Albums to watch

Ugly

slowthai

Ugly

Third album from the English rapper Tyron Frampton prodcued by Dan Carey (Foals, Wet Leg, Black Midi) includes guest appearances from Ethan P Flynn, Shygirl and Fontaines D.C

ADM rating[?]

7.5

Label
Method
UK Release date
03/03/2023
US Release date
03/03/2023
  1. 10.0 |   The Guardian

    Fusing rap, alt-rock and abrasive electronics, the Northampton rapper mints a sound all his own on his third album
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  2. 10.0 |   DIY

    A beautiful thing to behold
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  3. 9.2 |   Sputnik Music (staff)

    UGLY is a headlong tumble into deep waters, careening sharply off the edges of decency and screaming out for meaning as it goes, arse over teakettle into the unknown
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  4. 8.0 |   Exclaim

    Ugly finds a complicated sort of happiness, one that embraces, however painfully, its creator's weaknesses and anxieties. Growth isn't always pretty
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  5. 8.0 |   musicOMH

    Dark, punishing, intriguingly produced and brilliantly executed, emotional power abounds
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  6. 8.0 |   The Independent

    After a disappointing second album, this is a direct transmission from a brilliant, beleaguered brain
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  7. 8.0 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    UGLY displays an artistic freedom regained, reconnecting with what drew him to music in the first place. It’s a creative direction that will most likely not stick around, but that’s what makes it that bit more authentic
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  8. 8.0 |   All Music

    UGLY is less of a major stylistic shift than it might seem, as slowthai harnesses his punkish energy in a way that seems natural and fitting. It's clearly a challenging, confrontational album, but it also feels like the artist's purest expression yet
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  9. 8.0 |   Gigwise

    Mercury worthy
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  10. 8.0 |   NME

    The Northampton artist enlists Fontaines D.C., Shygirl and more on this exhilarating return to his punk-rap roots
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  11. 7.5 |   Beats Per Minute

    For most of UGLY, Slowthai takes inspiration from the sounds of post-punk – a surprisingly brittle sonic palette for such a maximalist-inclined musician
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  12. 7.0 |   Slant Magazine

    Despite its allusions to seeking therapy, listening to the album feels like accompanying a friend on a disastrous Saturday night bender
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  13. 7.0 |   Clash

    This is a project held together by the brutal strength of slowthai’s performances. Amid all his flaws, fractures, and fissures, his day-glo emerges intact. U Gotta Love Yourself, after all
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  14. 7.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    Intense, disastrous, and confrontational, but also, tender, empathetic, and reflective, UGLY is a record routinely hijacked by its shadow
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  15. 6.5 |   Spectrum Culture

    UGLY is an uneven, flawed record, but it contains enough interesting moments that will be genuinely thrilling to see what Slowthai does next
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  16. 6.0 |   Evening Standard

    This album is menacing, extreme and the lyrics frequently sound despairing
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  17. 6.0 |   The Arts Desk

    His storytelling on “Never Again” is effortless and matches anything off his debut
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  18. 6.0 |   The FT

    The British rapper embraces positive thinking on his third album, which is more rock than hip-hop
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  19. 5.5 |   Pitchfork

    The British rapper’s third album is likely to be his most polarizing: He trades rapping and electronic beats for ballads and rage rock. The results are largely underwhelming
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