Leading up to the release,Che teased various songs including "KISS" with CXO,"Pose for the Pic","Love (MKB)",and "Green Day". A surprise pop-up listening event in New York City—sponsored by Ksubi—was shut down by authorities before it could begin,adding to the underground buzz around the album. [5]
The album also gained traction through platforms like TikTok and SoundCloud,where early leaks and fan speculation generated anticipation. A teaser reel uploaded in February 2025 hinted at the distorted sonic direction and several collaborations. [6] [7]
According to Che himself via Interview ,he described his album as "Punk,raw,and bass". [8]
Critical reception
Rest in Bass received critical acclaim,with praise for high-energy production,fuzzy sound,and innovative use of mixtape structure. Criticism fell in favor of its dedication to the lo-fi,rage-fueled sound and condemnation of its emotional depth and stylistic innovation. The album was heavily compared to the likes of Playboi Carti's Whole Lotta Red . [11]
Pitchfork gave the album a 8.3 out of 10 and rated it as Best New Music. Reviewer Rae-Aila Crumble described how Che "pushes his voice to extremes," and called the album "the platonic ideal of rage rap." She complimented production on the album for chaotic layering of redlined 808s,digital grittiness,and punk textures,and cited tracks such as "Doe Deer," "Dior Leopard," and "Mannequin" as highlights. Crumble further pointed out the dichotomy between Che's tough delivery and softer lyrics,particularly in the instance of "Dior Leopard," where Che reflects on drug use and dysfunctional family ties. The review ended by deeming Rest in Bass "purveys raw catharsis with both restraint and anarchy," as one of the most powerful underground releases of 2025. [11]
The Needle Drop's Anthony Fantano awarded the album a light 7,saying it was "one of the most fully realized rage projects in recent memory." He referenced the frantic energy and blown-out sound design of the album as he praised Xaviersobased and Chuckyy features for introducing contrast and energy. Fantano did berate the album for repetition in texture and disjointed sequencing,but then praised Che for possessing "rockstar-level energy" and experimenting within a very oversaturated subgenre of trap music. [10]
Bryson Paul of HotNewHipHop described the album as "Che's most audacious work yet." [12] Elaina Bernstein of Hypebeast called the album the "epitome of rage-rap in the post-SoundCloud era." [13]
The Fader's Vivian Medithi claimed that Rest in Bass is an album which pulls influence from "rainbow-y EDM and nightcore vocaloid",he also wrote how the album takes a turn as it's much more darker and sharper compared to his previous works,writing how "sawtooth synths grating against open hi-hats and hollowed-out 808s,degraded samples mired beneath sludgy basslines and plodding drums." Medithi also wrote how Che often raps about death in his music,but RIB sees him go "full kamikaze". During The Fader's weekly music roundup,RIB was a standout album,and was one of the top five albums that music listeners need to listen to. [14]
Eden Tizard of The Quietus wrote how REST IN BASS "is a dizzying rush of overstimulated beats and frazzled synths". He also wrote how the young rapper follows in the footsteps of "ATLien Playboi Carti in a chase for ever-escalating levels of extremity. He's a self professed rockstar,and a live wire hedonist." [15] Additionally,for the music of the month,Tizard has Rest in Bass as one of the albums of July. [16]
Additionally,Pitchfork had "Rest In Bass" ranked at No. 39 on their Top 50 Best Albums of 2025. [17] Complex on the other hand had the album ranked at No. 29 on its equivalent list. [18]
Song reception
According to Olivier Lafontant of Pitchfork,he claims that "Hellraiser" is a freakishly bubbly song,featuring staticky deliriums,scratchy chirrups,and elastic synths from CXO. Lafontant also claims how the song sees the duo "test their breaking points as if to see whose Auto-Tune plugins would crash first". Lafontant also humorously wrote how "Hellraiser" is "what happens when you give molly and FL to some kids raised on WLR leaks and Cartoon Network". Due to the track's individual success,it was nominated as one of the best new rap tracks by Pitchfork. [19]
The Quietus' finest,Eden Tizard wrote how "SLAM PUNK" sees Che give an appropriate shoutout to rapper and pioneer,Lil B,as well as Future,who is "the Atlanta elder statesman of psychedelic autotune",according to Tizard,lines from the track such as "I just fucked this bitch in some Gucci flip flops," is a "claim hard to take at face value when uttered from what appears to be the zig-zagging electric gremlin from Gremlins 2:A New Batch". Tizard also wrote how the track is filled with impish compulsion,and heavy-hitting ad-libs,which Tizard compared to as a game of ping-pong. Lastly,Tizard wrote how the line is a "far cry from Future's lean hiccup come synthetic sob –in that context the Gucci line sounded less like a brag and more like a brief moment of intoxicated clarity,perhaps a heart on sleeve confession." [15]
Rest in Bass North American Tour
Along with the album's release,Che also announced that the album would have its own designated tour, [28] which began on September 3 in Houston,Texas and ended on October 2,at Che's hometown,Atlanta,Georgia. In addition to US dates,there were 2 dates in Canada (Toronto and Montreal). [29]
According to Che in his interview with The Fader ,he talked about how he wants the energy to be like at his tour: [30]
"I want the crowd to feel like they're at a ritual and they're just here to praise me [...] It's like a savior of music thing," he said. "I want people to hear my music and feel safe,like there's no struggles at all,nothing to worry about at all in the world."
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