StephenWinter

I'm an atheist and I approve of this Kanye.

Impression after three listens:

Monolithic, titanic and yet, somehow, mesmerizing songs. They unmistakenly bear the mark of TOOL, while also adding new, interesting elements. Say, the trippy synths in Pneuma, the jazzy improvisation in Chocolat Chip Trip, the pure psychedelica in both Invincible and Descending (that lost one being an underrated masterpiece), or the post-rock elements in Culling Voices.

Unfortunately, most of these songs have their climaxes blurred by the digital production. ... read more

On his latest effort, Flying Lotus transitions from intricacy to subtlety (with the notable exception of Yellow Belly). This makes his work harder to penetrate, and less apt for headbanging. Also, all cosmic beings from his previous records seem to have transformed into soft machines: no less alive, but yet, less awe-inspiring.

And yet, there's no denying its genius: for how many artists can lay claim to inventing a whole new sound? Because that's exactly what FLyLo did on this album, AGAIN. ... read more

Portishead meets Thom Yorke.