Crop Circle 2 is the fourth studio album by English rapper Nines, released on 28 April 2023 by Zino and Warner Records. It features guest appearances from Skrapz, J Styles and Fatz of Ice City Boyz, Wretch 32, M Huncho, Potter Payper, Clavish, Nafe Smallz, Kojey Radical and Tiggs da Author.[2] The album, which shares its name with a 2020 film made by Nines following his 2018 album Crop Circle,[3] was preceded by the lead single "Tony Soprano 2".[1]
Reviewing the album for Clash, Shanté Collier-McDermott felt that Crop Circle 2 "establishes Nines as the authentic talent fans love him for. He's grounded, able to casually flex his accomplishments, and this project signs off with him basking in a different lifestyle". She ultimately found that the album is "circular in nature" and "fuelled by continuation", with its "rolling instrumentals and narration encompassing an earlier era of his artistry in a fine-tuned way".[4] David Smyth of the Evening Standard wrote that Nines's "deadpan, unshowy delivery makes his words entirely believable and all the more startling", and that his "smooth production that foregrounds melody brings him closer to pop than his lyrics ought to allow".[1] Ludovic Hunter-Tilney of the Financial Times opined that the album "resembles The Godfather Part II, a tale of trying to go straight", with Nines "present[ing] himself as getting too old for the criminal life rather than atoning for it". Hunter-Tilney concluded that "Nines and his producers have done an impressive job here".[5]
Crop Circle 2 placed at number three on the midweek UK Albums Chart dated 1 May 2023,[8] debuting at number two on the final chart published on 5 May 2023.[9]
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