Aesop Rock

Aesop Rock is an MC that is so uniquely dope, he absolutely demands attention. His cadence, flow, voice, everything is just so undeniably no one else. And his lyrics are complex diary entries (or at least that honest) and stories. There's no reason why any hip-hop fan should dislike Aesop Rock, unless they feel they don't have the time to decipher the many layers of meaning in Aesop's lyrics. Production, supplied by Aesop Rock, Blockhead and one track by Omega (the phenomenal "Skip Town"), is of the same calibre as the vocals. Unfortunately, it's this constant top-notch quality that ends up holding the album back. While there are no bad songs, the consistent similarity between all of the tracks in regards to drum samples and vocal sounds causes the album to have a bit of a tiresome feel as it nears its conclusion. The two EPs Aesop Rock dropped previous to this full-length (Music For Earthworms and Appleseed) were shorter, so they did not suffer from repetitiveness. Perhaps a shorter album would have been the answer. Or perhaps more guest vocalists. Three of the best songs on Float... happen to be the only three songs featuring other MCs: Slug on the all too short "I'll Be OK," Cannibal Ox's Vast Air on the ironically-named "Attention Span" and Mush wunderkind Dose One on the experimental "Drawbridge," which even outdoes their previous collaboration, "Odessa." The guest MCs add different vocal styles to the album, which helps take your mind off Aesop's vocals long enough to appreciate them when they come back. Still one of the best albums that won't be fully appreciated for a couple more years.