Five albums deep and Kid Cudi's career is a bit of a mess.
The Day N Nite rapper's last album, 2011's Indicud, was an unlovable, dour affair - especially coming after the bizarre rock experiment that was WZRD.
So Cudi's gone back to the style of his first two albums to deliver a futuristic concept record about - what else? - space travel.
Designed as a prequel to the final instalment of his Man on the Moon trilogy, the rap-free Satellite Flight was released to fans with just a few hours warning via Twitter.
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Advertise with NZME.The bad news is that it's not going to make any hip-hop album of the year lists - there are too many mumbled lyrics, off-kilter atmospherics and slow-building instrumentals for that to happen.
But, taken as a dreamy 10-track mood piece, there's enough here to suggest Cudi could still find his way back to form.
He finds focus and consistency on tracks like the soothing orchestral-led title track, the personal rants of Too Bad I Have to Destroy You Now, and the mumbled ballad Troubled Boy.
This trip to the moon has been designed to mess with your head - and if you played this during a trip to the Stardome, it probably would.
Verdict: Cudi drops the raps on surprise album.
- TimeOut
