808s And Heartbreak review

Kanye West may not be the easiest artist in the world to endear yourself to, but you can’t deny that the man has talent. In his latest LP, Mr West has completely ditched rapping al-together, replacing it with beautiful melodies and AutoTune, a vocal-adjustment program that makes him sound like he’s channeling Cher.

The ‘808’ of the title is Roland’s TR-808 drum machine; a 1980s electro staple, and it comes to prominent effect in Kanye’s tribal rhythms on lead single Love Lockdown, and particularly the slow-but-powerful Say You Will.

The drum machine combined with lush analogue synths gives the entire album a warm, synth-pop feel, especially on tracks like Paranoid – without a doubt one of the strongest songs on the album, with an strong, incessant drum loop and gorgeous stabbing chords.

Certain die-hard fans will not be pleased with 808s and Heartbreak and Kanye’s radical change in direction. But for others, this will be a gladly-received slice of pop from one of the most talented producers around.