-
10.0
116
10.0 |
The Sunday Times
808s & Heartbreak is a triumph, recklessly departing from the commercially copper-bottomed script and venturing far beyond West’s comfort zone.
Read Review
-
8.0
118
8.0 |
Blender
Kanye’s flat, nearly unmelodic singing underscores his own cyborgish detachment. He’s found a way to turn numbness into art.
Read Review
-
8.0
108
8.0 |
No Ripcord
Unsurprisingly Heartbreak is a grower. At first it does sound minimalist and sparse but the album is layered with delicacy and marked with a maturity.
Read Review
-
8.0
109
8.0 |
Observer Music Monthly
Let's hope he doesn't find too much happiness in the meantime. Loneliness is proving quite the muse.
Read Review
-
8.0
110
8.0 |
PopMatters
The album is so successful because of his winning ways with both song and album construction.
Read Review
-
8.0
105
8.0 |
Evening Standard
This isn't a rap album but a collection of tunes sung in a voice that has been enhanced/messed with by a sort of vocoder device.
Read Review
-
8.0
106
8.0 |
musicOMH
Kanye is effectively ushering in a bizarre new emo-rap subgenre. Dr Dre, meet Dr Phil.
Read Review
-
8.0
113
8.0 |
The Guardian
This album is admirable for much more than just its creator's chutzpah.
Read Review
-
8.0
114
8.0 |
The List
While the majority of his contemporaries excel in formula, West’s confessional tone is compelling, and in parts brave and surprisingly coherent.
Read Review
-
8.0
115
8.0 |
The Observer
Effects-laden vocals and ancient drum machines abound on this mesmerising album.
Read Review
-
7.0
107
7.0 |
NME
The resounding verdict is that it’s a surprising, but bold and brave progression from last year’s confused ‘Graduation’.
Read Review
-
7.0
111
7.0 |
Rolling Stone
This noble failure of an album might easily have been a noble success if he had tweaked the Fun-o-Meter just a bit. A slight pitch correction could have done the trick.
Read Review
-
6.0
112
6.0 |
Spin
Most of the songs have hooks or rhythmic twists that other artists would bid Sotheby's prices for, and even a few may end up on a greatest-hits comp one day and be accepted as Kanyeezy standards.
Read Review
-
5.0
104
5.0 |
Daily Telegraph
While it's easy to marvel at West's fertile creative vision as he hits a 'Hamlet' moment in life, the jagged edge of despair may make this one of his hardest albums to embrace.
Read Review
-
4.0
117
4.0 |
Uncut
The lo-fi production makes everything sound like an unfinished demo, the songs are largely forgettable and the AutoTune’d vocals become a little tedious.
Read Review
-