| Integrated Tech Solutions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 10, 2023 | |||
| Length | 64:01 | |||
| Label | Rhymesayers | |||
| Producer | Aesop Rock | |||
| Aesop Rock chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Integrated Tech Solutions | ||||
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Integrated Tech Solutions is the ninth solo studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released on November 10, 2023, through Rhymesayers, and contains collaborations with Billy Woods, Hanni El Khatib, Rob Sonic, Nikki Jean, and Lealani Teano. [1]
Aesop Rock announced the album on September 14, 2023, and released a music video for "Mindful Solutionism", the lead single of the album. [2] On October 5, Aesop released "By the River", the second single of the album, [3] and three weeks later, he released "Infinity Fill Goose Down", the third single for the album. [4]
Integrated Tech Solutions has been characterized as a "loose concept album" that explores technology and consumerism. [5] [6] [7] It also features narratives inspired by Aesop's own life experiences, [8] leading the album's prevailing mood to be described as "reflective". [5]
Lead single "Mindful Solutionism" discusses the history of technological advancement, including its harms. [5] [6] Conversely, the album's second single – "By the River" – features "soft percussion and a jazzy horn" and explores Aesop's appreciation of rivers and his memories of deceased friend Camu Tao. [7] [8] "Living Curfew", in which Aesop and featured artist Billy Woods describe the feel of cities at different times of day, includes production that has been likened to trip hop. [5] [7] "Aggressive Steven" tells the story of Aesop's encounter with a home invader and reflects on society's treatment of mental illness; [5] [7] [8] other storytelling tracks are more lighthearted, such as "100 Feet Tall", in which Aesop recounts a childhood experience meeting Mr. T at a restaurant. [5] [7] "On Failure" is a spoken word track in which Aesop considers the life and legacy of Vincent van Gogh. [5] [7]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 84/100 [9] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [5] |
| The Observer | [6] |
| Pitchfork | 8.0/10 [7] |
| RapReviews | 8/10 [10] |
| Slant |  [8] |
At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Integrated Tech Solutions received an average score of 84 based on 7 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [9]
Aesop's writing on the album received particular praise, with Paul Simpson of AllMusic characterizing him as "a master of telling playfully outlandish tales". [5] Stephen Kearse of Pitchfork was similarly approving, noting that "elite technique is clearly second nature for [Aesop] at this point" and describing Integrated Tech Solutions as containing "some of his most fully realized songs". [7] Comparing this record to Aesop's earlier work, reviewers have described him as adopting a "more conversational than combative" delivery, as well as "rein[ing] in his tendencies toward word salad". [7] [8] Critics also praised the detailed storytelling that occurs throughout the record. [5] [7] [8]
The production on Integrated Tech Solutions also achieved acclaim. Kitty Empire of The Observer described Aesop's beats on the album as "bouncy retro production that crackles with vim", [6] and Kearse described it as "accomplished and purposeful" work that "emphasize[s] rhythm as much as texture". [7] Reviewers identified the major elements of the production as including "funky boom-bap with touches of psych-rock guitar", as well as "bubbling synthesizers and turntable scratches". [5] [8]
All tracks are written by Ian Bavitz, with guest artists also credited as writers.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The ITS Way" | 0:49 |
| 2. | "Mindful Solutionism" | 3:34 |
| 3. | "Infinity Fill Goose Down" | 3:32 |
| 4. | "Living Curfew" (featuring Billy Woods) | 3:51 |
| 5. | "Pigeonometry" | 3:32 |
| 6. | "Kyanite Toothpick" (featuring Hanni El Khatib) | 4:09 |
| 7. | "100 Feet Tall" | 4:13 |
| 8. | "Salt and Pepper Squid" | 4:10 |
| 9. | "Time Moves Differently Here" | 3:48 |
| 10. | "Aggressive Steven" | 5:18 |
| 11. | "Bermuda" (featuring Lealani Teano) | 3:17 |
| 12. | "By the River" | 2:38 |
| 13. | "All City Nerve Map" | 3:54 |
| 14. | "Forward Compatibility Engine" (featuring Rob Sonic) | 3:52 |
| 15. | "On Failure" | 1:59 |
| 16. | "Solid Gold" | 2:25 |
| 17. | "Vititus" | 4:08 |
| 18. | "Black Snow" (featuring Nikki Jean) | 4:52 |
| Total length: | 64:01 | |
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Album Downloads (OCC) [11] | 42 |
| UK R&B Albums (OCC) [12] | 12 |
| US Billboard 200 [13] | 169 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard) [14] | 27 |
Ian Matthias Bavitz, better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American rapper and producer from Long Island, New York. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it went on hiatus in 2010. In a 2010 retrospective, betterPropaganda ranked him at number 19 at the Top 100 Artists of the Decade.
Appleseed is an EP by American hip hop musician Aesop Rock. It was originally self-released in 1999, and reissued via Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2021. Produced by Aesop Rock himself, Omega One, and Blockhead, it features a guest appearance from Doseone. It peaked at number 70 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart.
Aesop Rock is an American hip hop rapper who currently signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment. His discography consists of nine studio albums, three extended plays, ten singles, four collaborations, one compilation, nine music videos, and many appearances on other artists' tracks and on compilations.
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