6th full-length from Kanye West, originally released in 2013. Yeezus is exhilarating, an abrasive & sonically ravaging listen that challenges all expectations. A heavily distorted, rattling synth line opens up the album ("On Sight"), and Kanye sieves through industrial, acid house, reggae, trap, & drill elements to lay out a chaotic-but-beautiful musical vision, one influenced by minimalist design and architecture (especially a Le Corbusier lamp). Various producers—Arca, Daft Punk, Brodinski, Gesaffelstein, Hudson Mohawke, Lunice, Mike Dean, No I.D., Travis Scott, & more—worked on Yeezus, and Kanye styled contributions from each in the fashion he saw fit, then he enlisted, days before the drop date, Rick Rubin to help strip down the record in a more minimal direction. In line with older Kanye material, the production incorporates unconventional samples, a notable choice being Nina Simone's cover of "Strange Fruit" on "Blood On the Leaves." It's an inspired record that miraculously fits the politically charged track in with big horns and drum programming. Standouts include: "Send It Up," "Bound 2," "Black Skinhead," "New Slaves," and "Hold My Liquor," but the 10-tracker is better consumed whole, this is a limited-edition cassette tape release featuring plain packaging similar to the CD version.

• limited-edition cassette
• music label: Def Jam Recordings 2017

reviewed by pocari papi 01/19