A Love Surreal
by Bilal
  • Record Label: eOne
  • Release Date: Feb 26, 2013
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 18
  3. Negative: 1 out of 18
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  1. Roundnoon
    Mar 24, 2013
    10
    I gave it a perfect score not to say that it's flawless musically but because it feels like a perfect trip in the country, the one that give you a fresh breath of air before you go back to the city jungle. I've ben a fan of Bilal's universe since I discovered First Born second. It was in the beginning of the 2000's and he hasn't released anything that sounds like that album since. I guessI gave it a perfect score not to say that it's flawless musically but because it feels like a perfect trip in the country, the one that give you a fresh breath of air before you go back to the city jungle. I've ben a fan of Bilal's universe since I discovered First Born second. It was in the beginning of the 2000's and he hasn't released anything that sounds like that album since. I guess I've been able to follow him on his musical journey and I must say that he really opened my mind. For this album Bilal wanted to make something that would sound like Dali's surrealistic paintings and photos and I guess he succeed because I always picture myself in some crazy landscape when I listen to it. Like I said before, this album is like taking a trip on a train, looking out of the windows and seeing some Dali's or Vladimir Kush's type of scenery. It's a musical gallery. It sounds like a perfect mix between his never released masterpiece "Love For Sale" and his ballsy and critically acclaimed "Airtight's revenge". It's sensual and yet powerful and experimental at times. Nothing new for Bilal except this time, this project really feels more coherent than his last albums ...

    I can't really give you my highlights since it changes every time but I can only encourage you to give it a chance and another if the first one doesn't work. If you open your mind, you'll see the beauty of this piece of music.    … Collapse
  2. Bigbry
    Mar 2, 2013
    9
    A Love Surreal is exactly that; a surreal set devoted to the subject of love. This is my first time exposed to Bilal and I am impressed. Great songwriting, spacey jams, so many influences, futuristic r b. I love Channel Orange but this is the album Frank Ocean should have made. Too bad not as many people will hear this...

Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Best Album of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. Q Magazine
    Apr 10, 2013
    60
    This is cosmic R&B. [May 2013, p.95]
  2. PopMatters
    Mar 20, 2013
    80
    A Love Surreal probably doesn’t have what 1st Born Second fanatics want out of the guy, but it’s plenty beautiful on its own terms.
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  3. Pitchfork
    Mar 6, 2013
    76
    A Love Surreal is short on big, arcing-rainbow melodies as a result, but one of its joys is watching Bilal warp his voice into improbable shapes.
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