Chance the Rapper’s happy-go-lucky collaborative album Surf is finally here

Chance the Rapper aka Chancelor Bennett aka Chano has been teasing Surf, a collaborative mixtape with his live band The Social Experiment since last year, and now, after too many delays, it’s finally here. Technically, multi-instrumentalist Donnie Trumpet’s name is on the masthead, but the album is definitely a group effort.

Surf features up-and-comers like sun-pop kid Raury and Chance’s fellow Chicago rapper Joey Purp, but for a label-free experimental project there are some big names on here. Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes, Janelle Monáe, Big Sean, and Jeremih all make appearances, but no one person steals the show. Because of all the elements at play, Surf doesn’t feel too cohesive, but there’s a general vibe of easy-go-lucky instrumental noodling throughout. And, of course, Chance jumps in and out of several songs, skipping and flitting through goofy tongue-twisters and that really agreeable sense of sincerity he has no trouble making sound good.

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