As is so often the case with these bloated efforts designed for the streaming era, there's an impeccable album buried in here somewhere. However, as it stands, the impact of
Kid Cudi
's ninth full-length,
Insano
, is dulled by the glut of 21 songs that run over an hour long. This might be a gift for longtime fans who just want to hear another batch of reliably hypnotic
Cudi
atmospherics to zone out to, but the frustration of hearing cuts like the pounding, riotous "Get off Me" with
Travis Scott
and the classic head-nod bounce of "Mr. Coola" bundled alongside the less memorable material is palpable. Overall, the production on
is fantastic, the bulk of the studio wizardry handled by
Mike Zombie
,
Jean-Baptiste
Dot da Genius
Bnyx
, and
himself. Menacing moments such as "Keep Bouncin'," "Most Ain't Dennis," the booming "Cud Life," and the ominous "At the Party" with
Scott
and
Pharrell Williams
amplify the tension, just as pop-leaning fare like the inspirational "Wow" with
A$AP Rocky
, the bubble-pop "Porsche Topless," the
Ace of Base
-sampling "Electrowavebaby," and the gorgeous, hum-heavy "Blue Sky" highlight the softer, mainstream-minded side of
. That refreshing introspection that's become one of his calling cards is deeply felt on tearjerkers like "X & Cud" with the late
XXXtentacion
and the aptly titled "Tortured." Indeed, there are so many highlights on
that it seems almost counterintuitive to have diluted them with stuff that should have been tacked onto a bonus deluxe release. With a little editing,
could have been one of
's strongest releases to date. Instead, listeners are given an uneven playlist of great highs and should-have-been B-sides that, in the very least, deliver the expected vocal melodics, haunting vibes, tongue-twisting bars, and "tortured" emotions that
has mastered over the years. ~ Neil Z. Yeung