Reviews (page 5 of 7)
I’ve heard worse hiphop- but I’ve heard much better. The choice was give it 2 stars or 3 so slept on it. The next day, I really couldn’t come up with what any of the songs sounded like so that’s why it gets the 2 stars.
Some good ideas buried among the mess.
1.5/5
moody rap, speaks to some out there
IT was only OK. Would not listen again.
I love obscure hip hop but this bored me constantly. Mediocre flows over average beats.
I don't want to live in the Afterfuture!
The production is on point, but I spent the entire record wishing that literally anyone else was rapping. As a fan of the genre and early 00's hip hop, this is anything but essential. Listen to MF Doom or Aesop Rock instead.
Didn't really enjoy, and loses a point because the weird noises upset my dog.
Honestly, this is a head scratcher. It’s pretty cool in some spots, but I just don’t find it very mind blowing. I didn’t find much to keep me engaged for most this record.
Very interesting concept album, I didn't not enjoy it. It worked really well for me as background while working on something else. I don't think I would reach for this again.
Do not recommend unless you like to listen to weird sounds and music that is supposed to seem "futuristic" but instead sounds like a toddler decided to play on a keyboard with random sound bites and then someone high on acid remixed it. (side note: "To the Moon's Contractor" Kinda sounds like a remixed version of the robot song from Spongebob where Spongebob thought Mr. Krabs was a robot and that is the only reason I am giving this 2 stars.)
if i was jewish my name would be jared favorite song: the animist
Some interesting moments with the production and creative mixing but the spacey digital effects were overused. Interesting listen. Not something I need to revisit.
Decent enough hip hop but nothing I'll remember in a week or two.
Not my taste.
I appreciate what this is going for, but I really don’t think it succeeds all that often. The more atmospheric touches just feel kind of tacked on and not all that creative
I don't know, I feel like I would appreciate this album more if it wasn't on this list. What merits this hip album to be on here over the countless other hip hop records I can think of in the last couple of decade that aren't on this list and deserve to be? It's not that it's bad, it's that there's plenty that is much much better, and frankly, more significant to the underground genre.
Horrible flow, chunky production, not influential or popular at all. No idea why this is on the list other than the guy who made this list consistently exhibits an awful taste when it comes to hip hop. There’s a couple tracks I don’t mind here, mostly the instrumentals (lol), so I’m not giving it the full 1. But come on, man.
Not bad, I was able to finish it.
some parts of this are actually good and i wish there was more stuff like that but this just doesnt catch my attention that much when u have so many parts that just sound repetitive and uninspired
Some of it was kinda mediocre and I have listened to way better, but I genuinely liked the tracks with more experimental and jazzy vibes. I feel like the N word usage by a white rapper aged like fucking milk tho :').
2/5 I liked the experimental part, but I've heard better 2000s hip-hop. There were a few songs I liked, but it was overall very meh. Don't know why this is on the list.
This is.... wordy. I mean, there are SO MANY FUCKING WORDS. Like, this guy, what does he do? He talks and talks and talks and talks and talks. I can't fucking keep up. And the beats can't either. It's kind of instructive to listen to this just after Odelay. Beck has a lot of words, too, and many of them are nonsense. But they're backed up by some great music. This album? Nope. The music is secondary, maybe tertiary: it's dim, muddy, uninteresting and, ultimately, buried under just un-fucking-bearable amounts of blathering about whatthefuckever. 2.
2/5 - I liked the first 5000 miles track. I lost the thread soon after, and didn’t care to pick it up. It was kind of exhausting to listen to, but I bet reading the lyrics would be worth a run through.
Not sure if this is for me. Seems to be a little all over the place with it’s sound.
ehhhh not for me - ended after track 5
I listened patiently waiting for the moment to come where my mind opened to this one. It did not arrive.
meh
Reminds me a bit of a Fatboy Slim album, which is not a good thing.
I really wasn’t feeling this album at all. His style of hip hop just isn’t for me.
First Listen; 2; Wanted to like this given the aesthetic it was going for, but just didn't do anything for me. No real memorable hooks, music sounds flat as well. And if you're going for this lo-fi production style, I feel like you need to have clever lyrics, which this really doesn't either. Favorite Track: To the Moon's Contractor
oh jeez. oh JEEZ. that was atrocious.
this experimental hip-hop album didn't grab me, though i'm not sure it was really trying to. mike ladd definitely tries a bunch of different sounds, ideas, production techniques, etc. on this album, but they don't combine to a cohesive whole. whenever i'd start to enjoy a track i was listening to, some annoying pitch-shifted voice or other annoyance would snap me out of it. i'm glad he's trying something new but this didn't need to be on the list. 1.5 stars. favorites: bladerunners
2.5 stars
Didn't really care for this
Bonus points for rhyming teepee with peepee
Better than the average hip hop album, but the average hip hop album sucks.
like, i can tell its good just not my cup of tea at all
Didn't really enjoy this. It felt boring.
3.5/10
Я в абстрактному хіп-хопі не дуже шарю. Цей альбом послухав і нічого не запам'ятав.
This was kind of mediocre, not a fan
Genre: Abstract Hip Hop This one of these picks from the book that makes you think one of their brothers/sisters was an editor. This is not by any means a total stinker, but it seems out of place. It doesn’t seem to have been any sort of forerunner or leading light in any way. The internet barely knows it. Listening to the whole thing, it’s certainly made by a talented fella, but it’s just totally okay. Experimental and quirky, but not very re-listenable, and certainly not “before you die” type material. 2/5
Futuristic Hip Hop. Unfortunately, it sounds rather unpleasant. It's like expecting cool, sophisticated cyberpunk futurism, but getting a tattered, scrap-metal post-apocalypse instead. Probably enjoyable for a select few. 2.5/5
This started out quite well but I lost interest after a few tracks and then it became background music. Maybe not the ideal day to catch me on, sorry Mikey Ladd!
