Insano

昨年10作目となる『Entergalactic』をリリースし、待望の初来日公演も実現したKid Cudiが新作『INSANO』のリリースを発表。

As is so often the case with these bloated efforts designed for the streaming era, theres an impeccable album buried in here somewhere. However, as it stands, the impact of Kid Cudis ninth full-length, Insano, is dulled by the glut of 21 songs that run over an hour long. This might be a gift for longtime fans who just want to hear another batch of reliably hypnotic Cudi atmospherics to zone out to, but the frustration of hearing cuts like the pounding, riotous "Get off Me" with Travis Scott and the classic head-nod bounce of "Mr. Coola" bundled alongside the less memorable material is palpable. Overall, the production on Insano is fantastic, the bulk of the studio wizardry handled by Mike Zombie, Jean-Baptiste, Dot da Genius, Bnyx, and Cudi himself. Menacing moments such as "Keep Bouncin," "Most Aint Dennis," the booming "Cud Life," and the ominous "At the Party" with Scott and Pharrell Williams amplify the tension, just as pop-leaning fare like the inspirational "Wow" with A$AP Rocky, the bubble-pop "Porsche Topless," the Ace of Base-sampling "Electrowavebaby," and the gorgeous, hum-heavy "Blue Sky" highlight the softer, mainstream-minded side of Cudi. That refreshing introspection thats become one of his calling cards is deeply felt on tearjerkers like "X & Cud" with the late XXXtentacion and the aptly titled "Tortured." Indeed, there are so many highlights on Insano that it seems almost counterintuitive to have diluted them with stuff that should have been tacked onto a bonus deluxe release. With a little editing, Insano could have been one of Kid Cudis strongest releases to date. Instead, listeners are given an uneven playlist of great highs and should-have-been B-sides that, in the very least, deliver the expected vocal melodics, haunting vibes, tongue-twisting bars, and "tortured" emotions that Cudi has mastered over the years. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

ファレルらしからぬ先行のバンガー"At The Party"からもわかるように、普通にトラップ以降のメインストリーム感がかつてなくマイルドに表現された9作目。往時のアウトサイダーぶりが嘘のような舵取りを助けたのは、ほぼ全曲に携わるジャン・バプティストと、"Porsche Topless"などで起用されたBNYXで、トラヴィス・スコット、エイサップ・ロッキー、ヤング・サグ、リル・ウェインといったゲストの並びの印象から逸れない内容とも言えるか。エイス・オブ・ベイス使いのレゲエ"ElectroWaveBaby"、XXXテンタシオンの"Orlando"を用いて疑似共演した"X & Cud"なども聴きどころとなる快作だ。
bounce (C)轟ひろみ