2 September 2026
Lancey Foux has spent the past decade refusing to be confined by what UK rap is expected to sound like. On his third studio album, THE TIME OF OUR LIVES, the East London artist brings that journey together in one of the most expansive and personal projects of his career.
Arriving as the final album of his twenties, the project marks the end of the creative world Lancey has been building since the release of Pink in 2015. Rather than simply looking back, however, he uses the album to question what success, freedom and enjoyment really mean. The result is a project that captures both the excitement of living without limits and the loneliness that can exist behind that lifestyle.
Across 21 tracks, Lancey moves confidently between trap, alternative R&B, dance music and Afro-influenced rhythms. The production is ambitious without losing the unpredictable quality that has always made his music distinctive. Long-time collaborators including snypes, Vuko, Lee, Jay Trench and Hiko Momoji help create a constantly shifting backdrop, while Lancey’s ability to change his delivery allows him to remain at the centre of every sound.
Early tracks such as REAP WHAT YOU SOW, SEEING TO IT and TO THE MONEY establish the confidence and momentum of the album. Finessekid delivers the project’s only guest appearance on TO THE MONEY, but the decision to keep features to a minimum works in Lancey’s favour. This is his world and the lack of outside voices gives him the space to explore its different sides without distraction.
The album’s focus track, NAKED ON A YACHT, is one of the clear standout moments. Sleek, atmospheric production supports Lancey’s delivery, turning an image of luxury into a feeling of complete escape. The song is polished and instantly memorable but it still carries the unconventional edge that separates Lancey from artists simply chasing a mainstream sound. It captures the album’s central tension perfectly: a life that appears effortless and exciting from the outside, while more complicated emotions sit beneath the surface.
That sense of movement continues on ROCKSTAR RIDER, where a hypnotic beat and Lancey’s controlled melodies create a track that feels both cinematic and unmistakably his own. ALL THE TIME pushes the album further towards the dancefloor. Sinister synths, Afrobeat and dancehall influences give him room to experiment with an unfamiliar flow before the track opens into a euphoric outro. These shifts never feel forced; instead, they demonstrate how comfortably Lancey can move between sounds without losing his identity.
Despite its larger-than-life moments, THE TIME OF OUR LIVES becomes most interesting when the confidence begins to crack. The later run of THERAPIST, WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS, TRYING MY BEST and EVERYTHING WORKS OUT brings the project’s vulnerability into sharper focus. Here, the album’s title starts to feel less like a celebration and more like a genuine question. Lancey reflects on the pressure to enjoy a life that looks successful, revealing the emotional cost that can come with constantly moving forward.
At 59 minutes, the album demands patience, and its scale may feel overwhelming on a first listen. However, its length also gives Lancey space to show the full extent of his range. The transition from triumph and excess to isolation and reflection makes the project feel intentional rather than simply crowded.
THE TIME OF OUR LIVES is a bold closing chapter for Lancey Foux’s twenties and a strong reminder of his influence on the current UK underground. More importantly, it presents an artist who is still willing to challenge his own ideas of success. Ambitious and emotionally revealing, the album does not just document the time of Lancey’s life; it asks whether he has truly been able to enjoy it.
4.5/5
Words by Magdalina Fre