Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Спустя несколько месяцев я возвращаюсь к прослушивание рандом альбумов С одной стороны неплохой. Самурай чамплу биток. С другой стороны -- какой-то рэп никакой честно говоря. Три звезды
Good moments.
Some of it was good, some of it was okay. Definitely. An album that I would not go back and listen to again but I was not turned off by it either.
blanda af futurisma og svarta lúðanum. það er staðalmynd sem ég þekki ekki nóg en þarf að kynna mér. var frekar ánægður með þetta. aðra, meira. 3,5.
I like it but it’s not the right mood today
not bad, like the sound!
Chill beats to have in the background. 7
Unwieldy, uncompromising, unbelievable. At the time of writing, it's the lowest rated hip-hop album in the 1001 catalogue. It's not too difficult to see why: "Welcome to the Afterfuture" is a very bizarre record, taking in influences from jazz, ambient, electronica and hip-hop. It's Mike Ladd's second of many, many albums, and sees him acknowledging afro-futurism on the cusp of a shiny new millennium. In the very first song, he's crying in vain for his "floating car, his utopia, his Mars colonies". Later, he spends an entire song making allusions to Blade Runner. Then, he's a "starship n*gga" on the way to Jupiter. While the music here can be challenging, it's been a joy to hear a left-field example of the genre, outside of the spheres of G-funk, gangsta rap or golden age. I've not heard this brand of experimental hip-hop before, so it really appealed to me as something new. Beats crash in and drop out again. Snatches of keyboard are filtered almost beyond recognition, like murder in the CASIO factory. It's not an easy listen, but most of it successfully serves Ladd's distorted realisation of the future. Production is trippy and lush (take third track "Planet 10": sweeping, lush strings and an eerily pitched, disembodied voice delivering the hook: "where we going… planet 10"). "To the Moon's Contractor", an epic eleven-minute odyssey in the middle of the album, is a black-hole of jazzy basslines, fluttering woodwind, floaty synths and splashes of percussion. It's hard to tell whether it ever quite takes off, but it's a fascinating place to wallow for ten minutes. Then we've the searing climax of "Red Eye to Jupiter", and the absolutely blissed-out highlight "Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon". All great tracks. The production overpowers the vocals somewhat, which are tight and he but don't feel as effortless as some of Ladd's peers. His rhymes are impressive but very wordy, with a verbose vocabulary on tracks like "No. 1 St". The features are also a mixed bag: I wasn't a huge fan of Bigg Jus's vocals in "Bladerunners", which clashed against the smoothness of the instrumental samples. It seems this vision is best fulfilled by Ladd and Ladd alone. This crystallises in the final track, "Feb '4 99 (For All Those Killed by Cops)", a stirring and profound spoken word piece. Together with the earlier insistence it "takes more than 41 to bring us down", it's a response to the police shooting of Amadou Diallo which took place earlier that year. It places "Welcome to the Afterfuture" firmly in the field of conscious hip-hop, giving it a heart and a soul. So, although at times this album sinks into more generic, by-numbers horny hip-hop, I really respect Ladd for committing to a concept throughout the entire record and delivering on it: "Welcome to the Afterfuture" ends up feeling more cohesive and satisfying as a full package than many other hip-hop albums I've heard.
Overall: 5/10 This one is a weird one for me. The beats are exceptional, and I think the rhymes are pretty good. For some reason, the songs just mostly seem to come and go without a second thought given. I couldn't tell you a single hook or line that stood out to me. I will say that it gave me MF Doom vibes at times. It's certainly a well made hip hop album but it didn't do much for me. Fav Song: Welcome to the Afterfuture Least Fav Song: I Feel Like $100
A swirling kaleidoscope of off-kilter beats, obscure samples and fuzzy synths, with rapping over the top. I preferred the first half, since it generally felt more like an art piece than an album; the second half is slightly more conventional and I wasn't too keen on the guest appearance from Company Flow. Politically, I'm not sure where Mike Ladd is, but I can guess it's both leftist and disappointed. (If disappointed can be a political position; personally I think it can be.) The future is now, it isn't bright, and it isn't orange. And his name isn't... CHRIS! I can't say I didn't like it, but it's not the sort of thing I'd put on very often. Maybe that just means I'm boring. Tangent: If there's an afterfuture, is there a prepast? Fave: The Animist. Least Fave: Red Eye to Jupiter Strong Bad Demerit Counter: 0 (I think)
I liked it more than I thought I would. The second half is better than the first.
Instrumentally it's pretty cool for the most part. There's still quite a lot of rap I'm not into though. To the Moon's Contractor was the best track.
Actually quite liked it. Some good ideas and liked the way the music had an equal footing to the rapping.
3/5
3☆/5 10.16.2024
This started bad ....few songs in the middle were good...couldn't listen to the song where they just yelled motherfucker over and over...ending was ok. Just average! 2.6
Mellow melodic beats and slow smooth rhymes make Afterfuture enjoyable. I’d listen to it again without being forced. Mike Ladd has a huge catalog, not sure why he wasn’t more mainstream.
Not really by bag, but kinda dug it anyway. Prolly wouldn't listen again, however.
I love this but I need to give it another go tbh I liked most of it but it felt flat for a bit at the end
Dece
This was so much better than I expected from the cover or the description! There was one song that was so unpleasant in terms of language that I had to skip it after 10 seconds, but that was outweighed by the pleasure of quite a few other songs. It was quite (desperately seeks a better word and fails) trippy, sonically, and generally skipped around genres pretty nicely.
This is #day59 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's time for a lesser-known hip-hop gem from 2000. I've never heard of Mike Ladd before. There’s much more than just hip-hop here, though. Listening to Welcome to the Afterfuture reminded me of a couple of other records. First off, Lovage's Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By, both share that loungy, crispy, trippy vibe. I also hear echoes of DJ Shadow’s Entroducing....., especially in those instrumental tracks. Maybe some Amon Tobin in there too? Anyway, I enjoyed the abstractness, edginess, and jazzy elements of this album; it was an interesting find. This is a 3 out of 5, particularly given its "old-schoolness." Looking forward to #day60.
Weird album. I feel like they were onto something a little bit though. I hear a lot of the elements that make up today’s critically acclaimed experimental hip hop in this album. The beats are their own little world sometimes.
