• Record Label: Carpark
  • Release Date: Feb 9, 2010
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 18
  2. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Causers Of This’ infects your mind with pure psychedelia, splicing such conflicting sounds as soul, freak folk, hip-hop and electronica, and the result hits you like Animal Collective on a comedown, or Ariel Pink with Seasonal Affective Disorder.
  2. Bundick embraces a cleaner and mellower sound that's more indebted to hip-hop. He wears his inspirations proudly, and throughout there's a clear nod to producers like J Dilla and Flying Lotus.
  3. 76
    Closing with a bit of gaudy, high ’80s bubblegum, Causers of This is a bold introduction to a promising newcomer.
  4. For some, this could be unlistenable; for others, it will simply come off like the natural product of glitch, shoegaze (to which Bundick certainly owes his chord palette), lo-fi, and psych.
  5. Despite its basis in a genre with an expiration date, Causers of This is nonetheless an album worthy of consideration. While lacking in straight-ahead pop sensibility, it redeems itself by simply being interesting.
  6. Toro Y Moi puts intelligence and inventiveness into a youthful music genre dumbing itself down at an unduly early stage.
  7. 70
    Bundick's Causers of This is also peaceful, but the album's tranquil tones sound a lot more like happy accidents than well-executed plans.
  8. Causers of This sounds like a dance-pop mixtape plunged underwater -- it's all smeary synthesizers, chopped-up dance beats, and washes of reverb.
  9. It squirms and shimmers for an all-too-brief 33 minutes, sounding like somebody melted a cassette with a mix of early-90s R&B jams on one side and Person Pitchon the other.
  10. While Causers Of This appears lo-fi on a superficial level with its rough, oversaturated sound quality, it's evident that Bundick has achieved a level of familiarity with his tools which goes way beyond awkward, sophomoric fumbling.
  11. Pronounced experimentalism is one of the more appealing properties of Bundick’s record, while those most tolerant of tepid, early ‘80s tones will find certain segments easier to swallow than the rest of us.
  12. It’s easy to commend this album on the sole basis that despite coating his tracks with an incomprehensible amount of tripped-out trickery, Toro Y Moi still branches out into less protected songwriting.
  13. As casual pop, Causes of This pleases effortlessly, though the listener doesn't get the sense that that's what Bundwick is all about here.
  14. Bundick occasionally turns the energy up, like in the last 30 seconds of album highlight “Low Shoulders,” but those moments are too few and far between to make an impact.
  15. Uncut
    60
    Budget keyboard presets and filtered, treble-heavy production give the likes of "Lissoms" and :low Shoulder" an endearingly woozy, lo-fi feel. [Mar 2010, p.98]
  16. Unlike, say, Memory Tapes though, Bundick doesn’t burn straight for a memorable hook, the pop elements of Causers of This trickling slowly from a frame that’s shaped primarily upon forms usually spied and assimilated by artists operating in more dance-savvy circles.
  17. Under The Radar
    60
    Trend spotters will likely label this as glitchy hypnagogic pop but Bundick's attention to pop melodies is almost as razor-sharp as his closest contemporary, Neon Indian. [Winter 2010, p.70]
  18. Q Magazine
    60
    The imaginative scope of this debut shows why expectations have been raised, his hazy soundscapes and blurred falsetto recalling Animal Collective's more strung-out moments. [Mar 2010, p.110]
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 31 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 31
  2. Negative: 1 out of 31
  1. Jan 11, 2023
    4
    I salute the effort, the mix of genres and energies deserve it. But in my opinion Toro Y Moi failed to bring the tones he showcases on aI salute the effort, the mix of genres and energies deserve it. But in my opinion Toro Y Moi failed to bring the tones he showcases on a higher level.
    Some tracks shine through the record as the penultimate 'Low Shoulder', without being excellent though. The rest only manages to create a repetitive, distant and soulless soundscape. Beats are unengaging, messy, and lyrics only underlines the major lack of content in this LP. Structure of tracks are often one-dimensional and don't evolve enough. It officially lasts thirty minutes but surprisingly feels like an hour and a half.
    A feature or two would have been highly interesting to allow Toro Y Moi's work to be diversified. The tone of his voice is particularly disturbing. It tends to sound like edulcorated early Daft Punk songs. And it fails to do so.
    Full Review »
  2. Mar 31, 2018
    10
    You might as well waste your time with me if you're gonna be here. That's it and that's all.
  3. Aug 3, 2015
    10
    If you own only one piece of music from the small and quick musical movement known as chillwave - make it this album. Chaz Bundick is a musicIf you own only one piece of music from the small and quick musical movement known as chillwave - make it this album. Chaz Bundick is a music genius and continues to make gold no matter the genre he experiments in. Full Review »