Top 10 of 2010 – No. 2

Music — By Andrew Evans on 31/12/10

No. 2:    Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

In 2009 – a year in which he released no music at all – due to the now infamous SwiftGate incident, Kanye West cemented his place as one of the most fascinating people in show business.  Two US Presidents have felt the need to air their comments about him and newspapers, magazines, music sites and blogs the world over have spent the last 18 months trying to keep up with his every move. Which is all well and good. But, what about the music?

Due to his recent oddity’s, if West were to have released a dud it could have been a tipping point in which people’s views of him shift from kooky to down-right delusional.  What West did deliver however, was one of the greatest albums his genre has ever nestled to its bosom.

In stark contrast to the (relative) minimalism on 2008′s 808′s & Heartbreak, MBDTF piles beats on top of beats and its stacked full of collaborations. That West often plays conductor here is not to fault the record as he inspiring performances from his guests that often sound fresher than their own recent output. When West does approach the mic his delivery is exceptional, as is his ability to twist a clever line from nowhere.

With most of the songs stretching over five minutes or more West gets to indulge his every fantasy and it’s exhilarating to hear. The scale of the thing is incredible – entire orchestras often sit alongside pre-programmed beats and wonky synths.

There aren’t enough words, or ways to use those words to explain why MBDTF works. But my word it does.

Just one?

Kanye West – Runaway (right click)