Anything In Return - Toro y Moi
User Score
6.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 20 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 20
  3. Negative: 1 out of 20

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  1. Deadsarow
    Jan 25, 2013
    10
    Chaz does it again. With the beautiful entrance piece "Harm in Change" to the groovy stepping stone "Say That", Bundick sets the stage for his brilliant display of chilled-out pop sounds - and don't worry guys- he does not forget about his prolific use of samples. All of his tracks stand out if you listen to them without the bias of his previous albums. Sure, it may not be the heavily processed, hip hop funk sounds of his previous projects, but he flexes his production muscle and shows us that he'll bring us clean, crispy, catchy pop without expecting anything in return.… Expand
  2. 2hip2beahipster
    Feb 11, 2013
    6
    This is not a bad album. The problem with this album is that, in my opinion, it's underwhelming in production and song structure esp. in the second half. The first 4 tracks are pretty good with "Say That" and "Rose Quartz" being the highlights. After that, the album is really drops in quality. I definitely see where Chaz was going with this album and I sometimes am awed by the expertise of his production and how he is able to make all of his sounds and ideas flow in one track: "Say That" being the best example. Like I said before. this isn't a bad album, it's just extremely underwhelming. However there are definitely great tracks on here other than "Say That" and "Rose Quartz" such as Studies", "Cola", and "So Many Details". However, there are also other tracks on here that fail to take off and just fall up short in production and song structure. Definitely an ambitious effort from Chaz and he definitely gets my respect.… Expand
  3. DREAMOVER
    Jan 24, 2013
    9
    This record is fantastic. Familiar sounds from Toro Y Moi, but also explores new terrain. If you're already a fan you'll enjoy this record. Definitely some more R&B influence than past albums, but it's a welcome change.
  4. yrcrazy
    Jan 24, 2013
    5
    what can I say , the album starts off decently , with some nice tracks , the first quarter starts with what could have been a very strong album..The album generally declines into mediocracy as time goes by and starts to sound like bad 80s synth pop or 90s boy bands , rather than chaz' usual synth funk and chillwave brilliant sounds. some tracks show a slight resurgence again despite sounding in parts like poorly produced pop but it never really hits off like it should. Download some tracks but avoid getting the whole album , this is his weakest yet , despite showing moments of greatness , which are often ruined by unnecessary layers. Im not saying the album is bad , its just a slight low point for the artist.
    I give it a 5 possibly pushing a 6 (i may change it to a 6 in future).    … Expand
  5. vern
    Mar 20, 2013
    6
    Although "Anything in Return" is not a bad album, but it is definitely a drop in quality in comparison to his last full-length, "Under the Pines". With "Under the Pines", it seemed Chaz had truly found his sound: a psychedelic combination after-dark disco, R&B, and a bit of shoegaze for good measure. This interesting combination of sound worked, and the album came together as a cohesive whole. In Anything in Return, Chaz seems to be throwing many things at the wall and is seeing what sticks. Some of it does, some of it doesn't. He just doesn't seem to be trying as hard as before, and it shows in the quality of the songs. Hopefully his next effort is less Anything in Return and more Under the Pines. Highlight tracks: the beautiful "Rose Quartz" and "Say That"… Expand
  6. derpidety
    Mar 21, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A fantastic album that once again breaks the boundaries of genre and expectation. A quirky and intelligent album with apparent influences from electronic house, hip hop, indie rock, funk, and Chaz's own personal style. Songs like Touch, Harm in Charge, Cola, and Studies really accentuate Chaz's growth as a musician, producer, and song writer.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. Okayplayer
    Mar 5, 2013
    92
    Make no mistake about it, most of the instrumentation on the album is just Toro y Moi. More so ‘Moi’.
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  2. PopMatters
    Feb 19, 2013
    70
    By trimming away the self-indulgent fat this uneven and overlong work might have been a landmark for Toro Y Moi. Instead it’s just another step in the path of of an interesting career.
    Read full review
  3. Magnet
    Feb 11, 2013
    65
    Anything In Return us ultimately a chill listen, but not a necessarily memorable one. [No. 95, p.59]
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