Kid Cudi and Dot da Genius' latest project, 'WZRD', Is a Psychedelic Escapade

WZRD

(Universal Republic)

Grade: B

WZRD, band and CD, is an alliance of Kid Cudi and one of his earliest producers, multi-instrumentalist Dot da Genius ("Day N' Nite").

Cudi drums, plays guitar and sings. WZRD comes across as something like The Wall – if only  1960s Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd had recorded Roger Waters' ode to dark introspection.

Throughout this wiry epic, there are lyrical hints of a life well-squandered. The sour "Live & Learn" is a particularly testy track, filled with starry eyes and scars.

Although the melodies are strong and the hooks deep ("Brake" might be one of the catchiest space-rock tunes of the last 30 years), the airy, synthetic arrangements and rude grooves here have a duskily psychedelic and grungy edge that would do that creepy, hypothetical Barrett-Waters Floyd team proud. "Teleport 2 Me, Jamie" embraces Pink's messed-up mesh of layered keyboards and skuzzy guitars. The fuzz-toned, raw-knuckled "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" is an acidic come-down – the soundtrack to a bad trip's finale. How comfortably numb can you get?