Offbeat and odd futuristic space rap. I like the premise behind it but I find the execution to be kind of short of what I wanted. Making sounds that are supposed to be cutting edge and predicting what is next for the genre would make sense to me if it was filled with really out there sounds- like synths that blend with acoustic instruments, vocals that blur the line between organic and robotic. Here we get a track like Bladerunners, which sounds like some Big L track (which is a compliment because I like Big L but also not a compliment because it's a comparison to an artist whose only album came out 29 years ago), but the only thing futuristic and intriguing about it is the lyrics, where he at times mentions some bladerunner things like "replicants".. Luckily his actual rapping saves this album from being rated lower for me. He has a really authentic + listenable vocal tone, and his flows are fresh. "Airwave Hysteria" in particular has a pretty interesting set of a few different rhythmic flows on it, and that's what I wanted more of while listening. I'm going to be honest- I wanted to give this a 2 until I finished listening and then went back and re-listened to "Airwave Hysteria" and "Bladerunners". I still feel conflicted about this record because it just wasn't what I predicted and wanted, but ultimately I did enjoy it. Cool album cover, actually really specifically a style that I enjoy.
yeah its alright
Very 2000 abstract hip hop, reminds me of early El-P and Saul Williams even, but definitely less passion for the most part. Can’t say I would lean that I disliked it overall, there was enough cool sounds and ideas even if it gets a bit repetitive and is overall slight. Like a 2.5 for me
This was just ok. I am at a place in my life where i kinda resent music like this … his mom seems cool tho
2,5
I liked the tracks that pushed into trip hop vein, experimental electronic, more than the straight hip-hop. Had some good moments. Takes More Than 41.
I really try to avoid comparisons when listening to music as it leads your brain to thinking about things in a particular way but for this one the symmetry with deltron3000 is too close for me not to bring it up. It doens't have anywhere near the same tightness. Generally it all felt a bit underwhelming. The beats were good, but not great. The rapping was okay.
Well, I at least found it to be very creative hip-hop.
No bangers. Felt like an interesting album, had a mix of styles from bouncy rap to spoken-word-poetry at times. I thought this artist did a good job of explaining their experience and worldview through music. But, the music itself didn't grip me.
Pretty entertaining.
not bad but not for me
An awesome blend of genres with some impressive rappers above and a good concept. Nothing mind blowing, but a cool project to get into
Trying too much
Pretty cool and atmospheric experimental hip-hop.
this was a much better record that i initially thought it would be - the lyricism was interesting, and the beats were hypnotic and almost relaxing at times. even though hip-hop isn’t massively my thing, i can always appreciate an artist, and i think, for the most part, ladd deserves the credit for this album.
i feel like this will be shit but whatever 5000 miles west of the future- 5 airwave hysteria- 5 planet 10- 4 takes more than 41- 5. i feel like somethings missing from all these songs but i dont know what. theres potential but it needs some other element to tie it all together bladerunners- stroking the silver pussy?? these lyrics are crazy. 6. i love the bass no 1 st- 4. kinda boring. i smoked too much of that asthma? me too to the moons contractor- i cant do 10 minutes sorry i feel like $100- 5 the animist- 5 red eye to jupiter- 5 or 6 welcome to the afterfuture- 5. the grim reapers lucky charms in a box. michael jackson is accidentally neutered. wipe out on the wave of armageddon- 4 feb 4 '99- 6 or 7 im gonna return to this at some point and read the lyrics too
My option of this album was all over the map from track to track. There were a lot of things I liked about it - it’s got this minimalist/lo-fi/industrial/jazzy sci-fi thing going on, which is very cool, but doesn’t come together as cohesively as I would’ve liked. After the first few tracks, the middle felt like a bit of a slog. It picks back up at the end, and the great final track, “Feb. 4 ‘99,” saves it from a rating of 2. Even though I can’t say I fully enjoyed it, this album does feel a little special.
This is a solid rap offering with a trip hop vibe that I like a lot in rap music. It’s on the verge of 4 stars for me and deserves some more listens.
Barely hip hop beats And oft choppy poetry Rambling album Chopped up mad samples Atypical, witty bars Odd artsy approach
Mike Ladd, more like MIKE WHAT THE FUCK YOU CAN"T SAY THAT
Af en toe vette productie, maar weet uiteindelijk niet genoeg te pakken. Wellicht kan deze uit de lijst.
I almost wrote it off. I hate the macho style of hiphop vocals that the album leads with. That said, woah, it goes in deep-- sometimes sounding derivative of Kool Keith. But then finally leveling out with some truly innovative sounds and some really deep long tracks. Overall, worth a listen and I can see why the album is included. It's a weird and interesting one.
This album defies categorization. "Is this jazz? This is semen pizzazz." Somehow this one lyric tells you everything you need to know about this album.
The afterfuture is 24 years ago. The futuristic vision starts strong from 5000 Miles West To The Future through Planet 10. Then the album takes a three track downturn through misogyny and strangeness, which leads into an almost 11 minute instrumental (To The Moon’s Contractor). The instrumental is decent, yet seriously misplaced in this hip hop foray. Afterwards, the album never really recovers to offer anything like the opening three tracks, which is disappointing.
First time listener. Really enjoyed this one. Excellent beats and lyricism. I’ll be listening to more by Mike Ladd! Good album
definitely a fresh and new sound, but it feels very unfocused and a bit unmemorable i.e. there are great individual tracks and moments within each of the tracks that really shine and stand out, but it doesn't work well as one body of work at all 3/5 though, its a perfectly okay album, i am glad i listened to it and there is a lot of potential!!! i think i could enjoy it a lot more on second listen
It’s different. It’s not bad, solid stuff. Really liked that song Planet 10.
Fun,
Very creative and fresh feeling. Tons of diversity too this album didnt feel stale throughout. 3.3
Listening to this while working really rescued this album's rating. Yes, it's very slight. Yes, the rapping is dull, uninspired, and done no favors by the mix. Yes, every song begins with a halting, repetitive sample of a recognizable and better song. But I listened on headphones while working and found it to be utterly fine. Welcome to the Average, mister Ladd.
I was not looking forward to yet another rap album. Well, this one is quite a bit different than most. It was certainly a ride, though not one I'll likely take again. I was wondering where this rapper got all these dated references from (Space 1999, Arsenic and Old Lace, Mr. Whipple, Monchichi), so I looked him up. To my surprise, he was born in 1970 and not black (someone must have given him an n-word pass). There is barely anything on his Wikipedia page. Anyway, the music is...interesting. Sometimes funny, occasionally falling into the usual rap trappings of sex, drugs, violence. Sometimes different and weird. Worth one listen I guess.
Some of this was pretty great especially To the Moon's Contractor and Red Eye to Jupiter, which stood out as compellingly weird. The album got more interesting as it went along.
Kind of mid. Last track was cool though
I feel like the vision behind this album was far bigger than what they actually achieved. Could definitely see what they wanted to do but just not 100% they got there. Still, a good listen and I enjoyed the majority of it. 3.1
Enjoyed a couple tracks that had rapping but otherwise just beats
Some of the beats reminded me of drum n bass, and there are some nuggets of good ideas. But I think Ladd’s ambition outweighed his skill.
Pretty ok
It's interesting, but underwhelming at the same time. 3.
I feel like this album is what Kendrick Lamar has been trying to make. Personal enjoyment 3/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5
Seems ok not sure why it’s on the list though.
The ratings on this one made me think I was going to hate it, but I mostly liked this one. It's interesting experimental hip-hop.
Þetta er áhugavert, töff á köflum og svolítið meh inn á milli. Tæpur þristur.
pretty OK stuff.
