Rapper Larry June and producer Cardo both have a smooth, laid-back style reminiscent of '90s G-funk, so it seems only natural that they've been steady collaborators for years. After June made his commercial breakthrough with two Top 40-charting albums, 2022's Spaceships on the Blade and the 2023 Alchemist collaboration The Great Escape, the enterprising rhymer teamed up with Cardo for their fifth joint release, The Night Shift. Throughout the album, the two generally stick to making music perfect for top-down cruising, with gently popping drum machines and breezy guitar licks backing calmly poised motivational lyrics, often accompanied by June's signature "good job" and "keep going" ad-libs. Much of it sounds cut from the same comfortable fabric, with several guest appearances providing welcome variations. DeJ Loaf, Blxst, and Jordan Ward all contribute R&B hooks, 2 Chainz sails on a luxury cruise, and Too $hort gets as freaky as ever. Final song "The Good Kind" sums the album up with a cheery siren-synth melody and easygoing lyrics about stacking dollars. ~ Paul Simpson