Album Review: Kanye West - Yeezus

In a recent New York Times interview Kanye compared himself to Steve Jobs, a man possessing no creativity of his own, but blessed with the vision to combine existing ideas and make something totally new. Kanye, who we first met a decade ago as the master of the soul sample, could be described similarly. Yeezus is a triumph of ingenuity and refinement, not creativity. Our host has found scores of amazing moments and arranged them uniquely. This is Yeezy's iPad.

Bound 2 is a case in point. A 60-year-old throwaway from Brenda Lee is meshed with a 40-year-old track from Ponderosa Twins Plus One. A crate digger's dream. The hook, from veteran Charlie Wilson, is perfection – the album's best moment. Combine these with classic Kanye-as-love-rat raps (we hear about semen on fur coats twice) and you have an incredible track made mostly from found elements, rather than Kanye creations. Jobs would be proud. The theme continues throughout. Agent Sasco, a Jamaican dancehall deejay, and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon drive I'm In It. Beenie Man pops up at the end of Send It Up. Kid Cudi has a stunning moment on Guilt Trip.

Getting hung up on the process misses the music pumping through the dark heart of this record, though. Yeezus plays like one long track, constantly twisting and turning. On Sight is frenetic. Black Skinhead, righteous and angry. I Am A God, deluded (and, at times, ridiculous: “Hurry up with my damn croissants!”) New Slaves, though it lacks the immediacy of big Kanye bangers we have loved in years past, is a slow burn. Yeezus, defined by collaboration and discovery, is majestic. Well worth your time.