Prima hoor
Whoa, I am truly not sure what to make of this recording. To me it is a unique mashup of styles, sounds, hip-hop, spoken word, science fiction, social injustice, sampling and electronica. Very raw in parts. While another album that I strongly suspect was not made with me as an audience in mind, I did appreciate the adventure in listening to it
It's an interesting album. There's a couple of tracks, Airwave Hysteria, Bladerunners, and the Animist, that I liked. Not sure I'll listen a 3rd time due to the music comp not really calling to me. 3/5!
This was intense, interesting. 5/10
Okay, it's amazingly produced, but it doesn't have the lyrics or hooks to truly grab me. It's still great - might be a grower. Think I will come back to this one.
took a while, but when it clicks this is pretty good. enjoyed how low key and simmering this is
This is a really intriguing, creative album, with a spacey, oddball sensibility that I enjoyed. Mike Ladd's vocal/flow is the least interesting part of the album. But overall this was pretty great. Fave Songs: To the Moon's Contractor, Planet 10, Takes More Than 41, 5000 Miles West of the Future, Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon, I Feel Like $100
first listen kinda a mess
I was shocked this was from 2023, it sounded so retro, '90s hip hop. And then I found out the year was wrong on Spotify. Anyway, I liked the infusion of Indian music into some of the tracks. I didn't listen too hard but I liked the protesty feel of it.
This one sounds like Sun Ra reincarnated into a rapper in the world of *Blade Runner*. +1 for sampling Gorecki's *Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs* on "Planet 10". And closer " Feb 4. '99" is quite epic and impressive. Some cuts are very original, and somehow foretell the "afterfuture" of J Dilla or Flying Lotus. Others are just messy and a little self-indulgent. And some others alternate between the two ends of that spectrum. Apart from that, Mike Ladd is an interesting figure who has dabbled in experimental hip hop and "art-rap" for decades now. He can be very good. And not only with this album, but with a lot of his other projects, at least from what I heard browsing through his discography today. I might buy second hand LPs and CDs among those... Not sure any of those records is "essential album" material, though. There's been countless decent experimental hip hop records since the nineties, from Sole to Cloudead, or from The Goats to Saul Williams. And I can't see why Mike Ladd should be singled out in that league, instead of all the others. 1001 is too small a number for that, and we have other genres to take into account. That said I'll leave the door open to Mr. Ladd as of now. We'll see if I warm up even more to his music later on... 3/5 for the purposes of this list. 8/10 for more general purposes (5+3) Number of albums left to review: 172 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 361 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 208 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 263
This is a solid but unspectacular example of 90s hiphop, except it's from 2015 and melded with a load of electro and synth. And I think that makes it better. Maybe the beginning of the album is less good, maybe it took me a little while to get into it, but I enjoyed the second half more than the first. Think it really embraces the trippy psychedelic side then, which I prefer to the straight-up hiphop. Definitely drags a bit (more towards the middle than the end), we didn't need over an hour of this. Think it just squeaks a 3.
At first I didn't like this. Then as it went on it grew on me more and more. The concept here is A+ for sure, very experimental sounds, the rhymes are interesting and surprising touching on some cool themes. It didn't quite come together enough for me to really love it but I'm glad to have heard it and don't really get the hate for it here.
Interesting alternative hip hop beats that veer into psychedelia, some lead the songs whil others support Ladd’s rapping. Ladd’s raps are hard to keep up with and keep you guessing - surprising cadences and strange rhyme schemes with lyrics teetering a border between academic pontification and psychotic ramblings. There are some really cool moments that immerse me, but not always consistent and interesting enough to hold my attention. I’d need to revisit this one more and I think it will grow on me - there’s a lot to unpack here.
Moody electronic/hip hop with nice non-distracting beats. The 10-minute song To the Moon's Contractor was amazing, but everything after it sounded worse in comparison dragging the whole thing down. Stand-out: Takes More Than 41
Tribe called Quest vibes
I'm surprised to see an album with so few Spotify plays show up on this list. The top track is Bladerunners with ~200K plays, and everything else is 50K or less. This might be the lowest so far. Still, I liked some of the grooves/beats.
Reminded me of the Avalanches, some of Dan the Automator's work, or Deltron 3000 (speaking of Dan). It wasn't the worst, but wasn't better than either of those later groups--this was more repetitive, the mixing seemed off or done poorly in that the vocals often seemed quieter than the pseudo-futuristic beats, and just not nearly as catchy. Maybe more like a 2.5/2.75, but will round up since I didn't hate it.
#215. This album starts out strong, but then kinda drags for a while. It seriously could have benefited from being like 20 minutes shorter. 3/5: it's alright
Ok, a little bit like a DJ Shadow album with rapping over the top. Not going to return but a pretty good listen.
This was pretty good. But it’s not my fave genre.
Nothing special
Was cool to see El-P on track 5. This sounded pretty experimental and probably ahead of its time in 2000. Really digged some songs and their sound while I could forget others. I don't think I'll be back but lands in a solid 3.
Pretty good rap. It’s not really anything special, but it was fine to listen to in the morning. That’s it again I’m not being good at writing reviews lately
The epitome of backpack rap
Weird but in a good way. Would listen to again if I was stoned.
Takes a few songs to get into the weird production style but feels pretty unique and trippy
Didn't mind it
I hadn't heard of this album before. Pretty enjoyable.
Aika hyvä.
Sonically it was awesome.
Enjoyed his experiments with sound. A surprisingly good listen.
It's... alright? Not something I would really recommend.
A very unique sound. I really enjoyed a lot of it, but there was just enough that I thought was too out there or too avant garde that I am not sure I would go back to it again.
An interesting conscious hip hop / almost spoken word album. I really enjoyed the beats and tracks, many which reminded me of MF Doom, and the deeper, more political and meaningful lyrics. I haven't ever heard of Mike Ladd before and really couldn't find much about him which was a little confusing. Maybe he just doesn't have that main stream appeal?
Very interesting beats!
Interesting stuff.
Está bastante bien, de a ratos hay sonidos y bases muy buenos
I was fully prepared to hate this album but didn’t. 3.2
Too artsy for me. He’s obviously good, but not my vibe. No 1 st carries the album honestly, can’t hate too much though so it gets a three
3.5 if I had the option.
This is kind of a weird inclusion for this book lol. I've literally never heard of Mike Ladd or Welcome to the Afterfuture before, I wonder how much cultural impact this album actually has had. I kinda liked it though.
Weird concept album reminds me of
Pretty good stuff
I expected worse but was not blown away
Rap
Notable track: Bladerunners, No. 1 St.
