Before the release of his latest album, few doubted Kanye West’s ability to one-up himself given his talent, money, and endless supply of industry connections. So it should come as no surprise that My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is just as spectacularly excessive as we could have hoped.   

There are no distracting filler tracks, skits, or interludes because there’s not enough room for them. If a song isn’t speeding past six minutes’ worth of guest appearances, it’s stretched even longer to showcase an instrumental solo. The musical versatility, whether it’s African chant, orchestral strings, or well-placed vocal distortion, proves that Yeezy can make music that is atypical of the mainstream sound but just as radio-friendly.

Kanye’s lyrics are sometimes hilarious, sometimes contrite, but always intricately constructed. With the exception of guests Fergie and the RZA, every feature verse is powerful, as if each guest knew the negative consequences of a poor performance on such a highly anticipated album. By the end, Kanye’s struggle is much easier to appreciate than it was on his supposedly poignant 808’s and Heartbreak.

The album is ambitious, frenetic, and unrestrained, and the surrounding hype will leave both the casual fan and the music aficionado worshiping Kanye while they’re listening.