At 38 tracks, the deluxe version of Ultraklystron's previous album, Animatic, was a great deal, but even the more modest 22-track regular release was still a little bloated. With Unwarranted Self Importance, the nerdcore rapper-producer scales it back to a more manageable 15 tracks. Like Animatic, Unwarranted Self Importance is a collection of radio-friendly and dance floor-ready jams heavily influenced by EDM and pop music.
The production is clean and professional with plenty of catchy hooks, some sung using auto-tune while others are au natural. You could almost imagine dancing to many of these tracks at the club, until you realize the songs are about things like web comics, the '90s, friends, finding self-confidence and issues of consumerism and government encroachment on our rights and privacy, not to mention his favourite topic, anime.
Unfortunately, his delivery, though simple and straightforward, is often only passable. His best songs include: "Deal With It," on which Ultraklystron laces his braggadocio raps with Japanese trivia over a trap beat; "Low Gravity," an engaging sci-fi story delivered over a crunchy synth beat, with a simple chorus that marks the best on the album; and smooth "Like It Like That," a mellow jam that fully embraces auto-tune for the whole song, a style that could have been given more time on here. Nerdcore fans will probably dig Unwarranted Self Importance, but ultimately Ultraklystron will have to shop his beats to other rappers if he seeks success outside that circle. Rappers in need of a club hit, get at this man.
(Independent)The production is clean and professional with plenty of catchy hooks, some sung using auto-tune while others are au natural. You could almost imagine dancing to many of these tracks at the club, until you realize the songs are about things like web comics, the '90s, friends, finding self-confidence and issues of consumerism and government encroachment on our rights and privacy, not to mention his favourite topic, anime.
Unfortunately, his delivery, though simple and straightforward, is often only passable. His best songs include: "Deal With It," on which Ultraklystron laces his braggadocio raps with Japanese trivia over a trap beat; "Low Gravity," an engaging sci-fi story delivered over a crunchy synth beat, with a simple chorus that marks the best on the album; and smooth "Like It Like That," a mellow jam that fully embraces auto-tune for the whole song, a style that could have been given more time on here. Nerdcore fans will probably dig Unwarranted Self Importance, but ultimately Ultraklystron will have to shop his beats to other rappers if he seeks success outside that circle. Rappers in need of a club hit, get at this man.