Well done freestyle rap. Artist enounciated clearly which allows me to appreciate the story
For the older people, you remember when the Internet was still relatively new? Where hip hop artists would put music on all sorts of websites like Newgrounds or whatever and they were raw, kinda wacky, and kinda bad? Many songs on this album remind me of that. There are good beats here but the Mikes flow isn't up to par. I'm glad I heard this though, it's so close to being good. Unlike a lot of albums in this site, I can see why this is here
Definitely the most unique spin on the late 90's jazz and hip hop blend. Brilliant blend of instrument and samples combined with electronic instruments. Love the dynamics. Mike Ladd is a total MC with some pretty unique word play and rhyme schemes.
Interesting album. Fun concepts and lyrics but it just doesn't hit right and I don't understand why this is/was on the list.
Öka i Spotify år 2023... Man kan inte klaga för inte hitta album. Beats och produktion är trevlig men då Mr. Mike öppna han mun, jag kommer att bli mycket arg. Jag hatade honom ljud heh... Låt oss fortfarande vara objektiva, med dåliga hörlural jag tycker om det hela sak.. Jag kan inte beklaga... tree kautta femma... planet 10
Interesting. Needs another listen I think
Definitely flashes of lyricism that I liked but as a whole is a style of hip hop that is just very dated.
There's not much info that can be found about this album that warrants its inclusion on this list. Ladd's album is not original (not that there is a problem with it), it doesn't signify any new ideas in HipHop that haven't been already done-and better. 2.5/5.
Hip-Hop from 2000. Hip hop? Really? Mike Ladd is from Boston, MA, USA. I would have figured he was British because he was on this list, and I never heard of him.... Oh, wait, he's based in Paris... that explains it! I liked: 5000 Miles West of the Future, 3.5
Moody, atmospheric.
Mixed so so
Really cool, should put it on the background some time. Would be 3.5 if i could rate it that
5000 Miles West of the Future- 4.1/5 Airwave Hysteria- 3.9/5 Planet 10- 3.7/5 Takes More Than 41- 3.5/5 Bladerunners- 4.3/5 No. 1 St.- 3.9/5 To the Moon's Contractor- 2.3/5 I Feel Like $100- 4.7/5 The Animist- 4.1/5 Red Eye to Jupiter (Starship Nigga)- 2.7/5 Welcome to the Afterfuture- 3.8/5 Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon- 2.6/5 Feb. 4 '99 (For All Those Killed by Cops)- 3.4/5 Total- 3.6/5
To be honest, I didn't expect a hip hop album from a guy named Mike. But yeah, it was just ok. The jazzier influences felt here were nice, and some of his rhymes made me laugh. But the more electronic elements here didn't do much for me. And -- I've said it before, and I'll likely say it again -- why does every hip hop album need to be over an hour long?? It's too long!!
3.5 really
Not quite sure what I feel about this one yet; I think I need more time, and more listens for it to settle in first. I'm going to give it a 3, because I quite enjoyed it, but I think that could change by +/-1 in the future
Interesting hip hop but not my taste
1. "5000 Miles West of the Future" - Love this track - the pauses, lack of continuous rhythm and odd drum pattern all chime with the idea of broken continuity in the lyric. Genius! 2. "Airwave Hysteria" - funky beats and scratches, list of mad-making media mess. Better out than in lad. 3. "Planet 10" - More funky weirdness. Very chill. 4. "Takes More Than 41" - found the clipped kick drum sample annoying. Interesting, slidey synths, soft and rearranged. 5. "Bladerunners" - "replicants AKA refugees". More weirdness - constant flow of lyric, in time, but rhymes on spurious beats. 6. "No. 1 St." - Abstraggadocious rhymes. 7. "To the Moon's Contractor" - very pleasant sonic disorientation. 8. "I Feel Like $100" - Didn't do much for me. 9. "The Animist" - loop reminded me of Squarepusher. All this after future is getting a bit too postmodern for me. Can I get a narrative? 10. "Red Eye to Jupiter (Starship Nigga)" - more braggadocious nonsense, but at least it's proper nonsense. 11. "Welcome to the Afterfuture" - title track. Can't hear it - noise to signal ratio on this track and album as a whole has tipped towards noise. 12. "Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon" - nice loop, some rhythmic interest in second half. 13. "Feb. 4 '99 (For All Those Killed by Cops)" - strong. Like the texture, lyric very oblique. Great crescendo. Overall, glad I heard it - lad (Ladd) is trying something new. Some ace moments. Proper art, this.
Afterfuture's appropriate enough time description. The rest of the concept is unfortunately half-baked. Company Flow feature caught the eye but not the ear. Sprawling, rickety hip-hop projects have a special place.
Pretty good album. Was it a little distracted whole listening. Could go up a half star on relisten. Solid 3/5 maybe more.
Innovative
Although I liked this album, again I have to question why an album that is not even a year old is on the list when there are easily thousands of albums that were release before that could have gone on the list. What makes this album more notable? I liked the instrumentals, and "The Animist" was pretty good as well. But then I get into "Starship N***a" and I'm like "Wait, what?" That last track "Feb. 4 '99" is just an amazing piece of vitriol towards the system. I didn't dislike it. I liked it even more with a second listen, but I just don't see why this is more worthy.
This album starts off great - the first two songs have wicked funky beats. From there, it was up and down. Songs like Planet 10, Takes More than 41, To the Moon's Contractor, and I Feel like $100 had too much experimentation and airy beats (and annoying voice modulation on the first two). Songs like Bladerunners, No. 1 Street, Red Eye to Jupiter, and Welcome to the Afterfuture had some excellent rapping (fast, clever rhymes) but lyrics that at times would make a prostitute blush. When those lyrics weren't about sex, I was intrigued. When they were about sex, I was embarrassed. Still they were generally some of the better songs. Feb 4, 99 had the most poetic and stinging lyrics. All in all, very good lyrics (with some hiccups), a decent futuristic theme throughout (though I didn't always love the beats that came with it), and inconsistent delivery. Feels like 3.5 at best even if it was a nice surprise.
I had no clue as to what this was going to be. I enjoyed it, it's interesting to hear samples other artists from that period used in a new way.
Enjoyed it enough to give it 3 stars. Great job Mike.
Ahead of it’s time probably… I think he’s trying too hard 🤷🏼♀️
Really good beats but OK lyrics
Kk random maar zeker niet bad ofz 2.5
Weirdly sinister, not that enjoyable but it was very interesting. 2.75
The opening songs are okay for me.
i need to listen to this more to get into it.
I really like the idea of this album (and how nice was it to get something other than 3 men with guitars, a drummer and singer?). I felt it fell short by not having any obvious catchy hooks or chorus.
That was a thing I listened to. It was ok, gave it one listen but wasn’t really my thing.
3.5 - It's a long and meandering hour of spaced out beats and laid back MC'ing, not without some interesting moments. "Bladerunners", with its clinical rhymes about female anatomy and cunnilingus, sounds like a send-up to Dr. Octagon. I like the interplanetary imagery on songs like "Planet 10", as well as spacey instrumentals like "I Feel Like $100." It's just too bad that this record waits until its very last track, "Feb. 4 '99 (For All Those Killed by Cops)" to express feelings about anything real and immediate. And what an arresting track! I wish Ladd had spread some of that energy to add strength and backbone to the rest of the record that feels dopey in comparison.
