Michael (Les Sins album)
| Michael | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 4, 2014 | |||
| Studio | Chaz Bear's home studio | |||
| Genre | Electronic | |||
| Length | 40:09 | |||
| Label | Company Records | |||
| Chaz Bear chronology | ||||
| ||||
Michael is a 2014 album by American musician Chaz Bear under the name Les Sins. All albums by Bear prior to the release of Michael were under the stage name Toro y Moi.[1] The album is almost entirely instrumental, with only one song, "Why," having guest vocals from Nate Salman.[2][3]
Background
On the Bandcamp page for Les Sins, it states that Michael was inspired "by cartoon and movie soundtracks" as well as "house, techno, French electronic, and ’90s hip-hop production."[4][5] Bear began producing the album after a slight burnout of doing R&B-style songs; the album took two years to produce.[6]
Critical reception
Upon release, Michael received positive reviews. The largest publication to review the album, Pitchfork, gave the album a 6.6 out of 10, stating that the album "finds [Bear] turning away from his thin, genial voice and natural melodic gifts, choosing instead to embrace rhythm and lean, shadowy beat construction."[7]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Pitchfork | 6.6/10[8] |
| AllMusic | [12] |
| The Early Registration | 7/10[10] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 8.5/10[11] |
| Spectrum Culture | 3.75/5[9] |
| MusicOMH | [13] |
Track listing
All tracks are written by Chaz Bear.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Talk About" | 3:54 |
| 2. | "Past" | 2:33 |
| 3. | "Toy" | 4:00 |
| 4. | "Why" (featuring Nate Salman) | 4:03 |
| 5. | "Bother" | 3:44 |
| 6. | "Minato" | 3:44 |
| 7. | "Bellow" | 4:22 |
| 8. | "Sticky" | 3:35 |
| 9. | "Call" | 3:34 |
| 10. | "Drop" | 3:04 |
| 11. | "Do Right" | 3:29 |
| Total length: | 40:09 | |
References
- ^ "First Listen: Les Sins, 'Michael'". NPR. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "That Music Magazine » Les Sins, Michael". Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "Les Sins - Michael". DIY. November 7, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "Michael, by Les Sins". Les Sins. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "Les Sins: Michael". Victrola. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "Album Of The Week: Les Sins Michael". Stereogum. November 4, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ Cox, Jamieson. "Les Sins: Michael". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ Cox, Jamieson (November 12, 2014). "Les Sins: Michael Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ^ Randall, Mike (November 10, 2014). "Les Sins: Michael - Album Review". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ^ "Album Review: Michael | Les Sins". The Early Registration. November 4, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ^ Travers, Kate (October 27, 2014). "Les Sins - Michael". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
- ^ Sendra, Tim (November 4, 2014). "Michael - Les Sins". AllMusic. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ Monk, Christopher (November 3, 2014). "Les Sins – Michael". MusicOMH. Retrieved April 2, 2025.