Sounds like Temu El-P
I had no idea who Mike Ladd was and was unaware of the music he was creating. Turns out he’s a rapper. A French rapper at that. I’m not the biggest hip-hop fan, even for “real” music, it’s never really been about the lyrics for me. I’m more about the music or the groove, or the riff. So, hip-hop is pretty low on my list of music to listen to for pleasure. As I was preparing my dishes for the church Thanksgiving potluck, I listened to the album. I got a sense of it. Did I finish it? One might say, no. I might say I was really busy this weekend, so give me a break. However, what I did hear of the album was fine. It wasn’t something that blew me away. The opening track 5000 Miles West of the Future has a killer groove. EL-P, of Run the Jewels, pops up on track 5, Bladerunners. I do love me some Run The Jewels. I’m sure a hip-hop head could find much more to like. So, if you're into hip-hop, this album will definitely mean more to you. If you’re not a hip-hop fan, you can live your life never hearing this album and be just fine.
this album reminded me so much of a grand dont come for free by the streets. this one takes the edge slightly because the beats don't sound like they were made in the basement of the guys house and the delivery is slightly better(though not by much). i also appreciate the socially conscious lyrics
I thought I knew every obscure rap album back in the day; this one slipped by me. All the magazines I’ve read, message boards I’ve lurked, documentaries I’ve watched - this album was never mentioned. Experimental, jazzy type hiphop with average to below average lyrics and flow. I might have liked this when I was younger, but now it just feels awkward to listen to.
Blind album and artist. If the afterfuture sounds like this, I dont wanna live in it.
Some of it was good, but a lot of it did nothing for me. It was also long and had me zoning out at times. I appreciate getting something different, I'm just not sure what makes this deserving of the list. Overall: 2/5
Favorite track(s): 5000 Miles West of the Future, Red Eye to Jupiter
Look, it's not that it's bad, it's that it's really bad... To be fair to it, it has some okay tracks but come on it's pretty shit overall. 1.7
Have never heard of this artist before. There were some good ideas on this album, but he attempts too much overall. I think it would have been better if it was more focused. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
Not a fan
Not really my thing. I think it would be good for a really chill evening so I may not have been in the mood. I'll need to revisit.
I did not enjoy this at all - too many beep boops.
Album had some track with some nice beats…album was ok. 2.5 stars
I feel like I see the idea, but they failed on the execution.
Diet-wu-tang beats and a laid back flow. Chill and fun to listen to but extremely forgettable.
Quite a mixed bag. The poetry slam on the last track is alright. Some of the groovy, synth lounge parts aren't half bad, either. Unfortunately, the rap parts are pretty terrible and drag down the overall experience. Still, it's better than Kanye. But really, what isn't?
There is something about a British accent and rapping that instantly makes me want to skip an album. I did listen but felt it to be a chore.
Is there any mf doom on this list? If not what are we doing with this? Bizarre pick, pretty bad.
Meh
Interesting
I was not impressed with this sadly. beats weren't very interesting, rhymes were fine, but overall this was a miss for me.
Pretty forgettable
Starts off sounding like a Backstreet Boys song with the synth. Kinda boring. The second song starts off with a sample of Barry White's Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe. This isn't good.
Meh.
meh
It’s hard to remember now given that rap/hip hop basically IS what people think music is today, but for a stretch there in the late 90s rap was kinda...wack. You had some older heavyweights still doing work (Beastie Boys), newly arrived virtuosos (Em, Jay), but the median group/MC pushed had more in common with late 80s hair metal artists: girls, cars, houses, fleeting displays of ostentatious wealth (everything rented for the video shoot). Nice surprises like Stankonia were around the corner, but as a forward-looking genre, hip hop was feeling if not dead, certainly on life support. I personally was consumed with trip hop, the downbeat or instrumental sampling music adjacent to hip hop, mostly without MCs. As a DJ, I was an outlier in my appreciation of hip hop, happy to drop in golden era favs, but contemporaries seldom made it through - backpack and whatnot was fine, but lacked vibrancy, focusing on unique (often offputtingly nasal) deliveries. Lots to admire, but hard to find a lot to love. Like some instrumental hip hop, Mike Ladd had atmosphere going for him - there’s something mysterious, threatening out there, but we can’t put our finger on quite what it is. Pynchon as producer. The beats are fine and range from 4/4 boom bap to a more acoustic, live feel. I’m not sure I would’ve loved this at the time, such was my resistance to MCs then, but there’s a spare quality to his work that lets a sample fill the bars, instead of the turntablist need to always move on. The Gorecki flip would’ve almost certainly made many a mixtape. But...there’s a casting about here, a lot of songs without lyrical hooks, just...incidental ruminating that seems obviously important to Ladd, less so to the listener. I see he later got into soundtrack work and that tracks.
Just when I thought I was doing okay with hip-hop, which isn’t one my usual genres to listen to, this album comes along and ruins everything. It’s really not good. It’s like trying to listen to Oxygene while your flatmate is ranting about totalitarianism. The beats are fine but the lyrics are poor. The album sprawls, and when you think you’ve got a handle on where it’s trying to go, it doesn’t even try to get there. It’s far too long and there is no way this is essential listening before you die.
Annoying songs
Why does every hiphop album need to be an hour long? Is it just too easy to produce compared to other styles, so you may as well add more songs while you're in the studio? Is it too many bedroom producers not getting notes? Because the result is albums like this, and its ok, but I feel like if it was half as long, it would be twice as interesting and its commentary would hit twice as hard.
BAD
I listened to this album twice through... at least I think I did. It's quite amazing how bland this is. It's so bland I have no idea what to give it. I didn't hate it, or find it annoying, nor did I like it or notice any stand out tracks. I've gained absolutely nothing from listening to this and lost nothing. Best Tracks? 5000 Miles West of the Future (it's the opening song); Planet 10 (maybe?); Bladerunners (I guess)
Disclaimer: The last song is excellent There is really something off with this list and how it views hip hop music. Arguably hip hop is the most influential and successful form of popular music for at least the past 25 years yet it is under represented by this list. When there are hip hop albums on the list they are either extremely obvious or too obscure. This album is an example of the latter. Were this a list of alt hip hop that was not as well done as Company Flow/ Def Jux/ hip hop releases in the late 90s early 2000s then this should be on that list. This album is not that great or interesting . Some of the production is ok. There are trip hop elements on a few songs and the instrumentals are solid. The rapping is so average especially for this type of album that it detracts from the parts of the album that work. If anyone reads this and likes this album please listen to Cannibal Ox, Company Flow, and Google alt backpack rap and you'll find many better examples.
