Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign drop patches for "VULTURES 2"

3^rd of August saw the release of VULTURES 2, the new album from Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign, only to be met with negative criticism due to its sloppy sound, unfinished verses and the apparent use of AI. Have unfinished albums become too much the norm? And have musicians become too accustomed to using modern methods to patch up their mistakes?

Going by the collective name ¥$, VULTURES 2 was the highly anticipated follow up to VULTURES 1, released in February of this year. The initial release was set for March, with a third release intended for April – but experienced repeated delays as West and Ty Dolla $ign continued work in the recording studio. Despite Kanye’s claims that the album would not be available on streaming services, a surprise release occurred on August 3^rd and was made available on all streaming platforms. The album underwent several changes post release, with several tracks being shortened, vocals being added, and mixes being changed.

The work itself received resoundingly negative reviews, due to the shoddy quality of the mixing and unfinished portions of songs, begging the question – when did it become okay to release incomplete projects?

The way an album is crafted has looked different over the years – previously, albums were recorded to magnetic tape, and everything had to be performed and mixed live, in order to produce the sound that was desired. As technology became more and more a part of the recording process, the need for first time perfection was less important. Tracks could be mixed and layered, parts could be recorded and rerecorded as and when needed, without additional cost or effort. In ways this was beneficial – perfection could be achieved in multiple takes, and it was easier to edit the mix post recording.

But has this gone too far? In 2022, Billie Eilish revealed to David Letterman that she regularly uses comping in her songs, the process of stitching different vocal takes together to create the finished product. With 87 different takes making up a single song, I cannot help but wonder if this reliance on technology to patch up human mistakes has become too commonplace.

VULTURES 2 came with the disclaimer “Updated songs will be published in real time” – and, to me, this defeated the album before it had a chance to take its first steps.

 The album is an art form – the songs that are part of it help to paint a picture, create a vibe or send a message. When listened to in their entirety, it can be a wonderful experience. However, when an album is getting consistently updated, changed and edited as it begins to live and breathe in the real world, that experience is lost - that precious quality that comes with the first listen of an album is lost.  

This is not the first time this has happened – Kanye’s previous albums Donda and The Life of Pablo both received post release edits. Is this the pattern we will see from the once seminal rapper in the future? Will it become more common place to release first, edit later? For the sake of the album, I really hope not.