Two powerhouses of R&B and hip hop came together to create Kids See Ghosts – after years of collaboration Kayne West and Kid Cudi are united as one for this project. True to form, this record is an angry and provoking masterpiece. With those familiar heavy and intricate beats, each of the seven tracks creep inside of you and force you to think and feel.
The record tackles both mental health and hope, and seems to be a return to the sounds and passions of both rappers’ pasts. Across the track list, particularly heard in ‘Reborn’, there exists a little nod to that familiar auto-tuned crooning sound. But what’s interesting is that it’s just used as a smooth undertone, serving to heighten those rough and bluesy beats, and lift the record into a deeper exploration.
What makes this record great is the heavy influence of the past; not only the decade-long collaborative exchange between artists, but their individual histories, and, more importantly, the history of hip hop and all its influences. All of this, coupled with the hopeful resonance it leaves – check out ‘Freeee (Ghost Town Part. 2)’ for a taste – makes this project an intricately layered and considered work of art.
8/10
