>The production is stilted and muddy. Analog doesn't have to
>mean shitty-sounding!


I kinda know what you mean there... it's just sounds like instruments are being
played in a room with no digital touch-up. That works for most of the songs, but
I do think 'Lunatic' needed more digitizing or something


>The album plays like Younge made the tracks and Bilal wrote to
>them, as a rapper would, rather than having an organic, "built
>together", feel.


Yeah I didn't get that from the album at all. I actually said elsewhere that I love
the way Young built the music around Bilal lol. I happen to think Bilal needs to
be boxed in a bit tho, because he gets too silly when he's not. This album contains
the cleanest melodies he's ever written... or at least since the Love 4 Sale sale.
'Open Up The Door' <---this especially
'I Really Don't Care'
'Pleasure Toy'
'Love Child'
'Satellites'
etc
It's like a dream come true to FINALLY hear Bilal just write some clean, straight-forward songs.



>That said, it's still Bilal so there is plenty to still like,
>and it's still better than 80% of what's out there. But I like
>when Bilal gets loose, and look forward to a record where he
>gets to play...


He did it on the last album, Love Surreal. I think with this new album he manages
to showcase his voice while maintaining some nice groove and melodies for once.