Started okay and then just dragged in the latter half. Again could have cut 20 minutes and had a nice solid record. It has aged better than other rap albums on here so there is that.
Ensimmäinen kuuntelukerta meni ohi ja tokalla pääsi vähän kiinni. En pidä mestariteoksena ja nostaisi millekään top listalle. 2,75*
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
Pretty eclectic piece of abstract hip-hop. A lot of open space in the songs however. I feel like this could’ve been polished a lot
Weer zo'n artiest waar we nog nooit van hebben gehoord. En dan begin je toch zonder verwachtingen. Ik begrijp wel waarom dit geen mainstream succes is, het lijkt namelijk niet echt op de andere rap of hiphop die je op de radio hoort of hoorde in die tijd. Het is experimenteler, met name met geluiden en beatjes. Ik vind de hele sfeer die in het album zit een stuk prettiger dan de gangstarap uit diezelfde tijd. Dit gaat meer richting elektronica, triphop, zelfs een beetje lounge. Ik kan het best goed aanhoren.
Interesting album with some very good tracks on this one. I like the blend of styles here, and my ears were often drawn in and held there quite well. I'll have to listen to more of his work.
This was better than I expected by a rapper from Massachusetts. Overall it felt like a step below the linkin park verses by Mike shinoda. Overall the beats were pretty good and the lyricism was better than I thought. Not nearly as good overall as the ll cool j album I just had but this was a decent album. 6.3/10
This one is new to me. Never heard of Mike Ladd before. Definitely a new and fresh sound. I like it. 3/5
A rather eclectic and interesting record, a few different things emerged during my one and a half listens
i don’t know, seems kind of interesting but it just didn’t grab me that mich
Actually fairly dope 3.5/5
Been a while since I heard any of his stuff. He's alright. Not sure why this album is any more important than some of his contemporaries.
This had to have been a mistake. - "Hey put that one 2000 underground hip hop album with electronic influences on the list" - "Oh, you mean the Mike Ladd album?" - "No, I mean Deltron 3030 you fucking idiot. Who the hell is Mike Ladd?" - "Whoops, too late. I accidentally put the Mike Ladd one. Can't be undone." How did they even dig this up? I can barely find any info on it on the Internet. It doesn't even have the album cover on Wikipedia, the songs barely have 10k plays on Spotify and the entire album has only 300 ratings on RateYourMusic (about 3 times less than that one album that's just an hour of porn recordings). Okay, this was pretty alright I guess. It's definitely no Deltron 3030, but I'm still glad I got to listen to it. A bit too bloated and long. The rapping parts aren't as good as the atmospheric parts - good thing they spend a considerable time exploring those cool soundscapes, because that's when the album is at its best. This whole thing should have just been an ambient trip-hop album. Man's not a very good rapper.
Good but not as good as Prefuse 73
Never heard this person before. Okay Hip Hop.
Started off hot, kind of lost me along the way. Interesting album rather than a regular listen.
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
Kanske försöker vara nyskapande men fortfarande bättre om man tar bort pratsjungningen.
Hip-hop no tan clásico, sí con otro tipo de ritmos y acompañamientos. Aun así, reivindicativo.
Typical turn of the century/start of the millennium hip-hop which is not an awful thing. Welcome to the Afterfuture is apt from the title down to the music, which blends minimal boom-bap with surprising detours to downtempo ambient in a little over an hour of nonstop creativity. Favorites: 5000 Miles West of the Future, Planet 10, Bladerunners, No. 1 St, To the Moon's Contractor, I Feel Like $100, The Animalist, Red Eye to Jupiter, Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon, Feb. 4th '99.
Best Song: No. 1 St. Nice chill, relaxed flow over a sweeping backing instrumental. Nice. Worst Song: Takes More Than 41. Sometimes a song can be so lo-fi that it just sounds underbaked, and lemme tell ya, this puppy's raw. Overall: It's pretty nice lo-fi hip hop. Does some nice weird conceptual stuff, but never gets too outlandish that it becomes unlistenable. Best for chill, background music.
I probably need to listen to this a couple more times to fully understand it, but I *would* listen to it a couple more times
Some cool stuff, collabs with company flow was dope.
Just okay and decent in general
I had never heard of Mike Ladd, I'm not into hip-hop. I don't actively seek it out so I'm not surprised. Nothing extraordinary here, the beats are fine and most of it was listenable, it makes for decent background music and the best I can say is I didn't not like it. Not essential for me.
Thought this had a really great sound. An album made in 2023 but def feels like they made it in the 90s.
Didn’t have much time to focus on this one. Good and chill instrumentals though!
When I listen to rap lyrics I usually have three thoughts. 1) yeah, I guess I agree, the system sucks. 2) gross, no one needs to hear about this. And 3) why are you writing a song about this? This album was way more 1 that 2 and 3, and had the bonus of being musically competent.
Meh
It's spaced-out, trippy, vibe does set it aside from other hip hop that has appeared on the list but I'm torn between whether or not that makes it better or worse. Next.
Not as good as I hoped it'd be
Productions a 4, vocals a 2 if I’m being generous. Let’s call it a 3.
Chill, futuristic space-rap in the same vein as Deltron 3030, Funcrusher Plus, or A Better Tomorrow (all of which have criminally been missed off this list). Instrumentally great, but a lot of tracks drag on longer than they should.
Started out pretty good, but way too long with little of interest
Rap
Slick trip hop/intellectual rap, nice international samples, clever lyrics
Middling hip-hop record - on the intellectual side it's interesting but on the other hand clinical and devoid of too much emotion.
I think I've given rap music a fair chance and I've decided it's just not really my thing
This was good, kind of spooky at times but a well rounded album
Imagine looking at a black and white picture, simple isn’t it? Then imagine that black and white picture slowly turns into a picture with colour, gets a bit more complex! That’s what it’s like listening to this album.
this felt like it could have been great but was hamstrung by subpar production
Solid hip hop album. Slower paced, has lots of electronic elements. More something I would enjoy in the background instead of listen to actively. Standout is "Bladerunners"
It's funny, his third song "Planet 10" feels like was made by Marc Rebillet. There are some good songs, some really irritating.