Some of the beats are good, but man this guy has no flow. Sounds like a cheap copy of MF Doom (who, by the way, isn't even on this list)
If MF Doom didn't know how to rap Best Song: Bladerunner Rating: 3/10 Stars: 2
Interesting listen 2/5
It is kind of interesting but I don't like it at all. 2 stars or D+.
I don't know why but there's loads of hip-hop in this list, and the bar seems to be quite low. This album has few OK moments but it's generally quite weak I think.
Just plain bland
Not really my think. Some ok bits but overall didn’t do it for me.
interesting listen, not for me
"There's nothing more middle class than dying of applesauce"...... huh?? 3/10
Not a fan of this, it got trashy real quick and was way too long.
The vast majority of albums that are "critically acclaimed" and praised by music "critics" but don't sell at all or make their way into the public consciousness whatsoever, are complete trash and hard to listen to. This album is a great example of this. Like most hip-hop/rap albums, it's entirely too long. It drags a bunch in places. Also, this dude sucks at rapping. His lyrics make no sense. This isn't special. Only reason it's not a 1 is cause some of the musical parts are interesting.
Para el hip hop tengo un limite y creo que este álbum lo ilustra claramente. Mira que empieza prometedor, pero según avanza se me van quitando las ganas de volverlo a escuchar. En la parte positiva, ese intento de mezclar hip-hop con música alternativa. Para mi gusto, no funciona.
I dislike more songs on this album than I like songs on it
It wasn't bad, just not my vibe. Felt like the songs sounded the same throughout
I didn't hate it but I could have definitely not heard it before I died and wouldn't have overly cared.
I don’t get it. Nothing special.
4/10 There are some decent ideas scattered around on this album, but overall I don’t think things clicked very often and often sounded like disparate ideas thrown together in quite a haphazard way and then not mixed particularly well. It kind of feels like a home demo of something that could end up being pretty decent with the right producer at the wheel. But no. There are about 10 featured musicians on the credits and two producers (including Mike himself), so this isn’t just a home studio effort. I hear a lot of what artists like cLOUDDEAD, Boom Bip and Prefuse 73 were doing at a similar (perhaps slightly later) time, but their work is far more conherent. What those artists manage to achieve is a general through line in their music that tends to tie the variety of their musical stylings together in a satisfactory way. Mike Ladd seems to have had a thousand ideas and then not considered how to balance, blend and distribute them in a way that is ultimately musically satisfying. That being said, I could see the promise in this and there were moments when things did click into place, like elements of Airwave Hysteria, some of the parts of To the Moon’s Contractor (although that didn’t justify it’s runtime) and the later stages of Feb. 4 ’99 as a few examples. But ultimately, this didn’t manage to engage in a sustained way, despite the scatterings of interest that appeared here and there, which is a shame. 5000 Miles West of the Future - I can hear what this is trying to do. It doesn’t quite blend together that well though. The bass line hints at something more robust, but never really delivers and there’s a couple of odd note choices in there that ruin the flow. It all just feels a bit disjointed. I think the vibe is ok, but musically it just doesn’t really come together very well. Airwave Hysteria - This sample used in the intro and in a few places just doesn’t fit with the rest of the track. I actually think the verse is decent. It reminds me a little of cLOUDDEAD, but not as good. The scratching bit is quite nice too, but it’s all a bit of a jumble. Quite a few ideas that again don’t blend all that well together. And there’s a sample that is quite disonnant against the bass which doesn’t work. Planet 10 - Again, the vibe of this is decent. The beats are nice and subtle, but the singing doesn’t work. He’s tried to make it ‘alien sounding’ but he’s not succeeded in a musically satisfying way. It just shits on the rest of the track, unfortunately. Takes More Than 41 - Now this is shit. Discordant, badly mixed, and terribly sung. Bladerunner’s - Another disjointed intro, but when it kicks in it’s got a nice groove. I like the bass too. There’s a guest rapper who’s better than Mike is. Not a great look. Again, the different sections feel really disconnected acted from one another and don’t flow. It’s like he’s made a bunch of ideas and jammed them together. There are some interesting changes as the track grows, but it starts getting cluttered, which is ultimately unsatisfying. No. 1 Street - This isn’t bad to begin with, but it gets tired. The mix is bad and there’s a big resonance on the bass that’s horrible. His delivery doesn’t seem particularly considered either. To the Moon’s Contractor - There’s some interesting stuff in here, although there’s not enough development or variation to justify a ten minute runtime. There’s some nice bass playing in there though, and some of the harmonic elements brought Air to mind. It is just a bit on the bland side though. I Feel Like $100 - This kind of sound collage in hip hop is wonderful when it’s done right. It’s not done right here. The mix is terrible and things just jar against one another, but not in a satisfactory way. If you can feel some thread of continuity pulling through things like this, they can work well, but this is just too crowded and muddled. The Animist - This has a nice groove to it. The lyrics are not good though. Overall, not that bad, but there’s probably not enough to grip me and not any real hook to engage. The beats were nice and head-bobbing though. Red Eye to Jupiter (Starship Nigga) - I quite like the energy of this one, but again, the chorus lyrics are a bit try hard. It’s quite noisy, but I think that’s part of the charm of this. Things actually blend reasonably well. Not bad. Welcome to the Afterfuture - This one isn’t bad either. The beat has a nice bit of groove and drive to it. But it just never really goes anywhere. Another odd sample to finish it off, Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon - This starts really nicely. The swelling pad sounds are nice, as are some of the synth tones and pitch sweeps. There’s a weird and jarring shift at about 3 minutes that doesn’t flow and things start to fall apart from there. Feb. 4 ’99 (For All Those Killed by Cops) - This isn’t bad either. Nice to see some proper fire in his delivery. Another jarring turn at about 3 minutes in that doesn’t flow with everything else and then we drift away again. Some nice elements, though. The beat is lo-fi and crispy and the pulsing bass is nice, as is the melodic line. Decent finish.
This did nothing for me at all. The only track I remember is the one where he's listing what his name would be if he were Jewish, Catholic...
Yeah, this isn't very good. I suppose there might be some irony in some of the rhymes, but if you aren't in tune with his sense of humor, they come off as being lame. The instrumentation isn't bad, hence the two stars.
