Float (Aesop Rock album)
| Float | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 5, 2000[1] | |||
| Genre | Hip-hop | |||
| Length | 69:20 | |||
| Label | Mush | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Aesop Rock chronology | ||||
| ||||
Float is the second studio album by American hip-hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released on Mush Records on September 5, 2000.[1] Produced by Aesop Rock, Blockhead, and Omega One, it features guest appearances from Slug, Vast Aire, and Doseone.[2]
Background
Prior to Float, Aesop Rock self-released two projects, including the 1999 EP Appleseed. The final track of Appleseed featured Doseone, who—during the same period—had become an A&R representative for Mush Records. Doseone subsequently approached Aesop to offer him a single-album contract.[3] Although he was skeptical of record labels at the time, Aesop decided to sign with Mush for Float due to the relatively small commitment and the simplicity of the contract; in a 2007 interview, he described his thought process at the time as "Fuck it, if I don't do this now..."[4] Aesop had written "about 20" songs at the time and states that he decided to record all of them for Float.[4]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [5] |
| CMJ New Music Monthly | favorable[6] |
| Exclaim! | mixed[2] |
| Pitchfork | 8.5/10[3] |
| RapReviews | 9/10[7] |
| The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | [8] |
| Spin | 7/10[9] |
Brad Mills of AllMusic called the album "surprising, analytical, darkness, mystery, lyricism, and jealous."[5] Jon Caramanica of Spin gave the album a 7 out of 10, commenting that "Aesop's voice is a rich, flat bass cut with a thin growl; through its resonance, he's able to explore the variations within a timbre to access a vast emotional range."[9] Thomas Quinlan of Exclaim! gave the album a mixed review, writing: "While there are no bad songs, the consistent similarity between all of the tracks in regards to drum samples and vocal sounds causes the album to have a bit of a tiresome feel as it nears its conclusion."[2] He added: "The guest MCs add different vocal styles to the album, which helps take your mind off Aesop's vocals long enough to appreciate them when they come back."[2]
In 2014, Joseph Schafer of Stereogum named it the 3rd best Aesop Rock record, saying: "The whole record sounds more anxious than his more assured later work, which makes for an exciting listen."[10]
Reviewing Float retrospectively in 2025, Dash Lewis of Pitchfork described it as "the road map for everything [Aesop Rock would] go on to do", highlighting the "overwhelming" feel of the densely packed lyrics, the paranoid mood of the album, and the incorporation of stylistic techniques like internal rhyme and "hyper-detailed observations".[3]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Float" | Aesop Rock | 1:54 |
| 2. | "Commencement at the Obedience Academy" | Blockhead | 3:45 |
| 3. | "Big Bang" | Aesop Rock | 5:00 |
| 4. | "Garbage" | Aesop Rock | 4:01 |
| 5. | "I'll Be OK" (featuring Slug) | Blockhead | 3:00 |
| 6. | "Breakfast with Blockhead" | Blockhead | 0:36 |
| 7. | "Basic Cable" | Blockhead | 4:11 |
| 8. | "Fascination" | Aesop Rock | 3:46 |
| 9. | "Oxygen" | Blockhead | 5:17 |
| 10. | "Skip Town" | Omega One | 4:22 |
| 11. | "6B Panorama" | Aesop Rock | 2:02 |
| 12. | "Lunch with Blockhead" | Blockhead | 0:21 |
| 13. | "Spare a Match" | Blockhead | 4:51 |
| 14. | "Attention Span" (featuring Vast Aire) | Blockhead | 3:51 |
| 15. | "How to Be a Carpenter" | Aesop Rock | 4:43 |
| 16. | "Prosperity" | Aesop Rock | 3:56 |
| 17. | "No Splash" | Blockhead | 4:02 |
| 18. | "Drawbridge" (featuring Doseone) | Blockhead | 4:45 |
| 19. | "Dinner with Blockhead" | Blockhead | 0:47 |
| 20. | "The Mayor and the Crook" | Aesop Rock | 4:10 |
| Total length: | 69:20 | ||
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.
- Aesop Rock – vocals, production (1, 3, 4, 8, 11, 15, 16, 20)
- Blockhead – production (2, 5–7, 9, 12–14, 17–19)
- Omega One – production (10)
- Slug – vocals (5)
- Vast Aire – vocals (14)
- Doseone – vocals (18)
References
- ^ a b "MH-202 Aesop Rock - Float". Mush Records. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Quinlan, Thomas (September 30, 2000). "Aesop Rock - Float". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ^ a b c Lewis, Dash (November 16, 2025). "Aesop Rock: Float". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
- ^ a b "Aesop Rock Interview". Caught in the Crossfire. August 14, 2007. Retrieved November 17, 2025.
- ^ a b Mills, Brad. "Aesop Rock - Float". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ^ John, Kevin (October 2000). "Aesop Rock - Float". CMJ New Music Monthly: 53.
- ^ Noixe (December 5, 2000). "Aesop Rock :: Float :: Mush Records". RapReviews.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). "Aesop Rock". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Fireside Books. p. 8.
- ^ a b Caramanica, Jon (December 2000). "Reviews". Spin: 234.
- ^ Schafer, Joseph (May 8, 2014). "Aesop Rock Albums From Worst To Best". Stereogum. Archived from the original on October 26, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.