Enjoyed this one a lot. Definitely deserves another listen
Not on Spotify so it was hard listening to the entire thing but what heard was
"Welcome to the Afterfuture" is the second full-length album by American hip-hop musician Mike Ladd. The album is recognized as one leading cutting edge hip-hop into avant garde and non-western traditions. I also put some of this music just plain in the experimental category as well. Lyrically this album can be somewhat all over the place but there are recurring themes of police states, a new world order and anti-imperialism. "5000 Miles West of the Future" begins things with heavy keyboards transitioning into more ambient music. Ladd talks and the mood is that of dread. It has a future sound. Jazz horns end things. Swirling strings and Hindu-type chants give "Airwave Hysteria" a totally different vibe. There's more funk with the keyboards. Dense rhyme content going into a history of imperialistic violence. The third song "Planet 10" slows things down a bit is no less weird. Slightly more soulful. A deeper male voice. A synthed-out female voice. Ambience with space sounds. "Where are we going?" "Bladerunners" features Company Flow and has string samples and a slow, funky groove. More traditional hip-hop rap. But, the lyrics keep the weirdness going describing a bad ass sexed-up dude and then goes into a political rant about police states. "Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon" caught my attention with the Shaft-like drum beat. Ambient synths smooth things out. The album ends with "Feb. 4 '99," spoken word lyrics talking about the future of money, woman and computers. A drone background. A clock-ticking beat with high-pitched keys. One of the best songs on the album. This album was a decent listen. It starts and ends strong. Things were always kept interresting.
I had never heard of Mike Ladd. This is quite unlike any other hip-hop album aI’ve heard. The soundscape is unique - sometimes the backing is orchestral, often strings dominate. The beats sometimes dominate (5000 Miles West Of The Future). It can be funky (The Animist). Drums can dominate (Wipe Out On The Wave Of Armageddon). Sometimes the track is frenetic (Red Eye To Jupiter) & sometimes slow (Takes More Than 41). Sometimes you just focus on the words (For All Those Killed By Cops). My favourite line is from the title track : “I got swallowed by a record label In the tower of Babel”. Really enjoyed this.
Buhangin
I'm not a hip hop fan at all, but this was really interesting. The term I want to use to describe this is "progressive hip hop." Very interesting, innovative, and different from any other hip hop I've heard. I wish it was available on Spotify - I would definitely listen again. 3 stars.
C'est special et quekque chansons se demarque beaucoup dur este de l'labum. J'ai bien aimé 3.5
ce fut parfois intriguant bien que démesurément long
Good stuff. Nice beats throughout
Not on Spotify so cba. Listened to the first two songs on YT. Sounds pretty nice.
It’s hard to say a great deal about an album which never stays the same course for very long. But nevertheless I enjoyed the eclectic mix of moody ambient funk and trip-hop on offer here. A really great record which I’ll be seeking out on vinyl.
I have now been assigned 2 Hip Hop albums this week that are decent but not available on Spotify, what are the chances? It either tells me I need to virtue outside of streaming and listen to new music on YouTube, or to not trust streaming itself. Aside from 1st world problems, the production is pretty neat as the beats and backing tracks are smooth and cool. Not a fan of Mike Ladd's rapping and lyrics as it is quite mediocre, but didn't ruin the album.
A very pleasant album to listen to, although that probably wasn't the intention (not fully, at least). It reminded me a little the Deltron 3030 album - both taking place in a future (or use future as a driving mechanism) to rap about current issues. I think this is a really good idea, it gives you a different perspective on the matter of things. It is such a Terra Incognita in music as of yet. Mike Ladd had a small contribution to the subgenre with his album Welcome to the Afterfuture. It's a hip hop album with quite few instrumental bits, like prominently "The Moon's Contractor". It's a very atmospheric track, nicely fitting into the whole theme of the album, but also defending itself on its own. The real highlight of the album is the closing track, a sort of an anthem, that is still very much important and valid - "Feb. 4 '99 (For All Those Killed by Cops)". It's a really great song, with interesting, important and quite moving lyrics. Unfortunately, rest of the album is not on par with the best tracks and I had mixed feelings about it. I definitely like the beats much more than the rapping style in general. I didn't like any of the guest appearances, and those songs bring the overall experience down in my opinion. Good idea, but mixed result.
This is interesting, although I wouldn't go as far as compelling. I didn't think I'd like it. It grew on me. I'll probably consider listening to it again, but it won't be soon.
Did not like the start, but the album grew on me as it went on.
Has cool Parys. Feel like it could get better on another listen, which I didn't have time for today. Will revisit this album
Yes. Interesting for sure. Would listen again but equally would be ok not to.
Dins la miríada innecessària de discos de hip hop de la llista, aquest se salva per la seva originalitat. Diferent, intel.ligent, amb unes bases prou engrescadores i unes lletres pròpies d'un catedràtic, com és l'autor
Too bad it isn't on Spotify. I liked this album and the beats is very much my type of hip-hop. I've never heard about Mike Ladd before and it was better than expected.
Cool usage of samples and musical styles together with nice flow. Unfortunately I really did not feel it today, so I have to give 3 stars. 3 is minimum for music I can respect, but I can't give more, because it did not hook me.
I wouldn't complain about this as background music, but I also wouldn't seek it out again. I enjoyed Mike's use of samples and synths though.
Exploring, pushing, and in some places blasting past the established boundaries and assumptions of hip-hop at that time. How this guy and his collaborators were able to capture the sound of 20 years of hip-hop music to come, is really amazing.
Love the angry racial sci-fi.
I mean... it's okay. It's hardly an album that you need to listen to before you die though is it? It's not groundbreaking or mindblowing - this is all (so far) the same kind of shit I've heard before. It builds off people like Shadow & Dr Octagon and doesn't really beat out its own trail along that path... for my money.
Can't find the Album. Neither in Spotify, nor in Amazon Music
Not sure why its in the book, but I enjoyed listening
I totally understand why some rappers get annoyed at how retarded a lot of lyrics in their genre are, but surely this isn't the answer. He just rapped through some kind of lab experiment as a metaphor for fucking - that's going a bit too far. It's also too long, but that's pretty much every rap album - especially in the 00s. Extra points for the Rutger Hauer line from Blade Runner and something about Tribbles, though. Very torn on this overall. I appreciate the IDEA but the execution isn't my thing. 3/5.
Nice, relaxing. Even if it was released over twenty years ago, it still has certain elements that make it sound futuristic. Think I appreciate the instrumentals more than I do the tracks with a guest rapper on them. It's good mood music, with the mood being "walking around in a light drizzle while stoned". Favorite tracks: "Bladerunners", "To the Moon's Contractor"
Never heard of him, interesting production, didn't mind it
An interesting breakbeat/hip-hop LP from the beginning of the aughts. Not every track is a winner (the guest features are downright bad and some songs easily date themselves to the time period), but most present a mix of electronic production and wordplay that's engaging and enjoyable. Wish this was on US Spotify, there were a few tracks I really vibed too and would drop in my heavy rotation
I may have been a bit overenthusiastic while listening to that one. It's really good and it makes for a nice surprise since I didn't know Mike Ladd at all, but there are some flaws. The MC is rather generic and the album os too long for its own good. The last 3 tracks were a bit too much for me. Still, there are some really great ideas on that album, the atmosphere is great, really reflective of the 2000's sound but with a jazzy touch, thanks to the cello parts. So yeah, I like it, it's good abstract hip hop that certainly deserves more recognition, but I'm not sure if I would say it's an essential listen.
I can't explain its presence on this list, but it was way more enjoyable than expected. Very unconventional hip-hop with a Midas touch of experimentations. I wouldn't say it's a must, but it was a very interesting discovery!
