• Record Label: Warp
  • Release Date: Jun 10, 2008
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 13
  2. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Uncut
    60
    It is, like LA itself, heavy on style. [Sep 2008, p.88]
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 53 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 53
  2. Negative: 1 out of 53
  1. Sep 18, 2022
    9
    2nd favorite from Flying Lotus, behind You're Dead. Gritty textures and drums, brilliant sound design. **** masterful
  2. Aug 25, 2022
    7
    Lots of ambience and static hold it together in a futuristic blend of Los Angeles fusion that makes for a highly enjoyable album.love theLots of ambience and static hold it together in a futuristic blend of Los Angeles fusion that makes for a highly enjoyable album.love the spacey, cos-mo sound the songs have, i can see the influence that flying lotus had from artists MF Doom, Madlib and J Dilla when it comes to crafting impressive beats. a very impressive piece of work for his second album.It's very cohesive, but always has a new interesting beat to throw you. It also follows a story curve. The first few tracks introduce the sounds, then Golden Diva, Riot, and GNG BNG come along (a great series of tracks) are give you action. Then it slowly calms down until the more introspective tracks near the end. It's absolutely amazing. I Full Review »
  3. Apr 6, 2021
    6
    Since the beginning Flying Lotus has his own style and ability to fuse brilliant samples into its raw experimental kind of music. On thisSince the beginning Flying Lotus has his own style and ability to fuse brilliant samples into its raw experimental kind of music. On this first studio album it feels like he still has to find his own musical identity. Those tracks almost all have the same atmosphere and approach: it is rude, grey, dark and gritty. I had too often the feeling that beats searched themselves and that the tracks didn't manage to craft their own identity. By listening to this album I felt lost in an ocean of FlyLo's undeniable creativity but also repetitveness. A lot sound truly unstructured, uncertain and unsubstantiated.

    Fortunately, at the end of this project, Fying Lotus added singers who helped them create what I think are better songs especially 'Auntie's Lock/Infinitum'. The end appears to be far more attractive and enjoyable since the artist eventually stops using those overly abrasive noisy beats to head towards calmer and softer tracks. Laura Darlington beautifully (but also repetitively) helps him progress that way.
    Full Review »