive, but it also feels like a cleanup act rather than a statement.
The Verdict
WHT LBL is a strong rap album with a few missteps. The highlights are excellent, and the ambition is real. But the middle section drags, and the record’s pacing suffers for it.
It’s a record that rewards patience. Put it on in the background while you’re doing other things, and the details start to emerge. Listen closely, and you’ll hear the layers of samples, the shifts in tempo, and the way Hammer’s voice moves across the tracks. That’s the album’s secret weapon: it’s designed to be absorbed slowly, and it delivers on that promise.
8 of 10.
Key Facts Box
- Artist: Armand Hammer
- Album: WHT LBL
- Release type: Album
- Tracks: 13
- Total running time: 36 minutes
- Score: 8 of 10
Track List
- Codex Giga (2:26)
- Topsy (3:09)
- Sardonyx (4:38)
- Artichoke (2:50)
- Sadderday (3:04)
- Flummox (2:01)
- Tu Tienes Wifi (2:32)
- Halloween Fell on a Weekend (3:02)
- Shellfish (2:34)
- Venn Diagrams (2:28)
- Soft Gold (2:12)
- Windbreaker (3:36)
- Resin (2:03)
- Codex Giga2:26
- Topsy3:09
- Sardonyx4:38
- Artichoke2:50
- Sadderday3:04
- Flummox2:01
- Tu Tienes Wifi2:32
- Halloween Fell on a Weekend3:02
- Shellfish2:34
- Venn Diagrams2:28
- Soft Gold2:12
- Windbreaker3:36
- Resin2:03