Interesting gem of hip-hop. I really dont know that much of that genre, so I'm not the best judge, but I found it different than the usual 90's hiphop. It's seem like there was more research and they went to some area that suprise me. They took inspiration from jazz, rock and merge it well.
interesting album
Ladds ladds ladds
I very much enjoy the sort of left field hip hop labels like Def Jux were pumping out in the 2000s so I'm not sure how this album passed me by until now. I actually listened to it twice today as it still passed me by on the first listen. Second time round it did click though and I suspect it is a grower, I'll definitely go back to it at some point. That said, I can't see it every being one of my go tos of the genre. If this has made the list, I am very much looking forward to the big hitters of the era (hello Funcrusher Plus, The Cold Vein, Fantastic Damage, Operation: Doomsday, Labor Days, Madvillain etc) making an appearance in the days and weeks to come.
I'm generally here for experimental hiphop. It's the dark corner where hiphop goes to try out new flexes and find new vibes before bringing it out into the lights for folks to look at. I think Mike Ladd did a good job here for the most part. The beats are avant-garde and the flows are non-standard. He's trying things, you know? I love that for him. Unfortunately, every track feels like our mad Ladd was trucking down a path towards something great and then... stopped short of crossing the finish line. Everything feels incomplete. And that extends to the lyrics, unfortunately. I was hoping for some significant social commentary. What I got was same-same, lazy, middle-of-the-pack verses. Half-assed and boring. Which sucks because what's here COULD have been so much better. The foundation is there. Shame, really.
Interesting poetry, music sounds like UNKLE/Mo-Wax. A rapper/poet who is also interested in the music, so lots of rap-free periods. A revelation and pleasant surprise. Good music. Will listen again, could be a high 3.
It was an interesting album. I did enjoy.
Rubbish
Like the futuristic sound. Another artist I have never come across before.
I like the beats but I don't like his voice so I'll split the difference and call it a 3. He doesn't sit well in the mix and sometimes sounds like he's just reading poetry over music rather than actually flowing with the beats. It ends up leaving me feeling exhausted.
I think I like it?
Well it's very different and I enjoy appreciate the creativity. I liked it.
Really cool, fresh ideas here that just needed a little more time to really come to fruition. If this had been given more work in the studio to trim down and polish it really could have been great.
So he is fusing hip hop and avant-garde. I guess someone had to try it but I'm not sure the experiment paid off. Did it?
Another interesting selection. This didn't sell much, was overlooked by the critics and it's main legacy is that it's on the 1001 list. That said, it's fairly interesting. I like the production, there's some adventurous samples, but the way he brings them in sounds pretty lo-fi. A lot of instrument playing is going on and not too much rapping. A bonus.
This was a nice surprise. I listened to it twice and found it Multi-layered and nuanced. I liked the more atmospheric and experimental tracks more.
I’ve never even heard of this, and it’s not terrible. I thought I knew all the deep in the cut underground hip-hop? It’s kind of like a poor man’s Kool Keith Dr. Octagon mashed up with Masta Ace’s Disposable Arts. It looks like it came out right between those albums too; so dare I call it the missing link? Anyway, I’m having a harder time connecting to this album then say those two above albums I mentioned. I don’t think I’ll listen to this again, even though it’s got some straight up legends on it, like El-P.
I was impressed by this album, actually. I was negatively affected by a group member's thoughts, but I try to go in with an open mind. I'm not sure if I'd listen to this album again, but it had some cool sounds! "To the Moon's Contractor" in particular stuck out to me. There was some lovely Indian music on this album, which was a wonderful nod to some of his upbringing in India. All lyrics were very enunciated, I had no problem hearing all lyrics, which was so important in "Feb 4 '99 (For All Those Killed By Cops)". That song title alone! I was impressed by his lyrics in this song in particular. Lyrics were crafted brilliantly with metaphors!
Wasn't really in the right head space for this one today and I think I might like it better on a day when I can pay more attention. It blended into the background...until it didn't, which was either because of explicit lyrics or lyrics about religion or Space 1999. I liked most the songs about multiples of 10 --- 5000 Miles West of the Future, Planet 10, and I Feel Like $100.
Thought I wouldn’t like this but it wasn’t bad at all. Decent rap with overtones of Disposable Heroes.
Loucura.
Had never heard of Mike Ladd before but I quite enjoyed this album. Interesting rhymes and production, would listen again. 3.5/5 stars
Could always use with some underground hip hop. Very avant-garde and lofi, taking unconventional samples and applying them through chamber-like electric filters. First few songs are pretty decent, impressive raps with really nice beats, then dips from there with some highlights. It's very much dated, using primitive tools that would pale in comparison to what you or I have at our free disposal, but it's creative and consistent nonetheless. Props for having a song titled the day my best friend was born.
5/10 I don’t care for this style of rap much, but there were some interesting sections and the beats were pretty nice.
6/10.
Kind of interesting hip hop album though it didn't really hook me in.
This is a record that demands attention. Like Michael Franti, Mike Ladd turns his lyrical venom towards systemic issues and not towards the typical gangsta style that makes up much of the mainstream hip hop. There's an interplanetary thread that runs through the album that examines the dystopia we're creating, which I think is a decent idea to elevate the lyrics and tie all this together to a concept. Afterfuture is not a bright one. Airwave Hysteria may be the only total miss on this one. I guess electronic music people might like it? But will they like it for 11 minutes?
Well at first I really wasn't into this, then it grew on me a little then I bloody loved the last song! Really confusing. The final song was a 4/5, but the rest of it was mixed for me. Hard to know what to put!
Not bad at all, had some catchy beats and sounds but a little bit long and samey for my liking but would be happy to hear again.
It samples other songs and mixes other sounds and lyrics. It was decent. I don't think that any of the songs were that memorable. I did not feel the need to skip any songs and I did not wish any of the songs to end.
Ging alle kanten op, maar bleef toch interessant. Einde halen bij een plaat zoals dit zegt vaak al wel genoeg.
Dit was moeilijk te duiden. Een aantal erg interessante nummers. Heel divers. Maar er zaten er ook een handvol tussen die ik met knarsende tanden door moest skippen. Eigenlijk 2,5 ster, maar ik ben in een coulante bui dus rond ik het naar boven af.
Begon veelbelovend, werd raar, werd anders. Allerlei stijlen. Al met al best leuk.
Good Enough to keep my attention. Highlight Tracks: 5, 6, 11, 13
unfortunately I think a lot of hip-hop suffers in my ratings because i don't pay as close attention to lyrics, especially when I'm listening to these 1001 albums at times. This had cool moments, but never gripped me. Likely due to not hearing lyrics as closely, but hey, that's me.
interesting beats on this one, almost reminded me of the latch brothers from jet set radio but I couldn't latch on to any of these songs. Was cool to hear through though!
