Hyperion
by Gesaffelstein
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: Mar 15, 2019
User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
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  1. PretentiousGeek
    Apr 15, 2019
    5
    An infuriating failure to stick the landing that reminds me of the equally underwhelming/divisive (depending on who you ask) Human After All by fellow French dance duo Daft Punk; it too is on the cusp of greatness through conceptual integrity, but the music fails it. There's more to this failure however, and that's the key difference between the two cases here - the sound design can't saveAn infuriating failure to stick the landing that reminds me of the equally underwhelming/divisive (depending on who you ask) Human After All by fellow French dance duo Daft Punk; it too is on the cusp of greatness through conceptual integrity, but the music fails it. There's more to this failure however, and that's the key difference between the two cases here - the sound design can't save it. Human After All made mostly compelling use of vocal formant FM basses and vocoder modulation to create the irony in the title, being their most robotic but sonically engaging departure from style, even if it came with the sacrifice of structure and musical quality in the name of robotic repetition. Repetition is crucial in almost all music, especially techno and other electronic sub-genres, but here on Hyperion there's literally no substance. Outside of a few key features and a few engaging sound choices, there's very little to enjoy here.

    Sure, nothing particularly objectionable, but that goes for the highs too - Blast Off, for example, makes an interesting junction of style with Pharrell, who aesthetically melds well with the track. The Weeknd would be the same on Lost In The Fire were it not for the laughably tone-deaf lyricism (it is funny how ill-planned that was). Some of the more 'traditional' Gesaffelstein ventures such as Reset or Memora (+ the outro to Forever but that drags too hard for it to be worth it) also provide some decent listens, but nothing outstanding. To come from such a high as on Aleph or the Conspiracy EPs to something this drab and mediocre is really unfortunate, especially when what is supposed to feel monolithic and enlightening, such as Humanity Gone, it just mundane and unending.

    Favourite songs: Blast Off (feat. Pharrell Williams) [ALBUM VERSION, the single bridge/mix is shorter and muddier], Reset
    Worst songs: Humanity Gone, Forever (feat. The Hacker & Electric Youth)    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
48

Mixed or average reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Resident Advisor
    Apr 8, 2019
    58
    These tracks [with pop collaborations] amount to unremarkable radio fare and dilute the artistic voices of all involved. ... The instrumentals have more bite.
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  2. Under The Radar
    Apr 8, 2019
    45
    Advice for Gesaffelstein: ditch the singing guests, and experiment more with the danceable dimness.
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  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    Apr 8, 2019
    40
    Despite some positives, Gesaffelstein isn’t able to recreate past glories, nor advance on them--or even successfully reinvent himself. By the end of it, you’re mostly left feeling confused and underwhelmed.
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