In part it's because it's not what people want or expect from Kanye West. So why is this approach, from this guy, now such a problem?
And, lest we forget, Kanye West himself made his name as a producer in part thanks to his "chipmunk soul" vocal samples. In this decade, records like Radiohead's Kid A/ Amnesiac, the Knife's Silent Shout, and Daft Punk's Discovery were heralded in part for screwing with vocals last year both Battles and Dan Deacon revived the old Alvin and the Chipmunks trick of shifting pitches and speeds and Bon Iver's forthcoming EP features a song sung through vocoder. But vocal manipulation isn't only the practice of radio-ready rap, of course- it's been a signpost for "futuristic music" ever since Joe Meek heard "a New World" almost 50 years ago. The recent embrace of the common studio aid seems akin to pro wrestling saying, "Fuck it, this isn't real" and making it more transparent and scripted (and successful). And as you've no doubt heard, on 808s West sings everything through Auto-Tune rather than rapping, a decision that for some has made this record a non-starter. His response? He's made 808s and Heartbreak, which as the title hints is an introspective, minimal electro-pop record steeped in regret, pain, and even more self-examination than a typical Kanye West album. Kanye blamed himself for his mother's death, singling out his own vanity, wealth, and pursuit of glamour and celebrity. This year, however, was particularly rough: He and his fiancée broke up, and his mother, Donda West- who alone raised Kanye from the age of three- died from complications after cosmetic surgery. He's someone as driven by ego as he is plagued by doubt- in other words, a wholly human pop star. The guy was already a ball of conflicts and contradictions- hand-wringing over his consumption one moment, boasting about his wealth the next.
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