Here in France, flute is imposed at high school in music class. So might be an understandable trauma…
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You cannot argue about taste and kudos for that he’s just releasing what he wants instead of trying to fulfill certain expectations.
There are some really nice elements in these tracks. The flute parts are also interesting at the beginning. But it always got annoying for me after a while. Not my type of ambient - feels too jazzy
loved it. think that colonoscopy rap should happen.
haven’t heard the lp, but loved his thoughts on striving for a feeling. and felt guilty i’ve pushed talk/thoughts like that into a pretentious realm. but it’s the truth.
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I absolutely love it but I’d probably love Dré playing a washboard for 90 mins. That said, I find it relaxing, ethereal, unpredictable, melodic, mysterious…it reminds me a lot of some of the vibey improv splicing on Talk Talk’s Laughing Stock. Haven’t listened to a new release this consistently in ages.
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I listened to the whole thing yesterday and again today. I went in blind, skipping reviews and interviews, knowing only that it was an Andre 3000 jazz album where he played flute. It seemed intriguing. After about four tracks (30+ minutes of listening), I was shocked how little was going on with the flute part. I was thinking, “It sounds like he’s just noodling around on an instrument he doesn’t know very well.” I went to read about how the album was made, and that’s not too far off.
It’s a tough listen. Call it ambient, free-jazz, whatever. There’s not much to grab onto. No structure, beat, or real melody to speak of. The swells occasionally build up the energy of a track, but it never turns into a ripping solo, just more noodling. The changes on the first two tracks and the final one are cool, but the rest of the song doesn’t build on it into something interesting. This really feels like an “Emperor’s New Clothes” situation. If anyone else made this album, note for note, and uploaded it, it would have 6 plays on Soundcloud.
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Found it super boring, don’t understand the hype, I hope it’s ok to say this here !
I love the guy though, and kind of appreciate that he doesn’t give a fuck, but I won’t pretend I liked this album.
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Apparently, he never played the digital flute he‘s playing on the album before starting the improvised session we hear recorded. So what you’re saying is correct: while he taught himself how to play different flutes, he’s never played this intstrument and you can hear him learn to play it.
Now how do we feel about that approach to a record? Would you be interested in “I’ve just plugged in this synth for the first time and recorded this album”?
Now that’s an album I would pay to hear.
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Gave their albums some proper listening, have to say I really appreciate this sound 
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I’ve never been able to appreciate flute music. Can’t pin point why, maybe it’s school forced lession trauma 
Did give it a spin, i’ve listened to some of OutKasts more popular music in the past. There were some nice ambient moments, but the flute unfortunately gets in my way :S
I have to say it’s brave of him to do this, follow what must be a passion, when he’s an established big name. Why brave? Because the potential fall is such a huge one, can kill careers.
I don’t get the anger - if it’s bad for you it’s great for someone else. I try to always keep that in mind, in fact it’s what keeps ME going. I have the worst self esteem, but i tell myself not everone will hate
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this feels like a nothing point to be honest. context matters and creates meaning. this context didnt create meaning for you and thats ok.
Coming from stringed instruments my whole life, wind instruments are not easy to pick up and learn in your 40’s. I wouldn’t want to make a whole album dedicated to the learning curve, but I’m working on finding a place for it. You can hear some alto recorder that I mic’ed up and added a delay to from around 19 seconds into this clip.
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I feel like the curve is pretty similar to the one i’m looking for in my mixing headphones 
I think it’s nice music. Good for more relaxed situations. new-age ambient is a pretty fantastic genre in my opinion. There’s a whole world of nice (and better) music out there for people who like this.
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Context is what got me in the door and context is why I listened to the album twice, because Andre 3K is a helluva musician. But context doesn’t make that music any more compelling.
I’ve watched my favorite bands go from acoustic to electric or electric to acoustic, and supported them both ways. The medium isn’t all that important to me. I’ll meet an artist where they are as long as they bring the tunes. That didn’t bring it for me. But if you dig it, I’m happy for you.
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for sure, im on board. more pushing back against the “no name artist” comparison. feels like a perspective thats more appropriate for an industry exec to have then a consumer of art
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Very nice!
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I’d like to throw my hat into the ring as well. I’m listening to the album while it’s still dark, and my son is asleep. Very meditative, with a unique beauty and aesthetic. Of course, the name on the album makes a difference; that’s undeniable. But that’s how it is with all art, and it’s what gives things context and stories. And let’s not forget, this album will probably be sampled extensively in the coming years!
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…well, even if someone is not into andre, u gotto respect a truu recording and performing artist when u spot one…
this guy skipped all the rules and norms forever…heeeyyaaaa, hee hee yaa, 3000 times beyond what he was signed up for in first place, back in his hey days of hiphop that never really was hiphop…
just to be ended with a double album, where he was all over the place on record one and his former “bandmate” did everything according to what the recordcompany signed them up for on record two…
and oooops, biggest shot of that hiphop double album then, was his stuff that was nowhere near hiphop at all…
and now, after years of silence, depression and artistic confusion, an album release based on him discovering flutes…!?..u can’t invent such a story…
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It’s a great work of art.
2023 gave us new Aphex & Andre3k (colab when?) 
Definitely not “ambient” music though
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