This is a tricky one. It’s ok, good and bad. Lyrically original, but muddy.
Didn’t understand this one.
Didn’t really like it to be honest. Geezer only got 47k monthly listeners ….
surprising.... not a hip hop fan, but this is pretty listenable.
Interesting sound mix combined with hiphop, feels a little sci-fi. I feel it's a little lacking in some spaces, needing a bit more power. Also don't think the whole album flows as a whole.
ummmmm it’s okay?
I just couldn’t get into this one.
I feel like this is good for an experimental album or a mixtape, but I found it too weird in my opinion. I just feels like a rap album made by an alien or something not from Earth. It also feels as though this album is trying to take cues off of MF Doom but just can't nail down what made MF Doom so iconic. Favorite Tracks: Airwave Hysteria Rating: 2.5/5
puuuh nöd so ready ufes stündigs album de beat isch aber na cool! s sample ahfang vo airwave hysteria kenni iwie? aso d beats findi bis jz echt geil! und ruhiger als ich erwartet han SUM 41 jaa jz verlürts mich chli, es isch immerno iwie na cool aber nüt berauschends to the moons contractor isch sochli verträumt, denn wird de beat schneller...na cool! aaaaaber vill z lang weiss nöd es isch efengs eifach langwilig red eye to jupiter HAHAHAHAA jo würkli wiso isch das album so lang und bestaht zu 70% us iwelchne beats wo vlt einzeln na cool chönnd sii aber eso als album rifach nur LANGWILIG jo het mich zerst positiv überrascht bis ich gmerkt han, dass alles chli glich und langwilig isch vlt es knapps 3 oder suscht 2
Some rappers say a lot by saying a little; others say little but talk a lot. Mike Ladd is the later kind of rapper. He's a man with a microphone and the space to express every thought he's ever had. I like experimentation, but I also gravitate towards coherence. This album, to me, lacks it (coherence) and that devitalises the experimentation.
2.5
ehh
Aside from the two more enjoyable tracks "Bladerunners" and "Animist", this album was just a bizarre experiment in rap/hip-hop and did not make for a good listen, especially when committing listeners to 60+ mins. This would have to receive a 1.5/5 but be bumped up to 2 as it doesn't entirely belong in the realms of a 1.
Great taste but poor execution
Ah while experimental hip hop would normally be right up my street I just didn’t click with this
Terrible, awkward rapping. Completely uninspiring beats. This wouldn’t make a list of 10,001 albums you must hear before you die. The ten minute instrumental in the middle was alright but not near enough to make up for the rest of this mediocre non-entity of an album.
Been playing too much Cyberpunk lately. This sounds like rollin the streets of Night City. Outside of that, I can't really access this.
One or two moments of this I really liked, but overall I just wanted to go put on MF Doom.
Not for me, maybe for thee
OK.
Expectation: Electronica or trip-hop. Reality: Hip-hop-electronic-jazz fusion. Too weird and experimental for me. Maybe I'm getting old, but this seems like music is evolving past its definition, experimentation becoming the mainstream, being pushed further and further until it's totally incomprehensible, complication for its own sake. All that to say, the main thing I felt when listening to this was extreme irritation. The final track, Feb 4 99, basically a spoken word poem was the best and simplest thing on the album and added an extra star by itself.
Interesting melange of sounds. Fundamentally, the flow is good, and some of the tracks really hit. But I'm not all-in on the avant-garde hip-hop sound. And as it went on it dragged for me. Feels like 2 stars.
There are some interesting beats on this album.
Apesar de não ser o meu estilo gostei de várias músicas
meh
Fine, just not my thing.
MF Doom/Madvilliany vibes. Appreciate the art but I won’t be seeking out more
No me convence nada que tenga que ver con hip hop sofisticado que mezcla sonidos vanguardistas o generos como el jazz.
Lidt alternative 00’er hiphop beats, ikke så fedt igen
++: Bladerunners, No. 1 St., I Feel Like $100, Feb. 4 '99 (For All Those Killed by Cops) +: 5000 Miles West of the Future, To the Moon's Contractor, The Animist, Red Eye to Jupiter (Starship Nigga), Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon +-: Airwave Hysteria, Planet 10, Takes More Than 41, Welcome to the Afterfuture 4,6/10
yeah this wasn't that good. There were some cool and interesting production parts to it at times, but overall not great. I think this is a really weak 2.
Rap de corte lo-fi, ambiental y bastante experimental, con un bajo, una percusión y (a veces) unos vientos muy de jazz acompañando a bases llenas de efectos electrónicos retro-futuristas. Las canciones ambientales (y las bases en general), aunque repetitivas, me han gustado mucho. Son de un estilo complejo que no se deja escuchar fácilmente a pesar de ser minimalista, aunque no dejan de ser interesantes. A veces las bases se vuelven totalmente free jazz, otras son más lo-fi. Las letras son muy poéticas, también bastante complejas y extrañas, mezclando temática de ciencia ficción con partes muy políticas. Dicho esto, no sé muy bien cómo valorarlo. No creo que sea un álbum que merezca pertenecer a esta lista y se me ha hecho algo pesado, así que voy a dejarlo en dos. Aunque tiene pinta de ser un álbum que mejora conforme se va escuchando más veces.
Another "experimental" album. This time at least it's weirdly different. The number of times I've used the words weird and experimental in these reviews is way more than I thought I would ever need, and I'm only 20 albums in. This time sci-fi hip hop. That's new. The first few tracks had a decent beat at times, but nothing else good. Then I zoned out and the rest of the tracks blurred together. I guess that means nothing was terrible enough to stand out.
não me pegou não é bom ainda por cima
I really see what this album was going for, and there's a great dynamic mix of genres and styles present, but it's jut held back by really bad production and as great as the diversity is, it's messy as hell and genuinely has awful pacing.
Stream of conciousness rap. Not good, but some good beats and obvious talent. Won't listen to album/artist again.
Lacking in attitude and generally not very inspiring. I’m not going to be listening to this again.
Different, still didn't like it.
Another hour of hiphop... :-(
There’s a lot of nonsense lyrics on here, but at least the music is interesting and different, at times almost enjoyable.
