After spending the last dozen years or so crafting deeply personal opuses encapsulating different periods of his life, Earl Sweatshirt has grown from Odd Future's most promising prospect — a teen prodigy at the stylistic intersection of MF DOOM and early Eminem — to an avant-garde master of his craft with a penchant for pushing boundaries.Despite the guise of the shock-value antics and juvenile gags associated with his earliest work, there was never a time when his verses weren't shining examples of technical proficiency. He's consistently proven himself among the all-time great writers and hip-hop history, and it's only gotten better and more substantive as he's matured. With his latest release, the MC's kaleidoscopic blend of multisyllabic rhyme schemes and hazy, sporadically chopped jazz and soul samples has been refined to perfection.As tongue-in-cheek as the title Live Laugh Love may seem, there's an earnestness to its use here. This record sees Earl looking inward as he enters a new chapter in his life. The one-time troubled teen who was forced out of the spotlight is now seen flourishing, embracing fatherhood and family life, and reflecting upon the journey it took to get there.With 11 tracks running just under 25 minutes, this LP is airtight — and densely packed with Earl's deepest ponderances on life, his failures and childhood traumas, as well as his outlook toward the future. Not a single bar is wasted and not one instrumental feels undercooked, nor is a vocal sample or skit ever misused. There is an undeniable feeling of purpose here, and with little margin for error on such a short project, it's miraculously without even the slightest lull.The soundscape of Live Laugh Love warps and bends, haphazardly blending each song into the next in a purposefully messy manner to come together like the audio equivalent of a Jackson Pollock painting. With each glitch or change in vocal mixing, the record becomes increasingly more textured, feeling richer with each listen.From the moment the laser-like synths of "gsw vs sac" chirp over a laidback bassline and launch into Earl's opening verse, you can feel a palpable warmth. Earl cheerfully chuckles his way through a reference to friend and collaborator Niontay's "THANK ALLAH" before expressing his gratitude for the challenges he's faced and the lessons he's learned ("I'm thankful for the blood, sweat and pain that we paid for it").It's apparent from the outset that the rapper's attitude toward the world around him is far less misanthropic than it used to be. He's no longer cynically barricading himself inside, but braving the storm that is life, piecing together experiences gained to make for a better tomorrow. This wholly optimistic sentiment is echoed throughout the album, and for every moment of reflection on a darker time, there's a glimmer of hope, or a longing to move beyond his pain. The second verse of the excellent "CRISCO" is a perfect example, as Earl balances lamenting fallen friends with pledging to keep pushing forward, working on himself and raising his child."Gamma (need the <3)" sees Earl sharing the realization that his fate is his to decide, and that he can't keep holding himself in self-imposed darkness. "exhaust" is a purifying closer that feels like an old friend imparting the wisdom he's derived from his own mistakes. The album's biggest standout and most melodic moment comes in the form of "TOURMALINE," on which Earl bellows out a half-sung chorus, joyously rejecting negativity ("I got used to the comedown / I leaped, bounded, jumped out it"). At this point, it's a tad clichéd to refer to art as being therapeutic; but, if there was ever an appropriate time, it's ironically for an album entitled Live Laugh Love. This record is an undeniable odyssey of personal growth, so incredibly layered and deliberate that not a second feels wasted. Oozing catharsis, sonically consuming and lyrically poignant, this is a special moment for Earl. He's spent years building a discography that is among the very best in the genre, and this is a new, astronomically high benchmark in a catalogue comprised of fantastic bodies of work — and a rare moment where you can feel a generational artist at the height of their powers in real time.
Wavelength
Rate and discover music with friends
