Cat: RSE 374LPC1. Rel: 13 Nov 23
Hip Hop/R&B
Side 1 - Track 1. The ITS Way |
Side 1 - Track 2. Mindful Solutionism |
Side 1 - Track 3. Infinity Fill Goose Down |
Side 1 - Track 4. Living Curfew |
Side 1 - Track 5. Pigeonometry |
Side 2 - Track 1. Kyanite Toothpick |
Side 2 - Track 2. 100 Feet Tall |
Side 2 - Track 3. Salt & Pepper Squid |
Side 2 - Track 4. Time Moves Differently Here |
Side 3 - Track 1. Agressive Steven |
Side 3 - Track 2. Bermuda |
Side 3 - Track 3. By The River |
Side 3 - Track 4. All City Nerve Map |
Side 4 - Track 1. Forward Compatibility Engine |
Side 4 - Track 2. On Failure |
Side 4 - Track 3. Solid Gold |
Side 4 - Track 4. Vititus |
Side 4 - Track 5. Black Snow |
The tenth full-length from the literal most verbose MC in the hip-hop genre Aesop Rock, has been described as "A concept album about an organization offering lifestyle and industry-specific applications designed to curate a desired multi-experience." Following on from 2020's exceptionally dizzying Spirt World Field Guide, some of the core themes of the absurdist search for peace and tranquillity resurface across Integrated Tech Solutions but in a new guise of app placements, corporate speak and artificial goals that keep the masses confined within digital, monitored bubbles. Predominantly self-produced like the majority of the artist's recent output, the beats fluctuate from eerie minimalism to hallucinatory, overwhelming sonic stews, all dictated by humorous yet reliably virtuosic bars and flow. Ten LPs in and Mr. Aesop (or Mr. Rock) sounds as confident, concerned, curious and crazed as ever.