Noh olihan siellä kaikenlaista jännää. Vähän liikaa spoken wordia mun makuun, ja toi ysäri/nollanolla-junkka ei ihan sytytä, mutta toisaalta yllätyin siitä vähän (vaikka kannen perusteella ei olis tarvinnut). Hmmmm jos jaksaisin kiinnostua, vois olla kolmonen.
Not for me. Felt like it lacked structure; no consistency of theme or sound.
Basic beats, low level flows, just not hitting on any level.
Für HipHop noch ok. Ist aber einfach nicht meine Musikrichtung. 2/5
Meh. This never really grabbed me. 2.3
I have no idea what to make of this. The songs didn’t really have any story to tell or thing to say, and they kind of meandered and didn’t get anywhere. It was… odd
Crap, with no redeeming entertainment value.
This was not great. I mean some of the vibes are pleasant but there is nothing memorable about it. Genuinely don’t know why this is here, never heard of him before
Really does drag on. I want to give it a decent rating because it's at least trying to do something interesting, but it's just not doing a great job at it. Made sense to see Company Flow on here, it's that style of hip-hop, just with much lesser beats/rapping/everything.
Is psychedelic-trip-hip-hop recognized as an official genre? This is the impression I get from "Welcome to the Afterfuture," particularly in tracks such as "5000 Mile West of the Future" and "I Feel Like $100," which are blended with more conventional hip-hop pieces like "Bladerunners" and "No 1St." The songs that impressed me the most were the techno-infused funk and jazz of "The Animist" and the otherworldly experimental nature of "Planet 10." In general, I admire Mike Ladd's incorporation of unconventional instrumentation and sampling alongside his socially aware lyrics, which lend a fresh and unique quality to the album's tracks (at least from my listening experience). However, I do find the album occasionally lacks consistency and may be too sonically diverse or experimental to provide a complete cohesive listening experience. This album was an interesting discovery, but it is not something I would listen to again.
This is like some proto gorillaz/cannibal ox stuff but not as good
The beats are cool but this album doesn’t stick well with me
Didn’t like this one too much, seemed pretty disjointed with what style he wanted to land on. Couple spots blossomed into something interesting, but just as quickly vanished. 2/5
Just a bit nothing really.
C’est un peu comme écouter de l’air provenant d’un tube connecté à l’usine à caca: ça pue la merde
🎧I’m Mike Ladd! Don’t act like u don’t know my name!
Not my cuppa. Way too "thin", most of the record only has two layers plus the raps and it sounds to empty and barren. Not to mention the weird style, I can appreciate the unique touch and personal feel the whole album has. Listening to this felt like an obligation and it's not a feeling I enjoy when going through this list I've noticed (way too often I might add, it's kind of worrying).
Not great but interesting underground hiphop record
Honestly I'm just wildly indifferent to this one. It's not bad, it's not amazing, it's mostly just boring.
I appreciate the interesting production, although a few of the tracks were quite annoying. I got to To the Moon's Contractor and thought a 10 minute instrumental was a bit of a flat way to end the album...then realized there was another 25 minutes to go. It's bloated and pretentious, but I made it through which gets it 2 stars (just).
Old school hip hop. Not that bad, but not really my type
A bit strange lyrical miracle kind of music. Not for me.
If you buy Kool Keith from Temu you get Mike Ladd.
Not quite the Captain Beefheart of rap, but close. Almost unlistenable
Fine for some background music (?) as I was knocking out some work tasks, but not anything I'll come back to
The beats aren't bad but I am not a fan of the lyrics and flow.
what on earth was that
silly
A very underground sound of hip hop, good flows that could get pretty deep, experimental beats, but I don't know, not something I think I'd come back to
Passable. Some decent moments. 2.5 stars.
Comes across to me as something some guy made in his basement.
More rap oh boy. Wasn’t terrible just not for me.
A little chaotic
Not sure who was working on their album first, but Deltron 3030 did a future trip-hop album so much better than this
Broke ass MF Doom, album was a mess but there were interesting glimpses, favorite song was No. 1 St
Random ass, some cool bits tbf and a good mood but overall kinda odd and disjointed
Not my style.
4/10
Very poetic. He's obviously well read. But I was bored.
I didn’t have to listen to this. Definitely not my thing.
More slam poetry than rap.
Seems a bit of a random inclusion. Mild mannered sci-fi rap with a curious backing. Seems to lack any passion. Bit baffled.
I can appreciate it it for what it is. It's certainly more interesting than some others in here but again I'm not a a fan
# Playlist track - Airwave Hysteria # Notes - One of those albums that really make you consider what the fuck whoever made this list had in their minds. - Not a *terrible* album, but a mostly forgettable, slow, repetitive and boring hip-hop that has no place amongst the other albums here. - I've insisted and ended up listening to it two or three times. - There are cool instrumentals and interesting samples sometimes, but they not warrant a full 1 hour listed of this. - Not recommended.
2.5 but rounding down
A couple groovy moments saved this from a worse score. It just wasn't for me, I guess.
Meh… the ambient stuff is uninteresting. The jazzy stuff is fine. The poem at the end is the biggest highlight.
not enough life to it. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
These beats were okay, but the rhymes certainly weren't. Atrocious.
Rap concept album. Tried to mix electronic with jazzy beats but just didnt cut it for me. Its well done but on the mixing you cant really hear the voices and lyrics cleanly. Ive heard better but Mike Ladd has been an established rapper not much of a top rapper or lyricist but conceptually its solid. Delivery was not the best to me thou. Personal opinion and preference.
Nah
Hip hop, but sounded different than what you’d expect. This sounded like hip hop for “intellectuals”. Some of the songs sounds like they were written with a thesaurus. It was ok.
Didn't enjoy this...sounded rather depressing
He sounds like he’s just doing it for his own fun. Nothing wrong with that, but I don’t have to listen to it.
Never heard of Mike Ladd before this
Nah, this isn’t it
You listen to the first track then the rest is all kinda just what you expect except for a janky 10 minute track right in the middle that breaks up the tracklist horribly, 2/5
alltså det är något med det här som jag gillar, soundet t.ex. men det är några instrumentala låtar som man borde tagit väck. t.ex den 10 minuter långa triphop-låten. blir less på sånt. så därför får det bli en tvåa, en stark sådan.
Never heard of this artist. It was a strange mix of hip hop and I'm not sure what.
