On the companion soundtrack to the animated flick Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the music follows suit with the movie, injecting much needed energy and youthfulness to the beloved superhero franchise with an edgier tone than most big-budget compilations. Like its protagonist Miles Morales, the Spider-Verse soundtrack showcases the next generation, recruiting rising rappers on standout tracks such as Jaden Smith's "Way Up"; Duckwrth and Shaboozey's "Start a Riot"; the rousing group collaboration "Elevate"; and Post Malone and Swae Lee's hit single "Sunflower." And like the movie's inclusion of a middle-aged Peter Parker, the hip-hop old guard are represented by Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, and Ty Dolla $ign. In between these generational extremes, a wealth of critically regarded acts such as Amine, Denzel Curry, and Vince Staples join upstarts Ski Mask the Slump God and a surprise appearance by the late XXXTentacion. Empowering and inspirational, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a wild mix of chill atmospherics and propulsive beats that captures the state of hip-hop in 2018, which, like the movie, respects its forebears while keeping its sights firmly set on the future. ~ Neil Z. Yeung