Malibu Ken (album)

Malibu Ken is the eponymous debut studio album of American hip hop duo Malibu Ken, composed of rapper Aesop Rock and producer Tobacco. It was released on January 18, 2019, through Rhymesayers Entertainment to generally positive reviews.

Malibu Ken
Studio album by
Malibu Ken
ReleasedJanuary 18, 2019
Recorded2018[1]
Genre
Length34:34
LabelRhymesayers
ProducerTobacco
Aesop Rock chronology
The Impossible Kid
(2016)		 Malibu Ken
(2019)		 Freedom Finger (Music from the Game)
(2020)
Tobacco chronology
Sweatbox Dynasty
(2016)		 Malibu Ken
(2019)
Singles from Malibu Ken
  1. "Acid King"
    Released: November 20, 2018
  2. "Corn Maze"
    Released: December 18, 2018

History

In 2007, Tobacco's band Black Moth Super Rainbow opened for part of a North American tour headlined by Aesop Rock.[2] According to Aesop, he and Tobacco had wanted to work together on a project since their meeting during this tour, with Aesop calling Tobacco's production "something special".[1] The following year, Aesop featured on the track "Dirt" from Tobacco's debut album Fucked Up Friends.[3] In November 2018, the pair announced that they were releasing their debut album under the moniker Malibu Ken in January 2019, and released the album's first single "Acid King" and its accompanying music video at the same time.[1] The second single, "Corn Maze", released the following month, also with a music video.[4] On January 18, 2019, Malibu Ken was released by Rhymesayers Entertainment.[3]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic76/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
The 4057/10[6]
AllMusic[7]
Highsnobiety[8]
Pitchfork7.7/10[9]
Sputnikmusic[10]
ViceA–[11]

Malibu Ken received generally positive reviews from music critics. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 76, based on seven reviews.[5] Evan Rytlewski of Pitchfork praised the album for focusing on Aesop Rock's sense of humor, saying "he just needed the right producer to highlight that wit, he's found a choice one in Tobacco". He positively referenced many of Aesop's lyrics, particularly on "Tuesday", "Churro", and "Acid King", and commended the album for being "more fun than most of" Aesop's discography.[9] Paul Simpson of AllMusic complimented the chemistry between Tobacco and Aesop, saying "Tobacco's music often seems disturbed and damaged yet somehow cool and carefree, and his style is so compatible with Aesop's that it's hard to imagine him working with any other rapper", calling them "a fitting match for each other".[7]

Channing Freeman of Sputnikmusic called Aesop's flow "chameleon-like" and drew attention to his unique delivery choice of lyrical topics, including eagles killing a cat on "Churro" and the story of teenage murderer Ricky Kasso on "Acid King". He criticized the album's formulaic qualities near its end and compared it negatively to The Impossible Kid, but concluded that "it works perfectly despite the predictability".[10] Kyle Kohner of The 405 described the project as "quite unnerving and even extraterrestrial", praising its "comically dark and foreboding atmosphere". He compliments Tobacco's "retrofuturist" production, calling it "an influx of psychedelic mania that ends up enhancing his counterpart’s festering lyrical voyages".[6] Adam Finley of PopMatters also praised Tobacco's production, specifically on "Tuesday" and "Sword Box", and likened it to "an acid trip come to life" when paired with Aesop's lyrics. He shared Rytlewski's view that Aesop is "funny as hell when he wants to be", and that the album highlights his "silly" side. He did, however, criticize the production on "Churro", saying that it "overwhelms and ultimately detracts from the lyrics".[12]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Ian Bavitz; all tracks produced by Tobacco.

No.TitleLength
1."Corn Maze"3:23
2."Tuesday"3:30
3."Save Our Ship"3:29
4."Sword Box"4:01
5."Dog Years"3:05
6."Acid King"3:32
7."Suicide Big Gulp"3:30
8."1+1=13"3:46
9."Churro"2:27
10."Purple Moss"3:51
Total length:34:34

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[13]

Charts
Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[14] 176
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[15] 6
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[16] 19
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[17] 4
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[18] 7

References
  1. Schatz, Lake (November 20, 2018). "Aesop Rock and Tobacco form new group Malibu Ken, announce debut album". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  2. Octigan, Cameron (July 24, 2007). "Aesop Rock Tours with Black Moth Super Rainbow, Cage". XLR8R. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  3. Breihan, Tom (January 18, 2019). "Stream Aesop Rock & Tobacco's New Album Malibu Ken". Stereogum. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  4. Leas, Ryan (December 18, 2018). "Malibu Ken (Aesop Rock & TOBACCO) – "Corn Maze" Video". Stereogum. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  5. "Malibu Ken by Malibu Ken Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  6. Kohner, Kyle (January 22, 2019). "Review: Aesop Rock and TOBACCO enter a dysfunctional state of matrimony as experimental hip-hop duo Malibu Ken". The 405. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  7. Simpson, Paul. "Malibu Ken - Aesop Rock, Malibu Ken, Tobacco". AllMusic. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  8. Alston, Trey (January 25, 2019). "Aesop Rock & TOBACCO Have Notched an Undeniable Win on 'Malibu Ken'". Highsnobiety. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  9. Rytlewski, Evan (January 17, 2019). "Malibu Ken: Malibu Ken Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  10. Freeman, Channing (January 18, 2019). "Review: Malibu Ken - Malibu Ken". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  11. Christgau, Robert (March 8, 2019). "Robert Christgau on Aesop Rock and Tobacco's Funny Collab, 'Malibu Ken'". Vice. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  12. Finley, Adam (January 23, 2019). "Aesop Rock and Tobacco Are Malibu Ken and They're Here to Get Weird". PopMatters. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  13. Malibu Ken (Media notes). Malibu Ken. Rhymesayers Entertainment. 2019.CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. "Aesop Rock Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  15. "Aesop Rock Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  16. "Aesop Rock Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  17. "Aesop Rock Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  18. "Aesop Rock Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
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