I was pleasantly surprised by this album. Not the normal hip hop rap I normally hate. Don’t get me wrong not an album I could cherish or love in any way but some of the musical arrangements and assorted genres used or very interesting. These are spoilt of course by the vocals and lyrics. Glad I’ve heard it and can now associate something if Mike Ladd comes onto my radar again. But I’d prefer it if Mr Ladd left me in peace in future. 2/5 10/11/24
I tried this and I get that lyrically it's good and musically it's challenging enough but it was a slog
Would have been much better as an instrumental album. Mike Ladd obviously has good mic skills, but the subject matter is all over the shop. He ping pongs from conscious-rap, to sci-fi, to sex brags based on sci-fi - and as amazing as that sounds, it's not very fun. Album closer Feb 4. '99 is the odd one out. A moving spoken word about the death of an innocent man by the police full of religious imagery and post-rock backing.
Rap/hip hop
The first half was not too bad, the second half got hold quick.
Didn't hate it
It was ite.
Never heard of the guy, and I was listening to everything in 2000, so this one flew under my radar. I liked the intro vibe he was laying down, part hip hop, part year 2000 alt rock. I read up on him, he's got producer chops, you can tell since the music & mix is stronger than the MC'ing he's doing. I'm not a lyrics guy, so he may have been spitting knowledge but I focused on the music and found the overall combination lacking. No real standout tracks, no beats that destroy, nothing with a undeniable hook, just average but enjoyable. Not Top 1001 worthy... I don't feel the influence, no hits, no singalongs, no unforgettable moments. The production is good though, I liked the soundscapes he was creating.
I don’t think Mike Ladd ended up being as important as the editors of 1001 albums thought he would be.
So many thoughts: 1) in general, I don't like rap. Since if this was a lurks tolerable. 2) The juxtaposition of high culture and low culture references... I honestly don't know if I liked it or wanted to roll my eyes at it. I mostly land on: that didn't work for me. 3) I askari didn't like the ethereal moodiness although it made it more lustrnable than a lot of rap or hip hop is for me.
Some of the backing tracks are interesting but not a fan of hip hop, so cannot rate this album more than a 2*
This tries too hard imo. I get it, futuristic new wave hip hop of its time, but thematically it’s just all over the place. So many experimental songs (which I can respect and enjoy) but it really doesn’t leave me wanting to come back. No 1 st. Was a standout track to me, I just really liked the more straight forward hip-hop on here.
This sounds like a harder Hamilton. Sorry he sounds like Lin Manuel to me. That’s all I can hear
I've never seen such a short Wikipedia album summary on this site before. So non-notable even fans can’t be bothered putting a few words together. This review is longer. Clearly it got the attention it deserved.
some nice classic stuff on her but most of it is bland :/
Man, what a disappointment. I really wanted to like Welcome To The Afterfuture but unfortunately, due to many factors i will list out, i just can't. This album just suffered from really inconsistent production quality. Sometimes the songs could sound decently mixed, other times they sounded poorly. The lyrics are also stupid and in general, the album just lacks direction and just kinda goes all over the place. Its honestly a shame these issues are present because i do legitimately really like some of the musical ideas and i would really like to see them in a better album, But alas, we have them in this album where they can't shine to their full glory. Best Song: The Animist Worst Song: Bladerunners
It was ok.
I love rap and this was still hard for me to sit through. It sounds like something someone recorded in their dorm room and uploaded to Soundcloud.
what was this all about then. the guy's a nerd! let's get him
This was definitely a different sound. Can't say I enjoyed, but it had a few moments. Thought it opened up OK with 5000 Miles West of the Future even though that opening riff reminded me of that Britney Spears song oops I did it again. And something about Red Eye to Jupiter I liked, but everything else just wasn't for me. It has it's times of a good vibe and beat, but not enough to enjoy overall. Just not for me and I can't even get it to the 2.5, middle of the road rating. 2
2.5 I saw this album had a lot of negative reviews, so I was expecting it to be bad - but it’s fine? I mean, it’s certainly not great either, but it’s at least mostly inoffensive on the ears. Some of the beats are actually pretty solid in an ambient sort of way (I liked the opener in particular), though I do feel like they gradually get worse as the album goes on, to the point that I was a little annoyed by the time Red Eye to Jupiter rolled around. As far as lyrics go - well, they leave a lot to be desired. I have no idea what this dude was on about with The Animist when he started listing out what his names would be if he followed different religions, but the worst bar by far has to be the below from No.1 St: “When I shave my head I look like Mr. Clean But I never had an earring, I got an Oedipus complex Which is as complex as a Serbian-Bosnian war rear reflex Which is like a race of whites and blacks Breaking love on a bit of bloody Rice Chex” What? As a matter of fact, I really have no idea what this is about as a whole. It seems to be doing some kind of sci-fi/post-apocalyptic thing, but it never quite feels like it fully commits to the bit. Is this supposed to be a concept album? Maybe some symbolism is just going over my head, but to me it seems like it’s lacking a sense of direction. It’s almost there atmosphere-wise, but once again, it just didn’t do quite enough with the tools it had at its disposal to really suck me in. There was also no reason this needed a 10-minute track on it. Overall, just vanilla. Aside from the lyrics, it seems to do everything okay and nothing great.
Can’t say I liked it. Nor did I understand why it’s included on this list. Perhaps because it is futuristic, and it WILL be important, we just don’t know it yet? Bladerunners is by far the best track, To the Moon’s Contractor is the most unnecessary one
Another album and artist I have never heard. I liked a few of the tracks including Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon, 5000 Miles West of the Future,
So much potential, in a style I generally enjoy, but it’s derailed by Mike Ladd’s juvenile lyrics. The weird lo-fi tangents were actually a welcome reprieve from lyrics that squandered the music’s potential.
Its kind of a confusing album, huh?
Actually listened this time. This was fine. Sounded repetitive, nothing stood out
I appreciate its iconoclastic nature, but I just wasn’t feeling it.
Wish I could do 2.5 Some cool moments, some annoying, some ignorable.
