At What Cost

DC rapper GoldLink continues the forward momentum that turned heads on his 2015 mixtape *And After That, We Didn’t Talk*. *At What Cost* unspools like a film, transitioning seamlessly from late night to early morning. “Crew” pictures GoldLink stunting hard with Brent Faiyaz and Shy Glizzy. He can body a club track (“Meditation”) and shock listeners with a surprise ending. The fatalism that marked “When I Die” is back on “Pray Everyday (Survivor’s Guilt),” the realest song about self-medication since Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools.” *At What Cost* connects soul with noir, inward-facing narratives, chopped, off-kilter beats, and nocturnal moods.

The D.C. rapper’s major label debut is made of loose, richly textured hip-hop that weaves a colorful tapestry from his city’s musical history featuring Wale, the Internet, and Kaytranada.

On his studio debut, GoldLink pays homage to DC while giving out-of-towners an intimate tour of his stomping grounds. Rousing yet dark, Gold...