Vince Staples Big Fish Theory [PA]

3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he varying emotions and outlooks mark a full step forward into becoming a multi-layered, genre-crossing, emotion-spilling pop auteur in the vein of West, Drake or Childish Gambino....And the beats are some of the most forward-thinking in EDM, hip-hop or otherwise."
"The contrast between the high-BPM liberation and Vince's realism forms BIG FISH THEORY's core tension. He temporary kills the drum patterns on late arrival 'Party People' to lay that bare..."
"As synths skronk and drums clatter, Staples glides above the din, with lyrical missives that urgently indict fame and fortune..."
5 stars out of 5 -- "BIG FISH THEORY is one of the most ambitious, dazzling hip-hop albums of 2017 so far -- neck-and-neck with Kendrick's DAMN..."
Pitchfork (Website) - "[A] sleek rave-rap record that casually probes celebrity and class, a release that is half celebration of rap stardom and half critique of the often toxic culture it breeds. Staples is as clever as ever, but now the beats travel faster than his racing mind."
Clash (Magazine) - "The cold and otherworldly 'Crabs In a Bucket' is bolstered by a garage beat that you might find on a grime track, while the glitchy 'Homage' accelerates as Staples' flow bounces with every flicker and thundering pulse."