После первых двух-трех песен я впервые за почти 200 альбомов был уверен, что брошу. Для меня проблема здесь в чем: с одной стороны это подается как музыка будущего, ага, инновации и эксперименты; при этом в 2024 звучит это всё ну настолько устаревшим и просто банальным; все эти басы были доступны в демо-версии фрути лупз лет пятнадцать назад, смиксовано кое-как, и так далее; читка - ну такое... Абстрактные, эмбиентные части - окэй. Хип-хоп - не, спасибо. Лучшая песня - Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon
sometimes fun, mostly weird
There were some clever lyrics in here, but I'm not gonna lie, this wasn't anything special. Like it wasn't bad, but I also really don't see why this made the list.
Different from any other hip hop albums on the list more electronica and even some jazz influences on the music though the flow is not great in places. Not a bad album but then again not that great interesting to hear but would never listen to it again and wouldnt miss it if I never heard it.
It's definitely a hip hop album with some ambitions but it's not really that enjoyable of a listen.
Still not into hip-hop.
Not really my sort of thing
I was on the verge of giving this 1 star, but the last two songs saved a 2 for it. This really isn't my thing, it's a bit of an avant-garde rap album from 2000. He seems talented enough, but the neither the lyrics nor the beats were really interesting enough to keep me hooked. Like I said though, the last two songs were actually pretty good, so I'll give it a 2 because there's some talent here for sure. "Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon" is mostly an instrumental but the beat is great, and "Feb. 4, 1999" is less a rap song and more an autobiographical spoken word poem about growing up in Cambridge, MA. The whole album probably couldn't have been like this, but these were both a great change of pace that I enjoyed. Favorite song: Wipe Out on the Wave of Armageddon Other: Bladerunners, Feb. 4 1999 7/11/24
Not my thing. Strange combination of rap, techno, and classical, but I didn’t like the lyrics and nothing jumped out at me.
that was a really interesting listen. But way too long and "spacey". 2 stars
nothing groundbreaking here. kind of underwhelming.
Meh
2 stars bc the production is interesting
Not bad but nothing special. Sorry Mike.
Beats are great bars are bad
This music was definitely unique. It was different from itself everywhere and it was interesting, however the type of music was everything I don’t like unfortunately. I can see the influence it’s had because of the experimental sounding and combination however none of the songs were good.
Tough one - there are some really groovy um....grooves and beat on this especially around the bass and drums, but there's zero cohesion to any of these songs whatsoever and I'm not a huge fan of his rapping... I like the occasionally jazzy beats and it could have led to more - nay, should have led to more. Maybe he did with future albums? Not sure I care enough to find out as even minutes after listening I don't really remember much of it... 5/10 2 stars
Nja
Nothing special.
El hip-hip de vanguardia era esto a finales de los 90. Mientras en el tema "Airwave Hysteria" utiliza samples propios de Bollywood y un impresionante scarching futurista, en el tema de apertura, "500 Miles West of the future" destacan una línea de bajo y órgano difuminados que lo sitúan en el límite del estilo, acompañando unas letras introspectivas. También destacaría "Planet 10", desarrollado en anillo y utilizando voces ralentizadas para seguir dotando al álbum de un buscado tono futurista. Otros temas a citar son "Bladerunners" y la lentamente caótica "I Feel Like 100 Dollars".
rym 3.03 hip hop ma la parte musicale per ora mi sembra ok quella era solo la prima traccia, il resto sembra molto debole a dire il vero la vocina di bimbo che appare ogni tanto è davvero fastidiosa niente da fare è solo molto noioso e monotono qualche base è interessante ma niente di più 2/5
Rating: 5/10 Meh.
New album for me - i like the sound but the songs are not so special and wont listen to this again i think..
It all takes too long with too few hoogste to hold on to.
I feel like Welcome To The Afterfuture isn't something I'm meant to get, obviously not a massive hip-hop thread but I've heard more than enough over my time to know what I like and what I don't, but most anything from the last decade just doesn't hit the spot, and this is more experimental by design and doesn't get that right either. The beats aren't as good as others have produced, there are too many electronica-based influences, the flow and lyrics are weak, most of the good bits are just imitations of someone who did it better and it's really just too low key for me to really enjoy. I guess a 2?
Not really my groove of electronica
Some good stuff on here but not enough of it imho.
I wanted to like this album more than I did. I really enjoy underground hip hop, but this one just seemed a little boring. I don’t know, it’s fine. I’m really torn. I don’t want to give it 2 stars, but I’m just not sure it’s good enough for three. I would give it 2.5 if I could. Since I can’t, I have to go with 2 stars because I was just bored.
Tribal hip hop
This is almost a 3. There were some parts of it that were good, but in the end it was a little grating and self-important for me to want to revisit it. It did make me want to listen to Deltron 3030, which has similar future-dystopia themes but is more loose and fun.
Great first and last tracks but the in between didn’t do it for me. Favourite track: 5000 Miles West of the Future.
Has an MF Doom vibe but didn't quite have the skills to match. Mid 2.
IDK, maybe I'm not a fan of the genre. Won't make my personal 1001 list. I guess it is important to someone. 2*
Some okay songs but so much random filler beats and sounds. So much of it was unnecessary. 2 stars for me
A couple standouts like Airwave Hysteria and To the Moon's Contractor that I really enjoyed on this one. Otherwise, not my jam.
Not bad but I kinda lost interest halfway through
Meh, not really into this kind of hip hop at all, and sitting through over an hour of it was not a great time overall. The best was the chill out vibes on "To the Moon's Contractor", of which I was surprised to enjoy as it was the longest track on the album! Best: To The Moon's Contractor Worst: Planet 10
Maybe a 3
Nothing special. One beat used for all the songs everything just meshed into one boring drone
A bit too experimental for my tastes. Not too much hooky or catchy. Boring.
I'd been waiting ages to hear some hip hop and then I'm served this mediocre slop. How did this get on the list but there's no Saul Williams? Lazy and uninspired.
I could have gone a few lifetimes without ever having listened to this. Lewd at times and boring at others.
Some decent cuts and samples, but will not seek this out.
There were mere snippets of enjoyment. And a lot of other things that were not well tied together. Didn't hate it but won't repeat listen either.
Mikey, I know what youbwere going for, but you didn't quite go hard enough
Mike Ladd is obviously pretty prominent within the experimental hip-hop scene. I can tell this album was pretty influential to artists like Earl Sweatshirt. The beats are ok for the most part. Mike Ladd seems to experiment with different cadences and not stay on beat all the time which can make for a difficult listen. The lyrics can get cringe at some points too. Not really something that was super enjoyable but I'm glad I heard it because it seems pretty important in the history of experimental hip-hop.