At first blush, I thought this was some random British bloke doing a bad impression of hip hop. Then I learned he was signed to Def Jux and has features from El-P and Company Flow on here. So he's valid? It started weird and stayed weird, but the kind of weird that I settled into. Not something I would seek out, and I'm not sure how much I'll return to what I liked, but there were a few gems on here. Favorite tracks: Bladerunners, The Animist, Feb 4 99, Airwave Hysteria. Album art: Can't tell what I'm looking at, but I like it. The font is great, and the Japanese script on the left is cool too. 3/5
Couldn’t really get into it, the beats are boring at some point. I see the influence in triphop and all that, also the good lyrics but will not be listening to it again
I'm not very familiar with Mike Ladd, but I do like the beats.
Not bad. I'm a little surprised I haven't heard of this rapper before, I've explored a lot of underground hip-hop from this era. This wouldn't be one of my first choices to represent the genre/era... My one big complaint about this album is that none of the beats really hit hard enough. The whole album has a frustratingly ethereal quality, like aural blue balls.
Really interesting weird hip hop, sounds like Deltron 3030. Can't believe i'd not heard of him
Niet al te aandachtig beluisterd maar het was wel leuk met momenten.
Rap even beluisterd
I liked the beats, but I couldn't find my way into the lyrics of the song. Partly very difficult music to relax to. (5/10) Favourite Track: Bladerunners
It was okay
I liked it, but seeing as it's 1001 albums you must listen to before you DIE... I would have rather seen something along the lines of CoFlow or FanDam or something by Automator. I think those are more influential and frankly, better examples of this style of hip-hop.
Interesting chill hip hop. Kind of gives me Radiohead or Dan the Automator vibes. Not really sure what makes this 'essential' though honestly as much as I enjoy it.
Great early 00's hip-hop. I must confess I had no idea about this one, but loved the production and the overall vibes, like a more electronic sort of hip-hop (as opposed to old-school sampling). So yeah, the "future" part in "Afterfuture" does have sense here.
Pretty good. Not pretty pretty good but pretty good. Reminded me of DJ Shadow. Complex interesting sound. I enjoyed the non vocal parts more than the vocals. Could be a four star with more listens
Dziwna, ale miała kilka dobrych kawałków
I never heard of this Ladd before but I didn’t mind it.
Starts quite good ("5000 Miles") but it is getting worse and worse with further progression. 1,5
I have a rule, that if the Wikipedia blurb is only 1 sentence that basically just says that the album was released, RYM has 500 ratings or less and all the reviews are people doing this challenge, then the album is just not important of influential enough to be on this list. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, I know it's going to be a long and boring album. Let's be honest, has anyone ever heard of this guy before? How did the author find him, was he his neighbor or something? The beats here are actually pretty cool and interesting, but the rapping is just baaaaaad... he has one of the most generic voices and it sounds like he just did one take for everything. A lot of the songs kinda drone on for way longer than they should. Mid 2.
Why was this one here? No really. It's not technically the album's fault that I had to listen to it, so keeping it at a 2 for now, but that may change later. The most irrelevant-feeling album I've gotten thus far. I'm not usually this girl, but maybe there should be a stream count minimum for an album to be considered one of the most essential of all time. The actual work wasn't awful, it's just that I'm 99% sure everything that was cool about it has already been done better by hundreds of people.
Ok hiphop
If this is the Afterfuture, I don't wanna go
Its an okay hip hop album. Not really an album that I like and i struggled to get through it. 2 stars for me
Not very diverting. Boring production and vocals. One for the musos only
No me generó mucho. Hip hop sin mucha cosa llamativa la verdad. 4/10
Hiphop men ganska okej. En tvåa
Nej, detta var inget för mig. Tråkigt och enformigt att lyssna på. Jag tar inte med mig en enda låt från denna lyssning och inser att denna artist inte är för mig.
Rich atmospheres, cool instrumentation that is reminiscent of other genres in an album that feels very enticing. It does feel like it is missing something to deserve inclusion in this list. 7/10 [DROP]
5000 Miles West of the Future - 3/5 Airwave Hysteria - 2.5/5 Planet 10 - 2/5 Takes More Than 41 - 2/5 Bladerunners - 3/5 No. 1 St. - 3/5 To the Moon's Contractor - 2.5/5 I Feel Like $100 - 3/5 The Animist - 2.5/5 Red Eye to Jupiter - 2.5/5 Welcome to the Afterfuture - 2.5/5 Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon - 3/5 Feb. 4 '99 (For All Those Killed By Cops) - 3/5 Part of me wants to like this, but I really can't catch where he is trying to go with this. It seems like he wants to do some rapping over jazz or whatever, but most of the time it just comes off as noise. Overall: 2/5 Favorites: Feb. 4 '99
can’t say i loved this one or remembered much from it tbh
It’s really interesting and different, but some things aren’t very pleasant to listen to. Hip hop isn’t my type of genre either so I’m trying not to be hating. It definitely stands out among hip hop that I’ve heard but it leans into a lot of just random sounds for its songs, like a lot of albums on here I’ve noticed. The album does have its moments with some nice rhythmic instrumentals and classic hip hop type of songs but those odd ones really do stand out. It’s ultimate down fall is that it tries too hard to be revolutionary
This album could have been an email. There are much better examples of experimental hip hop out there
Didn't hate it, but it felt like it wasn't doing anything that other albums did better 20 years earlier.
Really not my thing. Pretty hard going hip-hop.
A bit of waste of time. Nothing good or bad but 2015 has way more to offer than this album.
probably my least favorite hip-hop album that ive heard on this list. didn't really do much for me, didn't love the random avant-garde jazz loops, and the flow just wasn't there
I have no idea what exactly I just listened to? Somehow it wasn’t the worst thing I’ve heard on this list? Chill beats at least.
I did not like any song that had lyrics/raping in it. It felt amateurish and had no flow. I liked all of the songs that were instrumental only! Disappointed overall with this album.
Pretty bad, and it mostly stayed that way. Except for one moment: The Animist. Something shifted — melodic, almost psychedelic, different enough that I got up to check whether it was still Ladd playing or whether Apple Music had moved on to something else. It was still Ladd. The B part of the song then goes somewhere completely strange and does not fit at all. But that part gave me a riff idea, so I'll take it. 2/5 — one good moment, one riff idea, not enough.
What’s annoying is I really liked the spooky soundscape aspect of this, but a lot of this was very boring and bland hip-hop. Wish there was more of the latter
No cohesive sound or theme, sometimes feels like noise
Makes me feel like I'm dying and not in a good way. flow sucks. beats are alright sometimes. It was a holy fucking shit god damn fucking chore to get through this. I'd rather wash my dishes in silence and clean a shitty toilet than listen to this. After "The Animist" came on I actually felt like I was going to scream. What a headache.
This is so bad. Please, God, give me something good to listen to today.
Some interesting sounds, almost MF DOOM esque, but ultimately falls flat a lot
This list and the compulsion to put any conscious rap on here no matter how wack it sounds