A debut album isn't what it used to be. For artists who have already conquered the mainstream through countless singles, collaborations, EPs, and album-length mixtapes, what they eventually label as their first full-length often feels like a composite of parts, timed for impact. Australian rapper
the Kid Laroi
signed with
Sony
in 2017 when he was only 14 and he's been releasing music ever since. Mentored by the late
Juice WRLD
, he went on to win a clutch of ARIA and Billboard Awards and collaborate with stars like
Justin Bieber
and
Machine Gun Kelly
, all while building up his brand with the chart-topping
F*ck Love
mixtape and its two expanded sequels. 2023's
The First Time
is a 20-song album that more or less revisits the tones and styles
Laroi
laid out over the three previous years. Overt brags and flexes share the stage with vaguely introspective fare and a tribute to
("Where Does Your Spirit Go?"). Of his more pop-inspired tracks, the rousing "Love Again," the ballad "Bleed," and the
Jung Kook
- and
Central Cee
-assisted "Too Much" are the standout anchors, all of which were charting hits before the album was released. ~ Timothy Monger