This feels like an artist's night terror episode, but done in an overlong fashion. I think I see a glimpse of something cool, but it's not for me. Fav tracks: N/A
Some good tracks in places
doesn't speak to *me*
Waarom? Waarom staat dit in de lijst? Het is super experimentele hiphop, maar naar mijn mening is daar veel betere van gemaakt. Staat er een album van El-P in de lijst? Van MF DOOM? Meerdere van MF DOOM?? Ik kan er gewoon niet helemaal bij dat dit in de lijst staat, het is prima, het is bij tijd best wel interessant, maar het is niet zo baanbrekend dat dit absoluut in de lijst van 1001 beste albums hoort. Staat Oxymoron van Schoolboy Q er in? Of iets van Danny Brown of JPEGMAFIA? Ik denk het niet, en dat is eigenlijk mijn grootste probleem met dit album. Ik snap dat vooral de productie de ster is van dit album, maar heb nog steeds niet het idee dat dit onderscheidend genoeg is om een plek te verdienen. Sorry. Ik ben gaan kijken en als ik zie wat voor hiphop albums uit deze lijst zijn gelaten zodat dit er in staat dan word ik gewoon boos, wat een onzin zeg... FAVO: No 1. street. , To the moon's contractor
An abstract hip-hop record with some interesting ideas presented in a quite messy way, without any especially memorable hooks or beats. The overall vibe is quite similar to Deltron 3030 with Aesop Rock-style vocals, and some reviews on this site have compared it to Madvillainy (a comparison I don’t see as much personally), and the fact that neither of those three artists are anywhere in the 1001 albums list really begs the question as to why this made it here instead
Interesting sound, Different. Not for me at all though. Struggling to find a favourite song from this. If i had to pick blade runner is OK. I gave the album 2 listens to see if i changed my mind and didnt. I cant believe it made the top 1001. Favorite song: Blade runner Least favourite song: most of the album Album artwork: No idea what this is
4/10 Experimental, this deserves a place on the list but it's not that good imo. Good to listen to once, beats are minimal and well crafted but the flows don't quite do justice to the instrumental
Not my groove
Tavallaan tosi magee, mutta en vaan saanut kiinni musapuolesta.
Taas liian pitkä ja epätasainen. Oli siellä joku kiinnostava biisi mut muuten jää kakkoseksi.
An album that was stronger towards the end, perhaps because I had gotten used to Ladd's erratic, discordant style. The Animist and Feb. 4 '99 stand out as the most musically pleasing and interesting songs, however they tend to get lost in a muddy cloud of discordant sound
This was a strange album. I was pleasantly surprised and quite liked the first few tracks. None that I would recommend to a friend or play at a house party. I can't really explain it - they were just enjoyable while bombing up the M6. It's probably because I just like the sound of late 90s Hip Hop. Also, he says the line, "She stares me up & down pathologically, And I'm thinking about gynecology." Brilliant. But halfway through, this album goes off the rails. It ditched the Hip Hop and switched to boring instrumental tracks. I genuinely thought that YouTube had skipped off Mike Ladd and put on a Moby album in it's place. It never really recovers after this. Not total shit, but as a complete album it was confused and disappointing.
Alright
Absolutely sure I could have died without going through this neverending experience. [0149/1001]
This album is tragically less “full of [quirky] life” than it was probably intended to be. Especially tragic, because the song names allude to something really creative that never really gets off the ground. The artist was clearly trying to showcase nifty space-rock elements (e.g. filtering vocals to emulate alien speak) to merge with some prominent hip-hop themes, but in my opinion space-rock completely fails to convince when there’s no melody, very little (real) percussion, not many contrasting “elements of humanity”… Honestly, this album isn’t that bad – in fact, it’s close to getting 3 stars on account of its fun textures – but it just doesn’t succeed at all in its goal of genre-blending. The closest the album gets to a convincing, musical, spacey atmosphere is the semi-layered synths and bluesy bass playing in To the Moon’s Contractor (which I think is the album’s strongest track). In particular, the drum sound in the last couple minutes of the album’s centrepiece is really cool, and I wish they’d leaned more into that in other tracks. The track following this, I Feel Like $100, is also pretty good.
mmm
Not a great hip hop album. Maybe I’m missing something?
Did not care for this. Didn't hate it. But didn't really like it either.
Bof
I get the concept of the album, but musically I really can’t seem to understand it. It’s weird, experimental, a lot of talking over jazzy productions, honestly not my cup of tea. Didn’t know the artist beforehand, also.
meh
se me hizo tan duro que ni lo acabé. no lo volver a escuchar. 3/10. canción fav: no tengo jiji
Not for me, though for the right person I feel like this would be extremely well received. I can appreciate the lyricism and artistry, but don't really understand the purpose. I feel like if I was ever in the mood to listen to something like this, I'd sooner put on MF Doom (RIP).
meh
Svona 50/50 plata. Sumt mjög gott, annað algjört drasl.
La verdad es que no tuve paciencia con este disco. 5 canciones que no me hicieron ni cosquillas y pasé al siguiente.
I enjoyed this album more than I thought I was going to, but that's not saying a heck of a lot. This is better than the other futuristic-rap album that I have blocked out of my memory. I come back to whether this album is on the list just to make sure all genres are covered. Not sure why I need to hear this album, because this does not seem to break new ground or enhance the rap genre.
Very interesting experience. Chill. Didn't dog all the tracks, but saved a couple. Definitely not my usual thing to enjoy, but I appreciated the talent.
It gave me anxiety
"Welcome to the Afterfuture" by Mike Ladd, released in 2000, is an avant-garde exploration that blends hip-hop, electronic elements, and spoken word. Ladd's thought-provoking lyricism tackles social and political themes, and the album is ambitious in its attempt to push boundaries. However, the experimental nature might alienate listeners seeking a more conventional hip-hop experience. The disjointed production and at times inaccessible lyrics make it a challenging listen. While some may appreciate its artistic intentions, the album's lack of accessibility and coherence warrants a modest 2/5, as it might not find widespread appeal beyond a niche audience.