In May 2014,it was announced that Kaytranada had signed a deal with UK-based independent record label XL Recordings and planned to release an EP in the summer.[4] During an interview with New York-based music magazine The Fader,the Montreal producer disclosed that XL is "one of the labels I always wanted to be on [...] It's a good label for people who are sort of lost and are like,'Let me see what's going on.'"[5] Kaytranada described the untitled EP as "abstract-feeling" and "uptempo,neo-soul," and was aiming to "make it as funky as possible".[5] In addition,he confirmed that he had worked with Vic Mensa,Karriem Riggins,Reva DeVito,and Shay Lia amongst others.[5][6]
On August 12,2014,at the announcement of the EP's tentative title,So Bad,a song named "Leave Me Alone",featuring vocalist and fellow Montreal native Shay Lia,was released as the lead single.[7][8] However,no updates had been provided regarding the EP's release date.[9][10]
As reported on December 15,2014,Kaytranada expanded his project into a full-length album.[10] On Facebook,he posted a glimpse of his renewed contract with XL,along with the words "ALBUM COMING."[11][12] Serving as the second single is the trap-influenced "Drive Me Crazy",featuring Chicago rapper Vic Mensa,released on January 27,2015.[13][14]
On September 7,2015,Kaytranada took to Twitter to announce the album's official title:99.9%.[15] During Benji B's "Montreal Special" on BBC Radio 1 on March 16,2016,he shared more details about his long-awaited effort. The producer expounded on the album title,explaining that it reflects his dissatisfaction and indecisiveness when it comes to his musical endeavor.[16][17] Furthermore,he confirmed that Canadian instrumental band BadBadNotGood and The Internet's lead vocalist Syd were both recruited as guests contributors.[18] Speaking about BadBadNotGood,he revealed that they recorded about fifteen tracks together,though only two were selected for the album.[16][19] He also premiered a track from the album titled "Bus Ride" which features drum work from Detroitjazz percussionist and producer Karriem Riggins,and accompaniment from Toronto multi-instrumentalist and producer River Tiber.[20][21][22] On Twitter,he confirmed that the album would be released on May 6.[18][23]
The following day,Kaytranada unveiled via Instagram and Facebook the artworks and track listing for 99.9%,along with short individual animations corresponding to each track.[22][24] The album's digital version was made available for pre-order ahead of its release on iTunes and Amazon,while its physical format could be pre-ordered on XL Recordings' online store.[25][26] The physical product comes on a double 12-inch vinyl with a gatefold sleeve,and includes a free CD of the digital album.[26]
On April 7,2016,"Glowed Up",which features Anderson .Paak on vocals,debuted on Annie Mac's BBC Radio 1 show,with the music video,directed by Bo Mirosseni,premiering soon after.[27][28] Marc Hogan from Pitchfork gave the song a "Best New Track" designation,stating that "It's a track where two complementary artists sound like they are right where they want to be,and the pleasure is in how they bring us into this world,too".[29]
In anticipation of the album's release,an album-themed video game,99.9%:The Game,was launched on Kaytranada's website on April 20,2016.[30] Designed by artist Ricardo Cavolo,who also worked on the album's artwork,the game is a side-scroller modeled after 2013's popular mobile game Flappy Bird.[30][31] Players must navigate an airplane through obstacles while collecting items to earn points.[30][31] Players who attain a high score of over a hundred points will be rewarded with a free download of "Nobody Beats the Kay," a bonus track from the album.[31] On May 10,2016,a music video for "Lite Spots" was released.[32]
99.9% received critical acclaim upon its release. At Metacritic,which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to all reviews from mainstream publications,the album received an average score of 81,based on a number of 21 reviews,indicating "universal acclaim".[34] Both Pitchfork and Spin gave the album a rating of 8 out of 10. Pitchfork's Jonah Bromwich wrote,"The genre-defying stew of funk,soul,R&B,and beat and dance music that Kaytranada has cooked up on 99.9% nods back at that heritage of percussion-driven synthesis."[40] At PopMatters,which gives a rating out of ten stars,the album received an average rating of 6 stars. In his review,Chris Conaton wrote,"Even though [Kaytranada] doesn't do every genre he attempts equally skillfully,there's a pop music core to most of these songs that keeps 99.9% listenable throughout."[45]
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