Its making involved 42 people, including not one but two French horn players and over a dozen high-profile vocalists, only some of which are perceptible. It’s a celebration of fame ('Fast cars, shooting stars') and a lament of its consequences ('Restraining order/Can't see my daughter').

Nothing exemplifies its contrasting elements and maniacal extravagance as much as 'All of the Lights.' Rattling, raw, synthetic toms are embellished with brass, woodwinds, and strings. Consequently, the sonic and emotional layers are often difficult to pry apart and enumerate. The 13 tracks, eight of which are between five and nine minutes in length, sometimes fuse them together simultaneously. In some ways, it's the culmination of Kanye West's first four albums, but it does not merely draw characteristics from each one of them. Listening to it, much like saying or typing its title, is a laborious process.

Buy the album Starting at $15.09Īs fatiguing as it is invigorating, as cold-blooded as it is heart-rending, as haphazardly splattered as it is meticulously sculpted, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is an extraordinarily complex 70-minute set of songs. Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.

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