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Splendor & Misery is the second studio album by experimental hip-hop group clipping., released on September 9, 2016. The music video for "Baby Don't Sleep" was released on July 26, 2016. The second single and music video "Air 'Em Out" was released on August 24, 2016. The album, with a mix of futuristic and classical instrumentation, tells the story of an enslaved person, referred to as Cargo #2331, in the future in outer space. It is an example of afrofuturism. Some of the songs also feature guest vocals from gospel group Take 6. The album was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form.
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Reviews
Splendor & Misery is experimental hip hop album by clipping.. The music varies from electronic soundscapes to intense noise. The raps give it substance and bind the tracks on this dystopian sounding record. It is good most of the time (although sometimes really sparsely instrumented) and something else.
Certainly interesting, I felt on the fence throughout whether I'd actually call it music. I also don't think I could have actually extracted the narrative I read about in various analyses from just listening to it. Though on reading through the lyrics (and the fact that I bothered to do so does say something about the impression this made) I could see where these were coming from. While it may be more a piece of performance art than a hip hop album I'll bump it an extra point because the genre and themes are so much in my wheelhouse, and for a Samuel Delaney shout out.
Wow, this is sick. Didn't expect the guy from Hamilton who also voices Sebastian the Crab in the live action Little Mermaid remake to be behind a project as genre-pushing and interesting as this.
An interesting mix of hip-hop / ambient / electronic. I don't think it always works but I appreciate the effort to try something new. My personal rating: 3/5 My rating relative to the list: 4/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No
Definitely a unique addition to this list… I appreciate it. The story was pretty interesting. The delivery entertaining. What more can I ask for?
Truly unique I actually think it has that must listen quality 4/5
Experimental hip-hop. Curioso. Un 4, venga.
They combine styles that I don't like very much, hip hop and minimalist ambient noise, into something fascinating.
this will need a revisit
I recognised a voice! I felt smug for a bit I can see why Daveed Diggs was selected for Hamilton. Interesting album, pushing the boundaries but in an accessible way.
3.5
It's hip hop and or rap !
They’re better at horrorcore
Not bad
LOVE to see clipping here - but this is their worst work by far. Should've been Dead Channel Sky 2
Cool story driven stuff but the music itself is too weird 4 this little soy boy