As producers, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo – better known as The Neptunes – have fallen off the radar a bit of late, so it’s good to be reminded in the new N*E*R*D* album that they haven’t lost their touch. Williams’ falsetto will doubtless continue to divide opinion, but there’s some really strong stuff here as the duo bring a sizeable chunk of blue-eyed soul to inflect their music. Songs such as the Daft Punk-produced ‘Hypnotize U’ and the heavily layered ‘I’ve Seen The Light’ leave their mark, while ‘Party People’ and ‘Perfect Defect’ show a bit of the urban grittiness that the pair can do so well. Perhaps surprisingly, this is actually much better than the title suggests it might be.
4 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
