Download: Say You Will, Heartless
As the title suggests, Kanye West's heart is clearly broken these days, and for the most part, it suits him well. A couple of these tracks are stunning testimonies to loss and betrayal. Out of the box, he sets the tone with an edgy, stark sonic atmosphere that is less about hip hop than moody pop. West is hurt, angry and intent on clarity on 808s & Heartbreak. "How could you be so heartless?" he asks, on the track of the same name. He distances himself only through the use of a vocoder, or electronic voice effects, which give the album a robotic, synthesized quality that suits the organic piano, strings and percussion. But West's grief is real and pointed. The mission is to focus on the lyrics, because West has a message to send, and it's for his ex-fiancée and in a couple of instances, his deceased, beloved mother ("My face turned to stone when I heard the news," he sings on Bad News). Nothing here is overt enough to wallop you over the head with hooks and rhymes. It might take a few listens for the nuanced material to sink in, and give it a chance and it will. Say You Will is a haunting ballad filled with electro beeps and stark percussion. Robocop is a mini symphony of lush strings and soundtrack drama, on which West finally releases his humorous side, comparing his ex to "that girl from Misery." But it's a dark album, so there is little relief from his sorrow, and musically, the simple riffs and somber electronics reflect that. The release isn't going to the holiday pick-up you might expect — it's a study in darkness, with moments of dirge-like but honest beauty.
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